New Jersey Unemployment Calculator 2026
New Jersey pays $0–$905 per week for up to 26 weeks in 2026. Your weekly benefit amount is 60% of your average weekly wage. Enter your quarterly wages below to estimate it — the math runs entirely in your browser, from figures verified against New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance.
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: NJDOL Glossary, 'Regular base year period': 'It is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before the week you filed your initial claim.' (an alternate base period is available if you don’t qualify with the standard one).
File your claim with New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance — only the agency determines your actual benefit.
Verified 2026-07-31 against NJDOL 'NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development Announces New Benefit Rates for 2026' (Dec 29, 2025) + Division of Unemployment Insurance 'How we calculate benefits', 'Dependency Benefits', 'Factors that affect your weekly benefit rate' and Glossary (effective 2026-01-01)
Estimate only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Only New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance can determine your actual amounts.
Official source: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance — file a claim ↗
Working part-time? Partial benefits
New Jersey disregards part of what you earn in a week before reducing your benefit. Estimate what a part-time week leaves you with:
- Disregard: 0.2 × WBA $400.00 = $80.00
- Countable earnings: $150.00 − $80.00 = $70.00
- Payable: WBA $400.00 − $70.00 = $330.00
How dependants change the New Jersey benefit
NJDOL 'Dependency Benefits': 'Dependency Benefits are equal to 7 percent of your weekly benefit rate for the first dependent, and 4 percent for each of the next two dependents. The maximum amount of Dependency Benefits you can collect is 15 percent of your weekly benefit rate for three dependents. Dependency Benefits will only increase your weekly benefit rate up to the maximum weekly benefit rate, as no claimant can receive more than the maximum weekly benefit rate.' Only claimants whose calculated rate is below the maximum weekly benefit rate can qualify; a dependent is an unemployed spouse/civil union partner or an unemployed, unmarried child under 19 (22 if a full-time student); if the spouse/civil union partner is employed during the week the claim is established, no Dependency Benefits are payable.
How long benefits can last
Up to 26 weeks; total benefits are NJDOL: 'Maximum Benefit Amount = the number of weeks you worked in the base period (up to 26) * your weekly benefit rate.' Worked examples on the same page: 'Steve worked 20 weeks during the base year period. His weekly benefit rate is $200. His maximum benefit amount will be $200 times 20 weeks = $4,000.' and 'Rebecca worked 50 weeks during the base year period, and is entitled to a maximum 26-week claim at a weekly benefit rate of $300. Her maximum benefit amount will be $300 x 26 = $7,800.' The 2026 ceiling is $905 x 26 = $23,530.
Who qualifies for benefits in New Jersey
NJDOL: 'To be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits in 2026, you must have earned at least $310 per week (a base week) during 20 or more weeks in covered employment during the base year period, or you must have earned at least $15,500 in total covered employment during the base year period.' (2025: $303 per base week / $15,200.) NJDOL Glossary: 'You will be found to have a base week if your wages in that week equal 20 times the New Jersey hourly minimum wage.'
- Minimum base-period wages
- $15,500
Meeting the wage test is not the same as being approved: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance also rules on the reason for the separation and on your availability for work each week. File with New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance ↗
Base period in New Jersey
NJDOL Glossary, 'Regular base year period': 'It is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before the week you filed your initial claim.'. An alternate base period is available if you don’t qualify with the standard window. NJDOL Glossary, 'Alternate base year periods': 'If you didn't earn enough during your regular base year to qualify for unemployment benefits, there are two alternative base year periods that the Division may look at to see if you had sufficient earnings.' Separate rules apply when filing after a period of disability.
See which quarters count for your filing date →Severance and your claim
NJDOL Glossary, 'Separation pay': 'Separation pay is money you may receive from your employer when you are let go from work. You should apply for unemployment benefits immediately after you are let go from work, report any type of separation pay when you file your claim, and let the Division advise you about your eligibility for benefits.' Types listed: severance pay, continuation pay, and payment in lieu of notice.
Source: NJDOL 'NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development Announces New Benefit Rates for 2026' (Dec 29, 2025) + Division of Unemployment Insurance 'How we calculate benefits', 'Dependency Benefits', 'Factors that affect your weekly benefit rate' and Glossary (verified 2026-07-31).
New Jersey unemployment: frequently asked questions
New Jersey pays between $0 and $905 per week in 2026. Your amount is 60% of your average weekly wage, and only New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Unemployment Insurance can determine it officially. These figures were verified against the agency's own publication on 2026-07-31.
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