South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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 South Dakota sources as of October 2026.
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility at a Glance
| Earnings test | The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) generally requires at least 728 in wages in the highest-paid quarter of the base period. |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim takes effect. |
| Able and available | Each week you must be physically able to work and available to accept full-time work, unless DLR has told you otherwise. |
| Work search | You must complete at least 2 work search activities in each week you request benefits. |
| Fired | Under SDCL 61-6-14.1, misconduct means failing to obey orders, rules or instructions or to perform your job duties. |
| Quit | Under SDCL 61-6-9.1, good cause to quit is limited to a list of situations. |
| Part-time | Workers on reduced hours or part-time work may be eligible for partial benefits. |
In This South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility Guide:
The Three South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility Tests
Every South Dakota unemployment eligibility decision applies the same three tests, in this order.
Earnings: The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) generally requires at least 728 in wages in the highest-paid quarter of the base period. Wages in the other three base-period quarters must total at least 20 times your weekly benefit amount. Wages must come from an employer that pays reemployment assistance tax, from civilian federal work, or from active military duty.
The rule is in SDCL 61-6-4 (Minimum base period and highest quarter wages required for benefits).
Separation: you were laid off, let go without disqualifying misconduct, or quit with good cause as South Dakota defines it. This is the test most denials turn on.
Able, available and searching: Each week you must be physically able to work and available to accept full-time work, unless DLR has told you otherwise. Personal responsibilities that would stop you from taking a job can make you unavailable. Being available only for part-time work is generally not enough. See SDCL 61-6-23 (individuals seeking only part-time work) and confirm the details with DLR.
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility Rules at a Glance
The short version of every South Dakota unemployment eligibility rule is below; each one is explained in full in the sections that follow.
| Monetary (earnings) test | The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation (DLR) generally requires at least 728 in wages in the highest-paid quarter of the base period. |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim takes effect. |
| Able and available | Each week you must be physically able to work and available to accept full-time work, unless DLR has told you otherwise. Personal responsibilities that would stop you from taking a job can make you unavailable. |
| Work search | You must complete at least 2 work search activities in each week you request benefits. |
| Laid off | A layoff, reduction in force or job loss through no fault of your own generally qualifies in South Dakota. If your employer gives a recall date, you may be excused from work search in some cases. |
| Fired | Under SDCL 61-6-14.1, misconduct means failing to obey orders, rules or instructions or to perform your job duties. |
| Quit | Under SDCL 61-6-9.1, good cause to quit is limited to a list of situations. |
| Part-time or reduced hours | Workers on reduced hours or part-time work may be eligible for partial benefits. If your earnings for a week are below your weekly benefit amount, you may receive a partial payment. |
| Self-employed / gig | South Dakota pays regular benefits only on wages from employers that pay reemployment assistance tax, civilian federal employment or active military duty. |
| In school or training | Going to school or training does not automatically disqualify you. DLR may pay benefits if it decides your schedule does not get in the way of being available for full-time work. |
| Disqualification length | If you quit without good cause (SDCL 61-6-9) or were fired or suspended for work-connected misconduct (SDCL 61-6-14), benefits are denied until you re-earn eligibility. |
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Fired
Under SDCL 61-6-14.1, misconduct means failing to obey orders, rules or instructions or to perform your job duties. It also covers substantial or deliberate disregard of the employer’s interests and repeated or serious carelessness. The statute says that inefficiency, unsatisfactory conduct, failure to perform because you were unable to, and good-faith errors in judgment are not misconduct. Being let go for poor performance alone generally does not disqualify you.
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility If You Quit
Under SDCL 61-6-9.1, good cause to quit is limited to a list of situations. Accepted examples include an employer requiring you to relocate, an employer’s substantial disregard of standards or a breach or substantial change to your employment contract, and moving with a spouse on military reassignment. A health hazard also counts if a licensed practitioner examined you and certified it before you left.
Quitting for a personal reason not on the list is generally rejected. So is quitting for health reasons without that pre-separation certificate.
How long a disqualification lasts. If you quit without good cause (SDCL 61-6-9) or were fired or suspended for work-connected misconduct (SDCL 61-6-14), benefits are denied until you re-earn eligibility. You need at least 6 calendar weeks of new insured work in the current benefit year, earning at least your weekly benefit amount in each of those weeks.
The misconduct rule applies to jobs that lasted at least 30 calendar days.
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Laid Off
A layoff, reduction in force or job loss through no fault of your own generally qualifies in South Dakota. If your employer gives a recall date, you may be excused from work search in some cases. You lose benefits if you refuse the recall. If you are recalled part-time, you may still get partial benefits, depending on what you earn.
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South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility for Part-Time, Gig and Self-Employed Workers
Part-time or reduced hours. Workers on reduced hours or part-time work may be eligible for partial benefits. If your earnings for a week are below your weekly benefit amount, you may receive a partial payment. You must report your hours and wages every week, and you generally must stay available for full-time work.
Self-employed, gig and 1099 work. South Dakota pays regular benefits only on wages from employers that pay reemployment assistance tax, civilian federal employment or active military duty. Self-employment, gig and 1099 income therefore generally does not count toward a claim. Wages from a separate covered job may still qualify you; confirm with DLR.
In school or training. Going to school or training does not automatically disqualify you. DLR may pay benefits if it decides your schedule does not get in the way of being available for full-time work. You must report classes or training. SDCL 61-6-20 also restricts benefits for students.
South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility Work Search Rules
You must complete at least 2 work search activities in each week you request benefits. Activities include submitting an application or resume, attending a job interview, or taking part in a DLR-approved reemployment services program. You report each contact in your weekly request, including the business name, date, position, hiring contact and method. DLR may check them with the employer or audit you.
Reading Your South Dakota Determination Letters
Every South Dakota unemployment eligibility decision arrives as a letter, and the letter tells you what was decided and how long you have to appeal it. After you file, DLR mails a “Monetary Determination of Benefits” showing your weekly benefit amount and total benefits. Check that every employer and quarterly wage is listed; if wages are missing, contact DLR Customer Service or request a monetary reconsideration.
If there are no issues to investigate, DLR generally mails an eligibility decision on your job separation within about 21 days. Check the appeal deadline printed on each notice.
Other South Dakota Unemployment Eligibility Rules to Know
South Dakota calls unemployment insurance “Reemployment Assistance” (RA), and you can file at raclaims.sd.gov or by calling 605-626-3179. The domestic-abuse quit reason has extra conditions. You must report the abuse to law enforcement, stay separate from the abusive situation, and have made reasonable efforts to keep the job. If you return to the abusive situation, you lose eligibility.
Next step: if you qualify, file in the first week after your last day — our South Dakota application guide lists the documents and the steps. If you were denied, the appeal guide has the deadline.
South Dakota — the bottom line
- South dakota unemployment eligibility turns on three tests: enough wages, a qualifying separation, and being able, available and searching.
- Most South Dakota 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 South Dakota unemployment eligibility rules let you requalify after new covered work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get unemployment in South Dakota if I was fired?
Under the South Dakota 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. Under SDCL 61-6-14.1, misconduct means failing to obey orders, rules or instructions or to perform your job duties.
Can I get unemployment in South Dakota if I quit?
Only with good cause as the state defines it. Under SDCL 61-6-9.1, good cause to quit is limited to a list of situations.
How many jobs do I have to apply for each week in South Dakota?
You must complete at least 2 work search activities in each week you request benefits. Activities include submitting an application or resume, attending a job interview, or taking part in a DLR-approved reemployment services program.
Can part-time workers claim unemployment in South Dakota?
Workers on reduced hours or part-time work may be eligible for partial benefits. If your earnings for a week are below your weekly benefit amount, you may receive a partial payment.
Official South Dakota Sources & Resources
- South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation: https://dlr.sd.gov/ra/individuals/default.aspx
- South Dakota unemployment statute (SDCL Title 61): https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/61-6
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
This South Dakota unemployment eligibility guide was last verified against official South Dakota sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More South Dakota Unemployment Guides
- South Dakota Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
- How to Apply for Unemployment in South Dakota
- South Dakota 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.