Arizona Unemployment Benefits: Who Qualifies, How Much, and How to Apply
Arizona unemployment: can you get benefits if fired or you quit, weekly benefit amounts, how many weeks, work search rules, how to apply and appeal.
Quick answers for Arizona
- If you were fired
- You are disqualified if you were discharged for willful or negligent misconduct connected with your work. A.R.S. § 23-775(2)
- Weekly benefit amount
- Your weekly benefit is 1/25 of the wages you were paid in the highest-paid quarter of your base period. The maximum weekly benefit is $320, in effect since July 1, 2022 (it was $240 before then). A.R.S. § 23-779
- How many weeks
- Up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount (26 weeks) if the state unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter was 5% or more, or up to 24 times (24 weeks) if it was below 5%. A.R.S. § 23-780
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Who qualifies
| If you were fired | You are disqualified if you were discharged for willful or negligent misconduct connected with your work. The disqualification covers the week of discharge and the waiting week and lasts until you have earned wages equal to five times your weekly benefit amount in later work. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-775(2) |
|---|---|
| If you quit | You are disqualified if you quit without good cause connected with your work. The disqualification lasts until you have earned wages equal to five times your weekly benefit amount in later work. Quitting because of transportation problems is not disqualifying if the travel required was more than is normal in your occupation and your past practice, or if compelling personal circumstances required you to leave, such as a commute of more than 30 miles or more than 1.5 hours, or leaving to go with a spouse or parent in the armed services transferred under official orders. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-775(1) |
| Layoffs and reduced hours | Workers who lose their job through no fault of their own, such as a layoff, may qualify if they meet the wage and work search requirements. If your hours are reduced, you may receive a partial benefit: your weekly benefit amount minus the part of your weekly wages above $160. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. §§ 23-771, 23-779 |
| Earnings needed to qualify | You qualify in one of two ways: (a) total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest-quarter wages, with at least one quarter's wages equal to 390 times the Arizona minimum wage in effect when you file; or (b) wages in at least two base period quarters, with one quarter high enough for the maximum weekly benefit and total base period wages at least equal to the state taxable wage base. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-771(A)(6) |
| Self-employed, 1099 and gig workers | Under Arizona's unemployment law, an employee is someone who performs services subject to the employer's direction, rule or control over both how the work is done and the result. Signs of control include controlling hours, work location, the right to work for others, tools, equipment, materials and expenses. The law excludes people who work as independent contractors, business persons, agents or consultants, or in an independent profession, trade or occupation, and people the federal government does not treat as employees for federal unemployment tax purposes. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-613.01 |
How much and how long
| Weekly benefit amount | Your weekly benefit is 1/25 of the wages you were paid in the highest-paid quarter of your base period. The maximum weekly benefit is $320, in effect since July 1, 2022 (it was $240 before then). The statute does not state a dollar minimum weekly benefit; in practice the minimum follows from the qualifying-wage rule tied to the state minimum wage. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-779 |
|---|---|
| How many weeks | Up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount (26 weeks) if the state unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter was 5% or more, or up to 24 times (24 weeks) if it was below 5%. Total benefits in a benefit year cannot exceed one-third of your base period earnings. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-780 |
| Waiting week | Yes. You must serve an unpaid waiting period of one week. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-771(A)(5) |
| Working part-time on benefits | If you work part-time while claiming, the first $160 of your weekly wages does not reduce your benefit. Your weekly benefit is reduced by the amount you earn above $160 (this $160 amount applies from July 1, 2022; it was $30 before). Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-779 |
Applying and keeping benefits
| Work search requirements | You must register for work with the state employment service and keep reporting as directed. Each week you must make a systematic and sustained effort to find work on at least four days of the week, with at least one job contact per day on four different days. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-771(A)(1), (A)(4) |
|---|---|
| Appealing a denial | You must appeal within 15 calendar days after the determination was mailed to your last known address (or within 7 calendar days after it was delivered to you). Appeals may be filed in writing, electronically or by phone. Before the appeal period ends you may instead ask for a reconsidered determination. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: A.R.S. § 23-773 |
Unemployment Benefits FAQ
Can you get unemployment if you were fired in Arizona?
You are disqualified if you were discharged for willful or negligent misconduct connected with your work. The disqualification covers the week of discharge and the waiting week and lasts until you have earned wages equal to five times your weekly benefit amount in later work.
Can you get unemployment if you quit in Arizona?
You are disqualified if you quit without good cause connected with your work. The disqualification lasts until you have earned wages equal to five times your weekly benefit amount in later work. Quitting because of transportation problems is not disqualifying if the travel required was more than is normal in your occupation and your past practice, or if compelling personal circumstances required you to leave, such as a commute of more than 30 miles or more than 1.5 hours, or leaving to go with a spouse or parent in the armed services transferred under official orders.
Can you get unemployment if your hours were cut in Arizona?
Workers who lose their job through no fault of their own, such as a layoff, may qualify if they meet the wage and work search requirements. If your hours are reduced, you may receive a partial benefit: your weekly benefit amount minus the part of your weekly wages above $160.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Arizona?
You qualify in one of two ways: (a) total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest-quarter wages, with at least one quarter's wages equal to 390 times the Arizona minimum wage in effect when you file; or (b) wages in at least two base period quarters, with one quarter high enough for the maximum weekly benefit and total base period wages at least equal to the state taxable wage base.
How much is unemployment in Arizona?
Your weekly benefit is 1/25 of the wages you were paid in the highest-paid quarter of your base period. The maximum weekly benefit is $320, in effect since July 1, 2022 (it was $240 before then).
How long can you get unemployment in Arizona?
Up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount (26 weeks) if the state unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter was 5% or more, or up to 24 times (24 weeks) if it was below 5%. Total benefits in a benefit year cannot exceed one-third of your base period earnings.
Is there a waiting week for unemployment in Arizona?
Yes. You must serve an unpaid waiting period of one week.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Arizona?
You must register for work with the state employment service and keep reporting as directed. Each week you must make a systematic and sustained effort to find work on at least four days of the week, with at least one job contact per day on four different days.
How do I appeal an unemployment denial in Arizona?
You must appeal within 15 calendar days after the determination was mailed to your last known address (or within 7 calendar days after it was delivered to you). Appeals may be filed in writing, electronically or by phone. Before the appeal period ends you may instead ask for a reconsidered determination.
Can you work part-time and collect unemployment in Arizona?
If you work part-time while claiming, the first $160 of your weekly wages does not reduce your benefit. Your weekly benefit is reduced by the amount you earn above $160 (this $160 amount applies from July 1, 2022; it was $30 before).
Can self-employed or gig workers get unemployment in Arizona?
Under Arizona's unemployment law, an employee is someone who performs services subject to the employer's direction, rule or control over both how the work is done and the result. Signs of control include controlling hours, work location, the right to work for others, tools, equipment, materials and expenses. The law excludes people who work as independent contractors, business persons, agents or consultants, or in an independent profession, trade or occupation, and people the federal government does not treat as employees for federal unemployment tax purposes.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.