How Much Unemployment Pays in North Carolina
How North Carolina calculates weekly unemployment benefits, the current minimum and maximum, and how many weeks you can collect.
Short answer: Your weekly benefit amount is your wages in the last two completed quarters of your base period divided by 52, rounded down to the whole dollar. The maximum is $350 per week; N.C. Gen. Stat. § 96-14.2(a); North Carolina DES, Unemployment Insurance FAQs
| Weekly benefit amount | Your weekly benefit amount is your wages in the last two completed quarters of your base period divided by 52, rounded down to the whole dollar. The maximum is $350 per week; if the calculation is less than $15, you are not eligible. The $350 maximum is fixed in the statute and is not adjusted annually. |
|---|---|
| How many weeks | From 12 to 20 weeks, depending on the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate, set every January 1 and July 1: 12 weeks when the rate is 5.5% or less, rising one week for each additional half-point up to 20 weeks when the rate is above 9%. DES currently states the maximum is 12 weeks. Your monetary determination shows the number of weeks for your claim. |
| Waiting week | Yes. North Carolina law requires an unpaid waiting week, the first week you are eligible. You must still complete your weekly certification for that week. |
Where to get help in North Carolina
More North Carolina unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your North Carolina Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in North Carolina
- Unemployment After Being Fired in North Carolina
- Unemployment After Quitting in North Carolina
- How to File for Unemployment in North Carolina
- All North Carolina unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How much is unemployment in North Carolina?
Your weekly benefit amount is your wages in the last two completed quarters of your base period divided by 52, rounded down to the whole dollar. The maximum is $350 per week; if the calculation is less than $15, you are not eligible.
How long can you get unemployment in North Carolina?
From 12 to 20 weeks, depending on the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate, set every January 1 and July 1: 12 weeks when the rate is 5.5% or less, rising one week for each additional half-point up to 20 weeks when the rate is above 9%. DES currently states the maximum is 12 weeks. Your monetary determination shows the number of weeks for your claim.
Is there a waiting week for unemployment in North Carolina?
Yes. North Carolina law requires an unpaid waiting week, the first week you are eligible. You must still complete your weekly certification for that week.
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.