Minnesota unemployment benefits pay the higher of 50% of 1/13 of high-quarter wages (capped at 43% of the state average weekly wage) or 50% of 1/52 of base-period wages (capped at 66 2/3%). — up to $611 (high-quarter formula) / $948 (base-period formula) per week for up to 9-26 weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each October,
so the October 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
This guide gives the exact Minnesota unemployment benefits figures with the date we verified them, shows how your own weekly amount is calculated with a worked example, and explains when the first payment arrives and how it is taxed.
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program before you rely on it.
Minnesota Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $611 (high-quarter formula) / $948 (base-period formula) (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each October, so the October 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $37 |
| How the amount is set | The higher of 50% of 1/13 of high-quarter wages (capped at 43% of the state average weekly wage) or 50% of 1/52 of base-period wages (capped at 66 2/3%). |
| Duration | up to 9-26 weeks |
| Waiting week | Yes — first eligible week unpaid |
| Base period | The last four completed calendar quarters (the first four of the last five when the claim starts in the month after a quarter ends). |
| Statute | Minn. Stat. ch. 268 |
In This Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are Minnesota Unemployment Benefits?
The higher of 50% of 1/13 of high-quarter wages (capped at 43% of the state average weekly wage) or 50% of 1/52 of base-period wages (capped at 66 2/3%). A dependents allowance raises the amount; the higher figure is the maximum with the most dependents. The minimum weekly payment is $37 and the maximum is $611 (high-quarter formula) / $948 (base-period formula).
Those are the numbers that matter: most claimants land between them, and nobody is paid above the cap no matter how much they earned.
Want an estimate for your own wages in Minnesota?
Minnesota Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $611 (high-quarter formula) / $948 (base-period formula) |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each October, so the October 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $37 |
| Formula | The higher of 50% of 1/13 of high-quarter wages (capped at 43% of the state average weekly wage) or 50% of 1/52 of base-period wages (capped at 66 2/3%). |
| Dependents | A dependents allowance raises the amount; the higher figure is the maximum with the most dependents. |
| Duration (weeks) | 9-26 |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The last four completed calendar quarters (the first four of the last five when the claim starts in the month after a quarter ends). |
| Alternate base period | Yes |
| To qualify | Base-period wages of at least 5.3% of the state average annual wage. |
| Partial-week earnings | the weekly amount is reduced 50 cents for every dollar earned |
| Agency | Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program |
| File online | https://www.uimn.org/ |
| Statute | Minn. Stat. ch. 268 |
How Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
Minnesota calculates the weekly amount two ways and generally pays the higher one. The first way is 50 percent of your average weekly wage across the whole base period, which is total base-period wages divided by 52. The second way is 50 percent of your average weekly wage in your highest-paid quarter, which is that quarter’s wages divided by 13.
Each result is capped at a set share of the state average weekly wage, and Minnesota adds nothing for dependents (Minn. Stat. 268.07).
Base-period wages of at least 5.3% of the state average annual wage.
Minnesota Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Say someone earned 52000 in the base period and 15600 of it in their highest quarter. The base-period method gives 52000 ÷ 52 = 1000, and half of that is 500. The high-quarter method gives 15600 ÷ 13 = 1200, and half of that is 600, so the weekly amount would generally be 600 before the state caps apply. This is only an illustration, not anyone’s actual award.
The estimate is illustrative; Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular Minnesota unemployment benefits run up to 9-26 weeks in a benefit year. No extended-benefits program is active in Minnesota as of October 2026, so only regular state benefits are paid. Confirm the current status on the U.S. Department of Labor trigger notice. The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
Working Part-Time While Claiming Minnesota Unemployment Benefits
You get no benefits for a week in which you work 32 or more hours, or in which your gross earnings equal or exceed your weekly benefit amount.
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In a shorter week, half of your gross earnings is subtracted from that week’s payment, and the unpaid part stays in your account for later. the weekly amount is reduced 50 cents for every dollar earned Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
Severance, pay in lieu of notice and retention pay delay benefits for the number of weeks of regular pay the payment represents. After a permanent separation, vacation pay is not deducted, but during a temporary layoff it is deducted in full, and holiday pay is deducted at 50 percent for that week.
A monthly pension from a base-period employer is generally deducted dollar for dollar after it is converted to a weekly amount. A lump sum that is rolled over, or that carries an early-withdrawal penalty, generally does not reduce benefits.
When and How Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
The state says the earliest payment arrives in the third week after your benefit account is set up. Your first eligible week is an unpaid week that state law requires, so for most claimants the second eligible week is the first one paid. You always request payment for a week that has already ended, and a review of your eligibility can push the first payment back.
You pick direct deposit to a checking or savings account or the U.S. Bank ReliaCard Visa debit card when you apply. Most applicants choose direct deposit, and the state says payments usually arrive within 3 business days of each request. If you don’t choose direct deposit, the card is mailed about 7 to 10 business days after your first payment is processed.
You can switch methods at any time in your online account or by calling customer service. You request payment every week for the previous Sunday-through-Saturday week, never the current week. The last digit of your Social Security number sets your start day online: 0-2 on Monday, 3-5 on Tuesday, 6-9 on Wednesday. Anyone can file Thursday or Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you don’t request a week on time, you may lose payment for it, so keep filing even while your eligibility is being reviewed.
Taxes on Minnesota Unemployment Benefits
Benefits are taxable under both federal and Minnesota income tax law. You can choose 10 percent federal withholding, and only if you choose federal withholding can you add 5 percent for Minnesota income tax. Withholding starts with payments made after you choose it and does not cover earlier payments (Minn. Stat. 268.145). Each January the state issues a Form 1099-G showing the benefits paid and the tax withheld.
Minnesota does not raise the weekly amount for dependents. Your weekly amount is the higher of the two wage calculations, so if most of your pay came in one quarter, the high-quarter method may give you more. The 5 percent state tax withholding is available only together with federal withholding. Confirm your own figures with Minnesota Unemployment Insurance at 651-296-3644 or 1-877-898-9090.
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our Minnesota eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
Minnesota — the bottom line
- The Minnesota unemployment benefits amount is a share of your base-period wages up to a dated cap — check the period on the figure before you trust it.
- Minnesota unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce Minnesota unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Minnesota?
The weekly amount is The higher of 50% of 1/13 of high-quarter wages (capped at 43% of the state average weekly wage) or 50% of 1/52 of base-period wages (capped at 66 2/3%). The current maximum is $611 (high-quarter formula) / $948 (base-period formula) for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); this state resets each October, so the October 2026 adjustment may not be in this figure.
How long does unemployment last in Minnesota?
Regular benefits run up to 9-26 weeks in a benefit year, depending on your base-period wages. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a trigger.
Does Minnesota have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are Minnesota unemployment benefits taxable?
Benefits are taxable under both federal and Minnesota income tax law. You can choose 10 percent federal withholding, and only if you choose federal withholding can you add 5 percent for Minnesota income tax. Withholding starts with payments made after you choose it and does not cover earlier payments (Minn. Stat. 268.145). Each January the state issues a Form 1099-G showing the benefits paid and the tax withheld.
Official Minnesota Sources & Resources
- Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program: https://www.uimn.org/
- Minnesota unemployment statute: Minn. Stat. ch. 268
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (Jan 2026): https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Appeals: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2023/appeals.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Monetary Entitlement: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2021/monetary.pdf
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
- IRS — Form 1099-G: irs.gov
This Minnesota unemployment benefits 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 Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- 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.