Minnesota unemployment eligibility comes down to three tests: you earned enough in the base period, you lost the job through no fault of your own, and you are able to work, available for work and looking for it every week.
This guide gives the Minnesota unemployment eligibility rules as the state writes them — the earnings test, what counts as misconduct, what counts as good cause to quit, and how many job contacts a week — so you know before you file whether a denial is likely and why. Verified against Minnesota sources as of October 2026.
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility at a Glance
| Earnings test | Base-period wages of at least 5.3% of the state average annual wage. |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the claim takes effect. |
| Able and available | You must be physically and mentally able to work and available for suitable work, with no personal restrictions that would stop you from accepting it (Minn. |
| Fired | Employment misconduct means intentional, negligent or indifferent conduct, on or off the job, that seriously violates the standards of behavior an employer has… |
| Quit | A quit generally disqualifies you unless an exception applies. |
| Part-time | Part-time workers can claim if they meet the wage test. |
In This Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility Guide:
The Three Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility Tests
Every Minnesota unemployment eligibility decision applies the same three tests, in this order.
Earnings: Base-period wages of at least 5.3% of the state average annual wage.
Separation: you were laid off, let go without disqualifying misconduct, or quit with good cause as Minnesota defines it. This is the test most denials turn on.
Able, available and searching: You must be physically and mentally able to work and available for suitable work, with no personal restrictions that would stop you from accepting it (Minn. Stat. 268.085, subd. 1 and subd. 15). If your benefits are based on part-time work, you can generally limit your availability and job search to part-time work.
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility Rules at a Glance
The short version of every Minnesota unemployment eligibility rule is below; each one is explained in full in the sections that follow.
| Monetary (earnings) test | Base-period wages of at least 5.3% of the state average annual wage. |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the claim takes effect. |
| Able and available | You must be physically and mentally able to work and available for suitable work, with no personal restrictions that would stop you from accepting it (Minn. Stat. |
| Laid off | A layoff, reduction in force or lack of work is a separation through no fault of your own, and most claimants laid off this way qualify if they meet the wage and weekly requirements. |
| Fired | Employment misconduct means intentional, negligent or indifferent conduct, on or off the job, that seriously violates the standards of behavior an employer has the right to reasonably expect (Minn. Stat. |
| Quit | A quit generally disqualifies you unless an exception applies. |
| Part-time or reduced hours | Part-time workers can claim if they meet the wage test. If your benefits are based on part-time work, you can generally look for part-time work only. |
| Self-employed / gig | Self-employed workers and genuine independent contractors are not covered by Minnesota UI and generally cannot claim regular benefits. Gig workers are assessed under a common-law factor test. |
| In school or training | Students may qualify but must keep looking for work and be willing to rearrange or quit classes to accept a job. Full-time training approved by the state replaces the work-search requirement (Minn. Stat. 268.085). |
| Disqualification length | A quit without an accepted exception, or a discharge for misconduct, makes you ineligible for all benefits on that account (Minn. Stat. |
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Fired
Employment misconduct means intentional, negligent or indifferent conduct, on or off the job, that seriously violates the standards of behavior an employer has the right to reasonably expect (Minn. Stat. 268.095, subd. 6). Being fired for poor performance due to inability, inefficiency, ordinary mistakes, honest errors or absence due to illness is generally not misconduct, so you may still qualify.
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility If You Quit
A quit generally disqualifies you unless an exception applies. The main one is a good reason caused by the employer: something tied to the job, adverse to you, and serious enough that an average reasonable worker would quit (Minn. Stat. 268.095, subd. 1 and 3).
Accepted examples: harassment the employer knew about and did not fix; a substantial adverse change in wages or terms; quitting to accept better work; and serious illness or injury, or caring for an ill or disabled immediate family member. Rejected examples: dissatisfaction with working conditions or personality conflicts; being told you will be discharged in the future.
How long a disqualification lasts. A quit without an accepted exception, or a discharge for misconduct, makes you ineligible for all benefits on that account (Minn. Stat. 268.095, subd. 10). The agency’s guidance says you can become eligible again by working for a covered employer, earning at least 1950 in wages, and then losing that job through no fault of your own.
An older uimn.org copy of the same page lists 1800, so confirm the current figure.
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Laid Off
A layoff, reduction in force or lack of work is a separation through no fault of your own, and most claimants laid off this way qualify if they meet the wage and weekly requirements. If you are on a temporary layoff with a recall date, you may generally limit your search to temporary work until you are recalled.
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Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility for Part-Time, Gig and Self-Employed Workers
Part-time or reduced hours. Part-time workers can claim if they meet the wage test. If your benefits are based on part-time work, you can generally look for part-time work only. If your hours are cut, you may file and report your earnings each week; earnings reduce that week’s payment, so confirm the details with the state agency.
Self-employed, gig and 1099 work. Self-employed workers and genuine independent contractors are not covered by Minnesota UI and generally cannot claim regular benefits. Gig workers are assessed under a common-law factor test. A worker treated as a 1099 contractor may be reclassified as an employee, which can make those wages count. The 2020 PUA program has ended.
In school or training. Students may qualify but must keep looking for work and be willing to rearrange or quit classes to accept a job. Full-time training approved by the state replaces the work-search requirement (Minn. Stat. 268.085).
Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility Work Search Rules
Make the required number of job contacts each week, keep a log with dates and employer names, and report them on the weekly claim — a missed week of work search is a lost week of benefits.
Reading Your Minnesota Determination Letters
Every Minnesota unemployment eligibility decision arrives as a letter, and the letter tells you what was decided and how long you have to appeal it. The “Determination of Benefit Account” lists your base-period wages, weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount. Check every employer and wage figure, and correct any that are wrong or missing.
A separate “Determination of Eligibility” or “Determination of Ineligibility” decides issues such as a quit or discharge. These become final unless you appeal within 20 calendar days (Minn. Stat. 268.101).
Other Minnesota Unemployment Eligibility Rules to Know
Minnesota’s statutory misconduct definition is exclusive, so no common-law or employer definition applies (Minn. Stat. 268.095, subd. 6(e)). If you quit over a problem the employer could fix, such as harassment, the state generally expects you to have complained and given the employer a reasonable chance to correct it first (Minn. Stat. 268.095, subd. 3).
Next step: if you qualify, file in the first week after your last day — our Minnesota application guide lists the documents and the steps. If you were denied, the appeal guide has the deadline.
Minnesota — the bottom line
- Minnesota unemployment eligibility turns on three tests: enough wages, a qualifying separation, and being able, available and searching.
- Most Minnesota unemployment eligibility denials are about the separation reason — fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, as the state defines both.
- A disqualification is not always permanent; the Minnesota unemployment eligibility rules let you requalify after new covered work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get unemployment in Minnesota if I was fired?
Under the Minnesota unemployment eligibility rules, usually yes if you were let go for performance, attendance you could not control, or not being a fit — no if the state finds disqualifying misconduct. Employment misconduct means intentional, negligent or indifferent conduct, on or off the job, that seriously violates the standards of behavior an employer has the right to reasonably expect (Minn. Stat.
Can I get unemployment in Minnesota if I quit?
Only with good cause as the state defines it. A quit generally disqualifies you unless an exception applies. The main one is a good reason caused by the employer: something tied to the job, adverse to you, and serious enough that an average reasonable worker would quit (Minn.
How many jobs do I have to apply for each week in Minnesota?
See the work-search row above; report every contact on the weekly claim.
Can part-time workers claim unemployment in Minnesota?
Part-time workers can claim if they meet the wage test. If your benefits are based on part-time work, you can generally look for part-time work only.
Official Minnesota Sources & Resources
- Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program: https://www.uimn.org/
- Minnesota unemployment statute (Minn. Stat. ch. 268): https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/268
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
This Minnesota unemployment eligibility guide was last verified against official Minnesota sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More Minnesota Unemployment Guides
- Minnesota Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
- How to Apply for Unemployment in Minnesota
- Minnesota Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.