Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits: Who Qualifies, How Much, and How to Apply

Wisconsin has two levels of disqualification. If you are fired for misconduct, the wages from that employer cannot be used to qualify. You are also ineligible for seven weeks from the date you were fired and until you earn 14 times your weekly benefit rate. Misconduct includes willful or wanton disregard of the employer's interests, violating a written alcohol or drug policy, theft, harassment or violence, excessive absenteeism or tardiness, and falsifying records. If you are fired for substantial fault, meaning acts within your control that violate reasonable employer requirements, you are ineligible for seven weeks and until you earn 14 times your weekly benefit rate. Minor rule violations not repeated after a warning, honest mistakes, and lacking the skill or equipment to do the job are not substantial fault.

If you quit without good cause, you are not eligible until you earn wages equal to 6 times your weekly benefit rate. Good cause means a valid, substantial reason connected with the employer, such as unsafe working conditions. DWD lists other exceptions to the standard quit disqualification.

Laid-off workers and those partially unemployed, working a few hours a week, can file. You may receive partial payments while working reduced hours, but not in any week in which you work 32 hours or more.

You must have covered wages in at least two quarters of your base period and a weekly benefit rate of at least $54. Your wages in the three lowest-paid base-period quarters combined must be at least 4 times your weekly benefit rate, and your total base-period wages must be at least 35 times that rate. If you were paid benefits in an earlier benefit year, you must have worked and earned at least 8 times your weekly benefit rate since that benefit year began.

Your weekly benefit rate is 4% of the wages paid in your highest-paid base-period quarter. The minimum is $54, and below that you do not qualify. The maximum is $370.

Your maximum benefit amount is 26 times your weekly benefit rate or 40% of your total base-period wages, whichever is smaller. That means up to 26 weeks at your full rate.

Yes. In each new benefit year, no benefits are paid for the first week you would otherwise be eligible.

Perform at least four valid work search actions each week, document them on your weekly claim certification, and keep proof for one year. You must also register for work with the Job Center of Wisconsin, including completing and activating a resume, within 14 days of completing your initial claim. If you miss that deadline, you can be denied benefits for the weeks before you register.

Holiday, vacation, termination and dismissal (severance) pay are added to your wages for the week to figure your gross income. You get no benefits in a week in which work and these payments together add up to 32 or more hours at your usual rate. Retirement payments, including pensions, annuities and 401(k) or 403(b) payouts, reduce benefits if a base-period employer contributed and you do not roll the payment over. Social Security, SSDI, SSI and VA disability pay are not deducted.

Apply online through DWD's Claimant Portal at dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/apply. Help is available at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661. After you apply, file a weekly claim certification for each week, reporting wages in the week you earned them along with any other income.

Each determination has its own appeal deadline. Your appeal must be received or postmarked by the last appeal date shown on the front of the determination. File online in the Claimant Portal, or by mail or fax. An administrative law judge holds a hearing. You can then petition the Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC) within 21 days of the date the decision is mailed. A late appeal needs good cause, generally a reason beyond your control.

Subtract $30 from your gross income for the week, multiply the rest by 67%, and subtract that from your weekly benefit rate. Round down to get the partial payment. For example, $250 in income with a $200 rate gives a $52 payment. No payment is made if the result is under $5 or if you work 32 hours or more.

Independent contractors are not eligible for unemployment benefits, but under Wisconsin's unemployment law workers are presumed to be employees unless the employer proves they are independent contractors under a two-part test; if either part is not met, the worker is an employee. If you suspect you were misclassified, you can contact the Department of Workforce Development or report suspected misclassification. If you are self-employed or start a business while claiming, you must answer "yes" to being self-employed; self-employment income is not counted as wages and is not deducted from benefits, but you can be disqualified if self-employment keeps you from being able, available and actively looking for suitable work.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Claimant Portal at my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov is where you file weekly claims, check claim status, view or print payment history, check eligibility issues or appeals, and view or print determinations. Online weekly filing is available Sunday 9 a.m.-midnight, 24 hours Monday-Friday, and Saturday midnight-3 p.m. For help using online services, or if you can't go online, call (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661.