State Policy Choices to Promote Access to Benefits for the Under- and Unemployed

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  Unemployment Insurance TANF Cash Assistance
  Past earnings requirements Nonmonetary eligibility criteria Income eligibility criteria
  State counts most recent earnings with alternate base period (2006)1 Eligible if seeking part-time work (2005)3 State has general "good cause" provision (2003)5 Earnings limit for 1-parent family of 3 (2005)6
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California No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work Yes $11,772/year
Delaware No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $5,136/year
Kansas No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work Yes $6,228/year
Nebraska No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $9,624/year
New Mexico Yes Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $12,672/year9
Pennsylvania No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work Yes $8,124/year
South Dakota No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $8,688/year
Vermont Yes Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $12,036/year
Wyoming No Yes, on same basis as those seeking full-time work No $6,480/year
Arkansas No Yes, in some cases4 Yes $3,348/year
Colorado No Yes, in some cases4 No $6,132/year
District of Columbia Yes Yes, in some cases4 No $6,468/year
Florida No Yes, in some cases4 No $4,716/year
Hawaii Yes Yes, in some cases4 Yes $19,692/year7
Illinois No Yes, in some cases4 No $5,832/year
Iowa No Yes, in some cases4 No $12,732/year
Louisiana No Yes, in some cases4 No $4,320/year
Maine Yes Yes, in some cases4 No $12,276/year
Massachusetts Yes Yes, in some cases4 Yes $8,496/year8
Minnesota No Yes, in some cases4 No $12,804/year
Montana No Yes, in some cases4 No $8,400/year
New Jersey Yes Yes, in some cases4 No $7,632/year
New York Yes Yes, in some cases4 Yes $8,004/year
North Carolina Yes Yes, in some cases4 No $8,172/year
Oklahoma Yes2 Yes, in some cases4 No $8,448/year
Rhode Island Yes Yes, in some cases4 Yes $15,336/year
Washington Yes Yes, in some cases4 No $13,080/year
Alabama No No No $3,228/year
Alaska No No Yes $16,200/year
Arizona No No Yes $7,032/year
Connecticut Yes No No $10,020/year
Georgia Yes No No $6,168/year
Idaho No No No $7,776/year
Indiana No No No $4,536/year
Kentucky No No No $10,908/year
Maryland No No Yes $7,236/year
Michigan Yes No No $9,288/year
Mississippi No No No $5,496/year
Missouri No No No $6,696/year
Nevada No No Yes $14,220/year
New Hampshire Yes No No $9,372/year
North Dakota No No No $15,024/year
Ohio Yes No No $11,760/year
Oregon No No Yes $7,392/year
South Carolina No No No $7,824/year
Tennessee No No No $13,092/year
Texas No No No $4,812/year
Utah No No Yes $6,876/year
Virginia Yes No Yes $16,092/year10
West Virginia No No No $6,780/year
Wisconsin Yes No No Not applicable11
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Data Notes & Sources

  1. 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).
  2. The alternate base period is not in effect in years when the unemployment insurance trust fund balance is too low.
  3. 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).
  4. State extends eligibility to persons seeking part-time work only if they have a history of part-time work or meet other limited criteria.
  5. A general "good cause" provision extends eligibility to persons who leave their jobs for "personal emergencies" or "compelling circumstances", which should include--among others--child care conflicts, illness, domestic violence, and spousal relocation. Eligibility determinations, however, may vary in practice. States may also specifically recognize certain reasons as "good cause"; for more information see Appendix B in Rebecca Smith, Rick McHugh, Andrew Stettner, and Nancy Segal, Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Confronting the Failure of State Unemployment Insurance Systems to Serve Women and Working Families, National Employment Law Project, 2003.

    Rebecca Smith, Rick McHugh, Andrew Stettner, and Nancy Segal, Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Confronting the Failure of State Unemployment Insurance Systems to Serve Women and Working Families, National Employment Law Project, July 2003.
  6. Gretchen Rowe with Jeffrey Versteeg, The Welfare Rules Databook: State Policies as of July 2005, Assessing the New Federalism, The Urban Institute, 2006.
  7. Figure applies to recipients who have received assistance for no more than two months in a lifetime. For households applying for their third and subsequent months of benefits, the eligibility limit is $16,356 per year.
  8. Figure reflects limit for "nonexempt" recipients. The limit for recipients who are exempt from work requirements and time limits due to reasons such as disability, or caring for a child under the age of two is $8,676 per year.
  9. Limit takes into account the value of the state's earned income disregard, assuming that the head of household is working 40 hours per week.
  10. Figure reflects limit for "VIEW" recipients, who are required to participate in work activities. The limit for recipients who are exempt from such activities is $5,952 per year.
  11. Units with earnings at application will not receive a cash benefit in the state. However, applicants may earn up to $18,504/year and still be eligible for nonfinancial assistance.