Georgia Unemployment Insurance

Georgia Unemployment Insurance (UI) offers temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who became unemployed through no fault of their own.

Each state sets its own guidelines for eligibility for UI benefits, but you usually qualify if you:

1. have lost a job through no fault of your own;
2. are unemployed or partially unemployed for reasons permissible under federal law;
3. are “able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work;” and
4. have earned at least a certain amount of money during a “base period” prior to becoming unemployed. In most states, this is usually the first 4 out of the last 5 completed calendar quarters prior to the time that your claim is filed.

According to the Georgia Department of Labor, in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits in Georgia, you must have earned a minimum amount of wages in a recent ‘base period’ and must have:

1. wages in at least two quarters in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters (base period), AND
2. earned at least $1,134 in the two highest quarters in the base period, ¹ AND
3. total base-period wages of at least 1.5 times the earnings in the highest quarter.

For example, if your highest-paid quarter was $2,000, your total wages must be at least $3,000 ($2,000 × 1.5) during the base period.

How much money do I get for unemployment in Georgia?

If you are eligible for unemployment in Georgia, you will receive a weekly benefit amount ranging from $55 to $365 per week, based on your previous earnings, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.²

How many weeks can I claim unemployment in Georgia?

Georgia determines the minimum duration of unemployment benefits, set between 14 and 26 weeks, using a sliding scale tied to the state’s average unemployment rate.²

According to Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL), the current minimum duration for Georgia unemployment benefits is 14 weeks.

Where do I file for unemployment in GA?

Claims for weekly benefits may be filed online at MyUI Claimant Portal  or in-person at any Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) Career Center.

As a condition of eligibility, you must register for employment services through WorkSource Georgia  and actively seek suitable work each week that you file a weekly claim for benefits. ³

Georgia Department of Labor
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claims Assistance
(877) 709-8185