State Policy Choices to Promote Access to Benefits for the Under- and Unemployed
| Unemployment Insurance | ||
| Past earnings requirements | Nonmonetary eligibility criteria | |
| State counts most recent earnings with alternate base period (2006)1 | Eligible if seeking part-time work (2005)3 | |
| Connecticut | Yes | No |
| District of Columbia | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Georgia | Yes | No |
| Hawaii | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Maine | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Michigan | Yes | No |
| New Hampshire | Yes | No |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| New York | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Ohio | Yes | No |
| Oklahoma | Yes2 | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Virginia | Yes | No |
| Washington | Yes | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Wisconsin | Yes | No |
| Alabama | No | No |
| Alaska | No | No |
| Arizona | No | No |
| Arkansas | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| California | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Colorado | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Delaware | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Florida | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Idaho | No | No |
| Illinois | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Indiana | No | No |
| Iowa | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Kansas | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Kentucky | No | No |
| Louisiana | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Maryland | No | No |
| Minnesota | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Mississippi | No | No |
| Missouri | No | No |
| Montana | No | Yes, in some cases4 |
| Nebraska | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Nevada | No | No |
| North Dakota | No | No |
| Oregon | No | No |
| Pennsylvania | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| South Carolina | No | No |
| South Dakota | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
| Tennessee | No | No |
| Texas | No | No |
| Utah | No | No |
| West Virginia | No | No |
| Wyoming | No | Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work |
Data Notes & Sources
- In most states, the base period consists of the first 4 of the 5 most recently completed quarters. Some states allow claimants to use an alternative base period that includes more recent earnings.
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workforce Security, Comparison of State UI Laws, 2006, http://www.ows.doleta.gov (accessed July 11, 2007). - The alternate base period is not in effect in years when the unemployment insurance trust fund balance is too low.
- Rick McHugh and Andrew Stettner, How Much Does Unemployment Insurance for Jobless Part Time Workers Cost?, National Employment Law Project, May 2005, http://www.nelp.org (accessed July 13, 2005).
- State extends eligibility to persons seeking part-time work only if they have a history of part-time work or meet other limited criteria.