Unemployment Benefits in Minnesota: How Much Will You Get?
Minnesota pays up to $948/week for up to 26 weeks. Here is exactly how your benefit is calculated, what you need to qualify, and how to file.
✓ Verified against Minnesota DEED (uimn.org) · Updated September 2026
Max Weekly Benefit
$948
Per week maximum
Max Duration
Up to 26 wks
Fewer if total wage credits are low
Waiting Period
1 "nonpayable" wk
MN's own term for it
Replacement Rate
~50–67%
Of avg weekly wage
🧮 Minnesota Layoff Runway Calculator
Your Minnesota unemployment benefit is pre-filled below based on state data. Enter your salary, savings, and expenses to see exactly how long your money lasts — month by month.
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Minnesota Unemployment Benefit
Up to $948/week · 26 weeks max · nonpayable waiting week
See Your Full Financial Runway After a Layoff in Minnesota
Unemployment benefits are just one piece. Enter your savings, severance, and expenses to get a month-by-month breakdown of exactly how long your money lasts.
How Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Base period: wages equal to at least 5.3% of Minnesota's average annual wage. Your weekly benefit is the higher of two formulas — 50% of your highest quarter's wages (spread across 13 weeks), capped at 43% of the state's average weekly wage, or 50% of your total base-period wages divided across the year, capped at two-thirds of the state's average weekly wage — up to a maximum of $948. Minnesota requires one "nonpayable week" before your first payment — its own term for what most states call a waiting week.
Prior Annual Salary
Est. Weekly Benefit
Est. Monthly Benefit
Total (max duration)
$40,000/year
$423
$1,832
$11,000
$60,000/year
$635
$2,748
$16,500
$80,000/year
$846
$3,664
$22,000
$100,000/year
$948
$4,105
$24,648
$150,000+/year
$948 (capped)
$4,105
$24,648
Estimates based on Minnesota’s actual benefit formula (~50–67% replacement, capped at $948/week). Actual benefit determined by your specific wage history and state review.
Eligibility Requirements in Minnesota
To qualify for unemployment benefits in Minnesota, you must meet all of these conditions:
Unemployed through no fault of your own — laid off, position eliminated, or company closed. Voluntary resignation or termination for cause generally disqualifies you.
Earned sufficient wages during the base period — Minnesota looks at your earnings in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed.
Able and available to work — you must be actively seeking employment and available to accept suitable work if offered.
Registered with Minnesota workforce services — most states require you to register with their job search system as a condition of receiving benefits.
File immediately — every day costs you money
Minnesota requires a nonpayable week before your first payment, and you can't backdate your application — apply during the very first week you're laid off. File at uimn.org as soon as possible.
How Much You Can Earn While Still Collecting in Minnesota
Minnesota doesn't use a flat earnings disregard — instead, DEED deducts 50 cents from your weekly benefit for every dollar you earn, starting from your first dollar of part-time income. You only remain eligible for a partial payment at all if you work fewer than 32 hours that week and your gross earnings stay below your weekly benefit amount.
How to File for Unemployment in Minnesota
File online at uimn.org — this is the fastest method and available 24/7. You cannot backdate your application.
Have ready: your Social Security number, employer name and address, start and end dates of employment, and reason for separation.
Report your severance — if you received severance pay, you must report it. Minnesota may treat it as wages which could delay the start of your benefits.
Certify weekly — after filing, you must certify your job search activity every week to continue receiving payments. Missing a certification week can pause your benefits.
Report any income — if you earn money through freelancing, part-time work, or gig work while collecting benefits, you must report it. Most states reduce your benefit by the amount earned over a small threshold.
Taxes on unemployment benefits
Unemployment benefits are taxable as ordinary income at the federal level — and in Minnesota, at the state level too, on a progressive scale up to 9.85%, one of the highest top rates in the country. You can request both federal (10%) and state withholding when you file — highly recommended. If you don't withhold, you will owe the taxes when you file your return, which can be a painful surprise when you are already financially stretched.
What's Different About Filing in Minnesota
A few things are distinctly Minnesota:
It's not a "waiting week" — it's a "nonpayable week." Same basic concept as most states, but Minnesota's own terminology, and you only ever serve one per 52-week period even across multiple claims.
You automatically get whichever of two formulas pays more — one based on your highest quarter, one on your full base period — similar in spirit to Colorado's dual-formula system.
Partial benefits use a straight 50-cent reduction per dollar earned, with no disregard threshold at all — but you also need to stay under 32 hours and under your full WBA to qualify for any partial payment.
State tax on benefits runs up to 9.85% — one of the highest top rates in the country, on top of federal tax.
The cap adjusts every year based on the state's average weekly wage — it rose from $914 (2025) to $948 (2026).
How Minnesota Compares to Other States
Minnesota's $948 maximum is the highest in the Midwest by a wide margin — well above Illinois ($628–$859, which only matches Minnesota with the maximum dependents allowance), Ohio ($624–$842), and Wisconsin's much lower $370.
Unemployment benefits are one part of your survival plan. Our free calculator combines your Minnesota unemployment estimate with your savings, severance, and COBRA costs to show you month-by-month how long your money lasts.
Unemployment benefit data verified against Minnesota DEED (uimn.org) and Minn. Stat. § 268, September 2026. Benefit amounts are estimates — actual amounts are determined by your specific wage history and DEED's review. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial or legal advice.