Attorneys

Quality Legal Resources You Can Count On

Your current location: (0) | Change Location
Rate this information

How Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits?

Unemployment Insurance is a program that pays weekly benefits to insured workers who are unemployed or working reduced hours. A person must have worked for an employer subject to the payment Unemployment Insurance Tax and earned qualifying wages to be entitled to benefits. In order to monetarily qualify for benefits, a person must have been paid gross wages of $1,600.00 or more during their "Base Period" (First four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to when the claim is filed), with at least $800.00 paid in each of two of the Base Period calendar quarters.

Full benefits may be paid for any week during which a worker is totally unemployed or is partially unemployed and earns less than half the weekly benefit amount on a claim. Half benefits may be paid for a week that the worker is partially employed and earns between one half and the full weekly benefit amount.

Workers must be physically and mentally capable of performing work for which they are qualified by training and experience, and which is available within the labor market. Workers ' circumstances must be such that they are prepared to accept immediate employment with no undue restrictions. In addition, workers who are not returning to a regular employer or attached to a union hiring hall must register for work with the Nebraska Department of Labor and actively search for work.

Other Nebraska Labor and Employment FAQs

1 2 >>

Wage Claims for Unpaid Overtime

Change Your Location

Enter Your New Location:


(e.g., San Diego, CA or 92121 or 619)

Based on your IP Address, your default location is:

  • Area Code: 0
  • City:
  • State: