The extra $600 federal unemployment benefit will end this month and once it ends, the amount of unemployment compensation and the number of weeks would once again be decided by the state. 

Unemployment Claim
(Photo : Unsplash)

Each state in the country has set a minimum and maximum cap for unemployment compensation. States also set as to how long or weeks a person can receive the compensation. 

As the unemployment benefit passed in the CARES Act in March won't likely be in the next phase of coronavirus relief, most of the states in the country will no longer receive the federal aid of $600 by the third week of July, while others at the end of the month.

This means that unemployed individuals will depend on the unemployment compensation given by their state. However, this compensation will not last a lifetime.

Some states give unemployment compensation for 30 weeks, while others only give for 14 weeks. Moreover, the amount also varies. 

According to a published report in Fox News, one of the advantages of federal aid is that almost everyone in the country is qualified, except if you are an undocumented immigrant or if you quit or was terminated from your job.

Each state has set their own guidelines as to who qualifies or not for their unemployment compensation. Also, states have their own unemployment laws to know and determine how much a person can receive based on his or her previous weekly earnings.

In most states in the country, the unemployment compensation is worth half of a person's earnings up to a certain threshold. There are high and low paying states.

Others also pay for a long and short period. This means that the unemployment compensation varies by state, according to the website fileunemployment.org.

Here are the states that pay the highest unemployment compensation without the $600 federal aid:

  •  Massachusetts - $1,220
  • Ohio - $802
  • Washington - $790
  • Rhode Island - $730
  • Connecticut - $724 

Take note that the unemployment compensation in Massachusetts ranges from $769 to $1,220, depending on your eligibility. 

Here are the states that pay the lowest unemployment compensation without the $600 federal aid: 

  • Mississippi - $235
  • Arizona - $240
  • Louisiana - $247
  • Alabama - $275
  • Florida - $275 

Here are the states that provide unemployment compensation for a longer duration:

  • Massachusetts - 30 Weeks
  • Montana - 28 Weeks 

Here are the states that provide unemployment compensation for a shorter duration:

  •  Florida - 12 Weeks
  • North Carolina - 12 Weeks
  • Missouri - 13 Weeks
  • Georgia - 14 Weeks
  • Kansas - 16 Weeks 

It is not surprising that those states that pay the lowest compensation are also the states that offer the shortest duration. 

If you want to apply for unemployment compensation and avail the aid set by your state, you have to contact your state's unemployment office. 

Moreover, you can also file your claim through an online application or via phone because most offices today are close due to the global pandemic.

Legal immigrants in the country, who still remained jobless even the country has slowly reopened the economy, should apply for this while waiting for a job. 

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