Oregon Unemployment Insurance

Oregon Unemployment Insurance (UI) provides temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who become 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 Oregon Employment Department, to qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have earned a minimum amount of wages in a recent ‘base year’ (the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters) and must have, prior to filing a claim:¹

1. worked at least 500 hours in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters (base year), or
2. earned a total of at least $1,000 during that base year, with total base-year 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 base-period wages must be at least $3,000 ($2,000 × 1.5) during the base year.

How much unemployment benefits can I get in Oregon?

According to the Oregon Employment Department, for claims filed on or after June 28, 2026, you may receive between $211 and $902 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment benefits per year.²

How long do unemployment benefits last in Oregon?

Benefits last up to 26 weeks, counted within a benefit year that usually runs for 12 months from the date you file. Extra weeks are only added when federal or state law extends benefits during periods of high unemployment.

Where do I file for unemployment in Oregon?

The fastest way to file an initial claim is through the Frances Online  or you may apply over the phone by calling the Oregon Employment Department.

Unless exempt, you must register with iMatchSkills , Oregon’s premier job-matching system, and complete a job seeker profile to remain eligible for unemployment benefits.

Oregon Employment Department
Claimant Assistance Line
(877) 345-3484