Top Horizontal Menu
Skip to main content
Page Preferences
Click here to learn about emergency rental and utility assistance that is available to qualified residents across Tennessee.
Menu
Information
Home
Accessibility
Register/Sign in
Services for Individuals
Guest Access
Services for Employers
Labor Market Analysis
Sign Out
Sign Out
Menu
show/hide menu descriptions
Search Jobs
Jobs
Candidates
Employers
Education Institutions
Career Occupations
Industries
Area
Articles
Job Title, Company, Occupation or Military Code
Clear
Change
City, State, County, Region or Zip
Search
Accessibility Tools
Type Size
Default
Medium
Large
X-Large
XX-Large
Font
Default
Improved
Arial
Arial Bold
Tahoma
Tahoma Bold
Verdana
Verdana Bold
Contrast
Default
Dark
Light
Yellow
Inverted
Large Cursor
Default
Dark
Light
Highlight
Default
Links
Headers
Both
Audible Timeout
Default On
On
Off
Reset All
Close
Save
Top
Unemployment Benefits
Open Modal
Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment insurance (UI) is a program designed to provide temporary financial assistance to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who meet the requirements of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. UI benefits are paid as a matter of past employment and legal entitlement, and not on the basis of need.
The law sets qualifying requirements in three main areas: your past wages, your job separation, and ongoing availability and work search requirements. You must meet all of the following qualifying requirements in order to receive benefits.
Past Wages
You must have earned enough wages in your base period. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim.
Reason for separation from your last work
You must be unemployed or partially unemployed through no fault of your own in order to receive benefits.
Ongoing availability and work search
You must be physically able and available to work. You must also be actively seeking work. If you are temporarily laid off and have a definite return-to-work date, your work search requirements may be waived.
Tennessee has a minimum and maximum weekly benefit amount, which is based upon your previous earnings. You must remain eligible/qualified for benefits during every week in which you file a claim to be paid unemployment benefits. You may work part time while receiving unemployment benefits, but a portion of those earnings may be deducted from your weekly benefit amount.
Weekly benefit amounts are based upon your previous earnings. States individually set the maximum weekly benefit amount, as well as the maximum length of time you are eligible to receive benefits (typically up to 26 weeks). Extended benefits may be available during times of high unemployment.Unemployment benefits are subject to federal income taxes and must be reported on your income tax return. If you choose, you can have federal income taxes withheld from your unemployment benefit check.
New Check-In
×
Name:
Visit Reasons:
/
../../multisession.asp
Animation Paused
Pause Animation
Animation Paused
We are processing your request.
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page.