How Much Unemployment Pays in Connecticut
How Connecticut calculates weekly unemployment benefits, the current minimum and maximum, and how many weeks you can collect.
Short answer: Your weekly benefit rate is 1/26 of the average of your wages in the two highest-paid quarters of your base period (construction workers: 1/26 of the highest quarter). CTDOL, A Guide to Collecting Benefits in Connecticut; Information on Unemployment Tax Rate for Calendar Year 2026; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-231a
| Weekly benefit amount | Your weekly benefit rate is 1/26 of the average of your wages in the two highest-paid quarters of your base period (construction workers: 1/26 of the highest quarter). A dependency allowance of $15 per week per dependent, up to five dependents, may be added, but it can never exceed your benefit rate. The minimum weekly benefit is $44 (effective January 1, 2026). The maximum weekly benefit rate is $721; by law it is frozen for benefit years beginning from the first Sunday in October 2024 until the first Sunday in October 2028. The U.S. Department of Labor's July 2026 summary of state laws lists Connecticut at $44 to $721 (up to $796 with dependents). |
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| How many weeks | Up to 26 weeks; maximum benefits are 26 times your weekly benefit rate. People receiving partial benefits or a pension may collect over more than 26 weeks, but the total is still capped at 26 times the rate. The benefit year is 52 weeks starting the Sunday of the week you file. |
Where to get help in Connecticut
More Connecticut unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Connecticut Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Connecticut
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Connecticut
- Unemployment After Quitting in Connecticut
- How to File for Unemployment in Connecticut
- All Connecticut unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How much is unemployment in Connecticut?
Your weekly benefit rate is 1/26 of the average of your wages in the two highest-paid quarters of your base period (construction workers: 1/26 of the highest quarter). A dependency allowance of $15 per week per dependent, up to five dependents, may be added, but it can never exceed your benefit rate. The minimum weekly benefit is $44 (effective January 1, 2026). The maximum weekly benefit rate is $721; by law it is frozen for benefit years beginning from the first Sunday in October 2024 until the first Sunday in October 2028.
How long can you get unemployment in Connecticut?
Up to 26 weeks; maximum benefits are 26 times your weekly benefit rate. People receiving partial benefits or a pension may collect over more than 26 weeks, but the total is still capped at 26 times the rate. The benefit year is 52 weeks starting the Sunday of the week you file.
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.