10 Cities Offering Top Unemployment Benefits

For some people, receiving a pink slip may be disheartening, but not that surprising due to the present economic situation of the country. No company or employee is safe from massive restructuring and downsizing these days, which is why it is very important to have a basic understanding of unemployment benefits. It is also equally vital to learn the policies involved in unemployment eligibility before migrating to another area because the scope of these benefits varies significantly from one state to another. Below you will find a compiled list of cities that offer unemployment benefits. It will give you an idea of what to expect from each city.

Unemployment Benefits in Different US Cities

As you calculate the scope of an unemployment benefit package, it is important to consider the cost of living in a particular state. For example, an individual from a neighboring state receives $100 less than you do every week, but your living expenses are much higher. Given such scenario, can you assume that you scored a better package? The answer is no. The following are 10 cities in the country that offer top benefits to individuals with previous annual salary of $150,000:

1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: $547 maximum unemployment benefit per week for a $59,732 cost of living

2. Providence, Rhode Island: $641 per week for $80,144 cost of living

3. Charlotte, North Carolina: $476 per week for $61,956 cost of living

4. Boston, Massachusetts: $628 per week for $87,668 cost of living

5. Raleigh, North Carolina: $476 per week for $66,732 cost of living

6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: $547 per week for $80,209 cost of living

7. Seattle, Washington: $541 per week for $79,490 cost of living

8. San Antonio, Texas: $392 per week for $57,965 cost of living

9. Houston, Texas: $392 per week for $59,077 cost of living

10. Salt Lake City, Utah: $427 per week for $64,573 cost of living

If you look closely, higher unemployment benefits do not always mean that you got a better deal because usually, they are still offset by high costs of living.

The Unemployment Benefits Eligibility

As soon as you become unemployed, you need to contact your state's Unemployment Office to check your benefits eligibility. Take note that unemployment eligibility varies in every state. For example, the state of Georgia allows individuals who are looking for part-time jobs to collect benefits. The state also offers additional weeks of benefits to those who are attending job training. Neither of the conditions is present in Arizona but the latter state extends benefits to individuals who left their jobs due to illness or disability, relocation of spouse, or domestic violence.

You should not be surprised if the unemployment eligibility appears either generous or scanty. Its safety net is quite diverse and there are no evident reasons for it. The US Department of Labor is responsible for administering the system, but each state supervises its own benefits program.

For you to qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have recently worked for an employer for a certain time period and have earned a certain net income. These requirements may differ among the states, though the percentage of salary and wage, workers and the civilian labor force eligible for unemployment benefits are pretty high; 97 percent and 89 percent respectively.

Each state also has a complex method of determining your eligibility for unemployment benefits. Here are the factors commonly used in most states:

· Recent employment and earnings data

· Motivation and capacity to look for a suitable job

· Disqualification connected to recent job separation or refusal offer

As a rule, you must go to your state Unemployment Office for the updated information on unemployment benefits and eligibility. The question now is: are you eligible for this reliable unemployment benefit program?

By: Brian Ernst

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