Kentucky Unemployment Calculator 2026
Kentucky pays $39–$746 per week for up to 16 weeks in 2026. Your weekly benefit amount is 1.1923% of your total base-period wages. Enter your quarterly wages below to estimate it — the math runs entirely in your browser, from figures verified against Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center).
Works offline — your inputs never leave this device. How that works
Enter your gross wages for each quarter of the base period — roughly the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. Your state's exact window is shown with the result.
Base period: First 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters.
File your claim with Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) — only the agency determines your actual benefit.
Verified 2026-07-31 against Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance Claimant Guide PAM400 (effective 2026-07-05)
Estimate only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Only Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) can determine your actual amounts.
Official source: Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) — file a claim ↗
Working part-time? Partial benefits
Kentucky disregards part of what you earn in a week before reducing your benefit. Estimate what a part-time week leaves you with:
- Disregard: 20% of earnings $150.00 = $30.00
- Countable earnings: $150.00 − $30.00 = $120.00
- Payable: WBA $400.00 − $120.00 = $280.00
How long benefits can last
Currently up to 16 weeks — this state ties duration to its unemployment rate: PAM400: 'Claimants who qualify for UI benefits on or after July 5, 2026, will receive a maximum of 16 weeks of benefits, or up to 24 weeks if in an approved training program.' Duration is set by the State Average Unemployment Rate for the prior 6 months and is locked in at filing. Statutory schedule (PAM400 duration table, SAUR less-than-or-equal thresholds): 6.5% - 16 weeks; 7% - 17; 7.5% - 18; 8% - 19; 8.5% - 20; 9% - 21; 9.5% - 22; 10% - 23; 10.5% - 24.
Who qualifies for benefits in Kentucky
PAM400: (1) at least $1,500 in wages in at least one base-period quarter; (2) total base-period wages at least 1.5 times the highest quarter; (3) total wages outside the highest quarter at least $1,500; (4) wages in the last two quarters at least 8 times the weekly benefit rate.
- Minimum high-quarter wages
- $1,500
Meeting the wage test is not the same as being approved: Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) also rules on the reason for the separation and on your availability for work each week. File with Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) ↗
Base period in Kentucky
First 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. No alternate base period is offered. PAM400 describes only the standard base period (e.g. claims filed between July 5, 2026 and October 3, 2026 use the base period beginning April 1, 2025); no alternate base period is mentioned.
See which quarters count for your filing date →Severance and your claim
PAM400: 'Severance pay is not deductible from benefits. Vacation pay received after a job separation is not deductible.' However, 'wages paid in lieu of notice of job separation will be deductible at 100% for up to four weeks,' and all separation payments must be reported so the Office of Unemployment Insurance can determine deductibility.
Source: Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance Claimant Guide PAM400 (verified 2026-07-31).
Kentucky unemployment: frequently asked questions
Kentucky pays between $39 and $746 per week in 2026. Your amount is 1.1923% of your total base-period wages, and only Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (Kentucky Career Center) can determine it officially. These figures were verified against the agency's own publication on 2026-07-31.
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