Minnesota Unemployment Benefits 2026: Amount, Eligibility & How to Apply
Laid off in Minnesota? What the state pays, who qualifies, how to file with the DEED, and what to do if you're denied. Benefit amounts, deadlines, and eligibility rules on this page are verified against official DEED sources.
Last verified Sep 8, 2026
How much is Minnesota unemployment, and how do you file?
Minnesota pays $37 to $948 per week for up to 26 weeks in a benefit year, based on what you earned in your base period — not on what you were earning the day you were laid off. DEED runs two calculations and pays you the higher one: 50 percent of your average weekly wage across the whole base period, capped at $948, or 50 percent of your average weekly wage in your highest-earning quarter — that quarter divided by 26 — capped at $611.
File online with the DEED as soon as you have worked your last day. There is a waiting week, so the first week you claim is not the first week you are paid. Your first requested week pays $0 because of the nonpayable week, so the first money covers the second eligible week. With direct deposit, payments generally reach your account within three business days after you submit a request; a debit card arrives about seven to ten business days after the first payment is issued.
- Estimated time
- 20–40 minutes to file
- Weekly benefit
- $37 to $948 per week
- What you need
- ID, last employer's details, work dates, bank details
File your Minnesota claim
Apply through the official DEED system — filing anywhere else is either a copy of the same form or a scam. Generally file in the state where you performed the work. If you worked across state lines or recently moved, interstate or combined-wage options may apply.
- DEED Customer Service (Greater Minnesota); Twin Cities 651-296-3644
- 1-877-898-9090
- When to file
- Apply the week you become unemployed or your hours are significantly reduced. Do not wait for a severance payment or a final paycheck — applying late delays payments and can cost you weeks outright.
Quick facts: Minnesota unemployment benefits (2026)
Structured reference fields. Amounts and exact rules change over time and vary by your situation — every sourced row links to the official DEED page it was read from.
Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program (DEED)
$948 per week maximum (range $37–$948, effective Oct 26, 2025), based on your base-period wages.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDUp to 26 weeks — Minnesota accounts run 9 to 26 weeks in practice, because your total is capped at one-third of your base-period wages or 26 times your weekly amount, whichever is less
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDMinnesota holds one nonpayable week. The first week you are eligible pays nothing, but you must still submit a timely Request for Benefit Payment for it and be otherwise eligible — otherwise the nonpayable week just moves later.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDEvery week. Submit a Request for Benefit Payment for each week you want to be paid — Minnesota calls it requesting payment, not certifying. Online at ui.mn.gov it is available Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; by phone it is Tuesday through Friday. DEED assigns you a schedule when your account opens, and a request filed late can cost you that week.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDYes. You must actively seek suitable employment every week you request payment, keep a record of what you did, and stay able and available for suitable work. DEED does not set a fixed number of contacts — it judges whether your search was reasonable for your occupation and the labor market.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEED45 calendar days after DEED sends the determination or decision
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDUnemployment benefits are taxable income under both federal and Minnesota law. Withholding is optional and you choose it when you apply: if you elect Minnesota withholding, DEED deducts 5 percent for state income tax, rounded down to the next whole dollar, in addition to any federal withholding you elect. By January 31 DEED issues a Form 1099-G showing benefits paid and taxes withheld.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDIf you are discharged or laid off, Minnesota makes your earned wages immediately due on demand, and your employer must pay within 24 hours of your written demand (Minn. Stat. §181.13). The clock runs from your demand, not from your last day, so put the request in writing.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDMinnesota does not require vacation or PTO payout by statute. Section 181.13 is a timing law, not a payment mandate — unused PTO is owed at separation only if your employer's written policy or your contract promises it, and if it does, the 24-hour rule applies to that money too.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDMinnesota has no mandatory mini-WARN law. Minn. Stat. §116L.976 only encourages employers to give early notice of a plant closing, substantial layoff, or relocation, with no fixed notice period and no penalty; the one binding duty is to report the names, addresses, and occupations of the affected workers to DEED. Federal WARN — 60 days' notice at employers with 100 or more employees — is the enforceable rule.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDSep 8, 2026
Who qualifies for unemployment in Minnesota?
Minnesota tests three things separately: whether you earned enough during the base period, why the job ended, and whether you are able, available, and actively seeking work each week you request payment. A layoff clears the second test on its own — the weekly tests are the ones that quietly cost people money.
1. You earned enough during the base period
To establish a benefit account, both of the following must be true:
- Your total base-period wages are at least 5.3 percent of the state average annual wage — roughly $4,500 for 2026 accounts.
- You have covered wages from an employer that pays Minnesota unemployment tax; self-employment income and independent contractor pay generally do not count.
What is the "base period"?
Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the effective date of your benefit account.
In plain terms: DEED skips the quarter you are in and the one before it, then uses the four quarters before that. A benefit account effective in September 2026 rests on wages from roughly April 2025 through March 2026. If you apply in the first month of a quarter, the window shifts, so applying in early October versus late September can change which quarters count.
Alternate base period
Yes. If you do not have enough wages in the standard base period to establish a benefit account, DEED uses an alternate base period made up of the four most recently completed calendar quarters. You do not apply for it separately — DEED tests the standard period first and falls back to the alternate one.
2. You lost the job through no fault of your own
You must be unemployed through no fault of your own. A layoff or lack of work qualifies. If you quit or were discharged, Minnesota law requires DEED to collect your account and your employer's, compare them, and issue a separate eligibility determination — expect that to take longer than a straightforward layoff claim.
A layoff, a position elimination, and a reduction in force all sit squarely inside this test. If your employer contests the claim and calls it something else, that dispute is decided in the appeal process below — not by whichever word appears on your separation paperwork. The distinction matters enough to be worth understanding before the hearing: laid off vs fired, and why the label changes your claim.
3. You are able to work and available for work
For each week you request payment, you must be able to work, available for suitable work, and actively seeking it. Suitable employment means work reasonably related to your qualifications, at the hours, wage, and commuting distance typical for your occupation and experience. Restricting yourself below that standard can make a week ineligible.
How much will you get? Amounts and duration
Minnesota does not pay a flat rate. Your weekly amount comes out of a formula applied to your base-period wages, then it is capped.
Weekly minimum
$37
Weekly maximum
$948
as of Oct 26, 2025
Maximum duration
26 weeks
current maximum; scales by rule
How your weekly amount is calculated
DEED runs two calculations and pays you the higher one: 50 percent of your average weekly wage across the whole base period, capped at $948, or 50 percent of your average weekly wage in your highest-earning quarter — that quarter divided by 26 — capped at $611.
The total you can draw on a benefit account is one-third of your base-period wages or 26 times your weekly benefit amount, whichever is less. The one-third cap is why Minnesota accounts commonly run 9 to 26 weeks rather than a flat 26 — uneven quarters or a partial year of work pull the total below the 26-week figure.
Worked example
Say your base-period wages were $52,000, with $16,000 in your best quarter. The base-period calculation is $52,000 ÷ 52 = $1,000 average weekly wage, half of which is $500. The high-quarter calculation is $16,000 ÷ 26 = $615, trimmed to the $611 cap. DEED pays the higher figure, $611. Twenty-six weeks of that is $15,886, and one-third of $52,000 is $17,333 — the 26-week figure is lower, so you would draw the full 26 weeks.
Minnesota unemployment estimator
Rough estimate only. It applies the state's published formula, minimum and maximum to the wages you enter; the state agency's monetary determination sets your actual amount.
Only the states with a dependents allowance use this, and each defines a dependent narrowly (usually a child you mainly support, sometimes a non-working spouse) — not every household member. Minnesota pays no dependents allowance.
Alabama (ADOL): $45 to $275 a week, for up to 14 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of the average of the two highest base-period quarters. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/3 of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Alaska (AK DOLWD): $56 to $370 a week, up to $442 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Table: roughly 0.9%-2.2% of total base-period wages (statutory schedule), plus $24 per dependent (up to 3). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $50 plus 25% of wages over $50 disregarded. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Arizona (AZ DES): $229 to $320 a week, for up to 24 weeks. Formula: 1/25 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $160.49 disregarded (2026), then $ for $.
Arkansas (ADWS): $81 to $451 a week, for up to 12 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of the average of the four base-period quarters (i.e., ~1/104 of BPW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 40% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
California (EDD): $40 to $450 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Statutory table: approximately 1/23 to 1/26 of high-quarter wages (sliding). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of $25 or 25% of wages disregarded, then $ for $.
Colorado (CDLE): $25 to $804 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Higher of (a) 60% of 1/26 of wages in the two highest consecutive quarters (capped at 50% of state AWW) or (b) 50% of 1/52 of BPW (capped at 55% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $ (Colorado 2024 law: 50% of WBA).
Connecticut (CT DOL): $44 to $721 a week, up to $796 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of the average of the two highest quarters, plus $15 per dependent (up to 5, capped at 75% of WBA). Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: 1/3 of gross wages disregarded, then $ for $ (2024 change; includes holiday pay).
Delaware (DE DOL): $20 to $450 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/46 of total wages in the two highest quarters. Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: Greater of $10 or 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
District of Columbia (DOES): $50 to $444 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/3 of wages plus $50 disregarded, then $ for $.
Florida (FloridaCommerce): $32 to $275 a week, for up to 12 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 8 x federal minimum wage ($58) disregarded, then $ for $.
Georgia (GDOL): $55 to $365 a week, for up to 14 weeks. Formula: Sum of the two highest base-period quarters divided by 42; the statutory alternate (highest quarter / 21) applies only when the regular monetary test fails. Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: $50 disregarded, then $ for $ (excludes jury pay).
Hawaii (DLIR): $5 to $868 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/21 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $150 disregarded, then $ for $.
Idaho (IDOL): $72 to $624 a week, for up to 21 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Illinois (IDES): $51 to $628 a week, up to $859 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 47% of the claimant's average weekly wage in the two highest quarters (= 0.47 x sum of 2 HQ / 26); plus 9% for a nonworking spouse or 17.3% for dependent child (of prior-2-HQ AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Indiana (IN DWD): $37 to $390 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 47% of average weekly wage in the base period (BPW/52 x 0.47). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Flat $100 disregarded, then $ for $.
Iowa (IWD): $96 to $644 a week, up to $790 with dependents, for up to 16 weeks. Formula: 1/23 of high-quarter wages (0 dependents); 1/22 (1), 1/21 (2), 1/20 (3), 1/19 (4+); caps = 53%-65% of state AWW. Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $ (excludes jury pay).
Kansas (KDOL): $165 to $663 a week, for up to 16 weeks. Formula: 4.25% of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Kentucky (KCC): $39 to $746 a week, for up to 16 weeks. Formula: 1.1923% of total base-period wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 20% of wages disregarded, then $ for $.
Louisiana (LWC): $35 to $282 a week, for up to 12 weeks. Formula: 1/25 of the average of the four base-period quarters, capped. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Lesser of 50% of WBA or $50 disregarded, then $ for $. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Maine (MDOL): $108 to $623 a week, up to $1,090 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/22 of the average of the two highest quarters, plus $25 per dependent (capped at 75% of WBA). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: First $123 disregarded, then $ for $ (as of June 1, 2025). Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Maryland (MD DOL): $50 to $430 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Statutory table ~1/24 of high-quarter wages, plus $8 per dependent (up to 5) not to exceed the max. Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: $50 disregarded, then $ for $.
Massachusetts (DUA): $60 to $1,105 a week, up to $1,657 with dependents, for up to 30 weeks. Formula: 50% of average weekly wage (2 highest quarters / 26, or HQ/13 if wages in 2 or fewer quarters), plus $25 per dependent child (dependency allowance capped at 50% of WBA). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/3 of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Michigan (UIA): $218 to $530 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 4.1% of high-quarter wages, plus $19.33 per dependent (up to 5); rising to $614 max and $26/dependent on Jan 1, 2027 (PA 2024). Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: WBA reduced 50 cents per $1 earned; wages plus benefits cannot exceed 1.5 x WBA.
Minnesota (DEED): $37 to $948 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Higher of 50% of average weekly wage in the base period (cap 66 2/3% of state AWW = $948) or 50% of average weekly wage in the high quarter (cap 43% of state AWW = $611). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: WBA reduced 50 cents for each $1 earned (excludes jury/National Guard/volunteer firefighter pay).
Mississippi (MDES): $30 to $235 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $40 disregarded, then $ for $.
Missouri (MO DES): $35 to $320 a week, for up to 20 weeks. Formula: 4% of the average of the two highest quarters. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of 20% of WBA or $20 disregarded, then $ for $ (disregard excludes termination/severance pay).
Montana (MT DLI): $238 to $805 a week, for up to 24 weeks. Formula: 1% of total base-period wages, or 1.9% of wages in the two highest quarters, whichever is greater. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Nebraska (NDOL): $70 to $582 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/2 of average weekly wage in the high quarter (= HQ/26). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Nevada (DETR): $16 to $631 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/25 of high-quarter wages (cap 50% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/3 of wages disregarded, then $ for $. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
New Hampshire (NHES): $32 to $427 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Statutory table: about 1%-1.1% of annual (base-period) wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 30% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
New Jersey (NJDOL): $186 to $905 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 60% of the claimant's average weekly wage, plus dependency allowance (7% for first dependent, 4% each for next two; max 15%), capped at 57% of state AWW. Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: Greater of 20% of WBA or $5 disregarded, then $ for $.
New Mexico (NMDWS): $116 to $624 a week, up to $674 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 53.5% of the average weekly wage in the high quarter (0.535 x HQ/13), plus $25 per dependent child (up to 50% of WBA / max 2 per DOL range). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 20% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $ (excludes jury pay).
New York (NYSDOL): $140 to $869 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages (1/25 if high-quarter wages are $3,575 or less). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Hours-based: no reduction for up to 10 hours of work per week if earnings do not exceed the max WBA; benefits reduced in steps (75%/50%/25%) for 11-30 hours worked.
North Carolina (DES): $15 to $350 a week, for up to 12 weeks. Formula: Wages in the last two completed quarters of the base period divided by 52, capped at $350. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 20% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
North Dakota (JSND): $43 to $800 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/65 of the sum of the two highest quarters plus one-half of the third-highest quarter. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 60% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Ohio (ODJFS): $176 to $624 a week, up to $842 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 50% of average weekly wage, up to a maximum that depends on dependency class (A: 0 deps, B: 1-2, C: 3+). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 20% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Oklahoma (OESC): $16 to $649 a week, for up to 16 weeks. Formula: 1/23 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $100 disregarded, then $ for $.
Oregon (OED): $211 to $902 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1.25% of total base-period wages (min 15% / max 64% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of 1/3 of WBA or 10 x state minimum wage (~$163) disregarded, then $ for $.
Pennsylvania (PA L&I): $68 to $605 a week, up to $613 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Statutory rate table: approximately (4% of high-quarter wages + $2) x 0.98 (about 50% of full-time weekly wage), plus $5 for a dependent spouse or child and $3 for a second dependent (max $8). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of $21 or 30% of WBA disregarded (partial benefit credit), then $ for $.
Rhode Island (RI DLT): $82 to $777 a week, up to $971 with dependents, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 3.85% of the average of the two highest quarters (cap 57.5% of state AWW), plus greater of $15 or 5% of WBA per dependent (up to 5). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
South Carolina (SC DEW): $42 to $350 a week, for up to 20 weeks. Formula: 50% of the average weekly wage in the high quarter (= HQ/26), capped. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
South Dakota (SD DLR): $28 to $575 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/4 of wages over $25 disregarded, then $ for $.
Tennessee (TDLWD): $55 to $325 a week, for up to 12 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of the average of the two highest quarters (statutory table), max $325. Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of $50 or 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Texas (TWC): $75 to $605 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/25 of high-quarter wages (cap 47.6% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: Greater of $5 or 25% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Utah (UT DWS): $47 to $806 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 1/26 of high-quarter wages minus $5 (cap 62.5% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 30% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
Vermont (VDOL): $94 to $757 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Wages in the two highest quarters divided by 45 (cap 57% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 50% of gross wages disregarded, then $ for $. Current indexed amount unconfirmed — verify before you rely on any figure.
Virginia (VEC): $160 to $478 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Statutory table: approximately 1/50 of wages in the two highest quarters (max $478 requires $18,900.01 in two quarters). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $100 disregarded (2025 law), then $ for $.
Washington (ESD): $383 to $1,208 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 3.85% of the average of the two highest quarters (min 20% / max 63% of state AWW). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: 1/4 of wages over $5 disregarded, then $ for $.
West Virginia (WorkForce WV): $24 to $662 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: Wage-class table: 55% of 1/52 of the median wages in the worker's wage class (max frozen at $662 by 2024 legislation). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: $60 disregarded, then $ for $.
Wisconsin (WI DWD): $54 to $370 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 4% of high-quarter wages (statutory max $370). Waiting week: yes. Part-time earnings: First $30 disregarded plus 33% of wages over $30; WBA reduced by 67% of earnings above $30.
Wyoming (WY DWS): $48 to $671 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Formula: 4% of high-quarter wages (cap 55% of state AWW). Waiting week: no. Part-time earnings: 50% of WBA disregarded, then $ for $.
This is a rough estimate: it applies Minnesota's published formula, minimum and maximum from the same data as this page to the wages you enter, and the DEED monetary determination sets your actual amount. Comparing states, or laid off somewhere else? Open the full unemployment benefits estimator
Can you work part-time and get Minnesota unemployment?
Reduced hours are not the same as no job, and Minnesota pays a partial amount when you work part of a week. There is no free slice of earnings here — the rule is a straight 50-cent offset on every dollar.
The earnings allowance, and the math above it
Minnesota does not disregard a flat dollar amount of earnings. Every dollar of gross earnings reduces that week's payment by 50 cents, from the first dollar. Jury duty pay, National Guard pay, and volunteer firefighter pay are excluded from the calculation.
Halve your gross earnings for the week and subtract that from your weekly benefit amount. What is left is the payment. Earn twice your weekly benefit amount or more in a week and there is nothing payable for it.
Worked example
- Weekly benefit amount (WBA)
- $500
- Earnings disregard
- None — 50 cents off per $1 earned
- Gross earnings that week
- $300
- Benefit for the week
- $350
On a $500 weekly benefit amount, earning $300 costs you half of that — $150 — so the payment is $500 − $150 = $350. Your total for the week is $650 rather than $500, which is why picking up part-time work still leaves you better off. Earn $1,000 or more that week and nothing is payable.
What a part-time week does not excuse you from
Report gross earnings before deductions for the week you did the work, not the week you are paid, and report the hours. Part-time shifts, temporary assignments, contract work, self-employment, and cash jobs all count. Unreported earnings become an overpayment, usually with a penalty and a period of ineligibility.
Partial payment does not lower any other requirement. You still have to be able and available for suitable work, actively seek employment and keep the record, and submit your Request for Benefit Payment on schedule. A part-time job does not substitute for the work search.
Not sure what your weekly benefit amount is yet? The DEED determination is the figure that counts — for a rough, salary-based placeholder until it arrives, try the unemployment benefits estimator, then run the numbers above against it.
How to apply for Minnesota unemployment (DEED), step by step
Your benefit account becomes effective the Sunday of the week you submit your application. It does not reach back further, so the week you spend deciding whether to apply is a week you cannot claim.
Before you start: what you'll need
- Your Social Security number.
- Your mailing address, phone number, and email address.
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of every employer you worked for in the last 18 months.
- The dates you worked for each employer and a specific explanation of why each job ended.
- Your bank routing and account numbers if you want direct deposit.
- Details of any severance, vacation payout, pension, or other separation pay you have received or expect.
- Your DD Form 214 if you served in the military, or Standard Form 8 or 50 if you worked for the federal government.
- Your Alien Registration number and work authorization document if you are not a U.S. citizen.
The filing sequence
Apply online at ui.mn.gov the week you lose the work
The applicant self-service system is open Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can also apply by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 651-296-3644 in the Twin Cities or 1-877-898-9090 elsewhere, with Spanish, Hmong, and Somali service available. Your account is effective the Sunday of the week you apply.
Explain the separation in detail
If you were not laid off for lack of work, DEED is required to take your account, contact your employer, compare the two, and mail an eligibility determination. Vague answers here are the single most common cause of a stalled Minnesota claim.
Report severance and any other separation pay
Minnesota delays benefits for the number of weeks your severance represents at your weekly wage. Report it up front so DEED can allocate it and issue a determination you can appeal, rather than discovering it later as an overpayment.
Set up direct deposit or the debit card
Choose direct deposit for the fastest payment — money reaches your account within about three business days of a request. If you do not, DEED issues a U.S. Bank debit card that arrives in a plain white envelope roughly seven to ten business days after your first payment is issued.
Submit your first Request for Benefit Payment and serve the nonpayable week
DEED mails you instructions with your assigned schedule. Request payment for the first eligible week even though it pays $0 — that is your one nonpayable week in the 52 weeks after you apply, and it only counts if you request it on time.
Request payment every week and keep a work search record
Submit a Request for Benefit Payment for each week, online Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., or by phone Tuesday through Friday. Keep a written work search record for every week — DEED can ask for it long after the fact.
When the money actually arrives
Your first requested week pays $0 because of the nonpayable week, so the first money covers the second eligible week. With direct deposit, payments generally reach your account within three business days after you submit a request; a debit card arrives about seven to ten business days after the first payment is issued.
How you get paid
Direct deposit to a personal checking or savings account, or a U.S. Bank unemployment debit card usable at any bank or ATM that accepts Visa.
Keeping your benefits: payment requests and work search
Approval is not the finish line. Benefits stop for people who miss the filing window or cannot produce a work-search log, and a missed week is far harder to recover than it is to claim on time.
Request payment every week
Submit a Request for Benefit Payment for each week you want to be paid — Minnesota calls it requesting payment, not certifying. Online at ui.mn.gov it is available Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; by phone it is Tuesday through Friday. DEED assigns you a schedule when your account opens, and a request filed late can cost you that week.
Work search: registration, minimums, and records
Deadline: Minnesota does not require registration on a state job bank as a condition of benefits, but DEED expects you to be searching from the first week you request payment. Registering on MinnesotaWorks.net and connecting with a CareerForce location the week you apply is the practical way to start and to generate documented activity.
DEED sets no fixed number of contacts per week. You must actively seek suitable employment every week you request payment, and DEED judges whether the effort was reasonable for your occupation and the labor market.
What counts:
- Applying for a job in person or submitting a résumé in response to a posting or job lead.
- Telephoning or emailing employers to arrange interviews, and interviewing.
- Networking within your occupation and taking part in professional organizations.
- Attending job-seeking skills classes, workshops, or reemployment sessions at a CareerForce location.
- Using online job banks and trade publications, and researching employers and labor market conditions.
- For union members in a referral trade: staying in good standing with the hiring hall.
Keep a written work search record for every week — DEED publishes a Work Search Record form, or you can keep your own. Record the date, the employer, how you made contact, who you spoke to, and the result. A week you cannot document can be denied later and recovered as an overpayment.
What to do if your Minnesota claim is denied
A denial is a first decision, not a final one. Employers contest claims routinely, and plenty of denials are reversed at the hearing — but only if you appeal inside the window.
Appeal deadline
45 days
You must file an appeal within 45 calendar days after the determination or decision was sent to you — the clock runs from the sending date printed on the document, not the day you opened the envelope. An appeal filed online or by fax is not considered filed until DEED actually receives it, so do not file on the last afternoon.
Verified Sep 8, 2026 · verify with DEEDHow to file your appeal
- Online through your account at ui.mn.gov — the fastest and most reliable option.
- By fax to the number printed on the determination.
- By mail to the address printed on the determination.
- Appeals are not accepted by telephone.
- Filing instructions and the exact deadline date are printed on the determination itself — read that document, not a general web page.
What to include
- Your name, Social Security number, and current address.
- The determination or decision you are appealing and the date it was sent.
- A short statement of what you disagree with and why.
- A phone number where the unemployment law judge can reach you at the hearing.
- Any dates or times you cannot take part in a telephone hearing.
The hearing, and what comes after
An unemployment law judge holds the hearing, by telephone unless circumstances make that impractical. You and your employer each testify under oath, can call witnesses, and can submit documents. DEED publishes an Appeal Hearing Guide that walks through how the call works.
If you disagree with the judge's decision, you file a Request for Reconsideration within 45 calendar days of the mail date of the decision, and the same judge reviews it. After that, the next step is the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Do not stop filing while you appeal. Keep submitting a Request for Benefit Payment for every week while an appeal is pending. DEED can only pay weeks you requested, so a favorable decision cannot recover weeks you never claimed.
Can you get unemployment in Minnesota if you quit?
Quitting is not an automatic no. Every state disqualifies a voluntary quit without good cause; what counts as good cause is where states differ — and good cause only clears the separation question, not the weekly able-available-and-searching requirements.
If you quit: Minnesota's good-cause rule
Quitting is disqualifying unless it was for a good reason caused by the employer — one that would compel an average, reasonable worker to quit — or falls under a listed exception: accepting better employment, a serious illness or injury (yours or a family member's), unsuitable work left within 30 days, loss of childcare after a reasonable search, a spouse's job relocation, domestic abuse of you or your minor child, or a layoff notice within 30 days.
Two separate hurdles
- Good cause may avoid the separation disqualification for a voluntary quit.
- You must still meet the ongoing requirements every week you claim: able to work, available for work, and actively seeking it, plus the base-period wage or hours test.
Before you quit: For adverse working conditions you must complain to the employer and give them a reasonable opportunity to fix them; for a medical reason you must inform the employer and request accommodation first.
Reasons the Minnesota page names: Left for another job, My own health or disability, Illness, disability or death of a family member, Care for a child or dependent adult became inaccessible, Spouse or partner relocated (civilian job), Domestic violence or stalking.
Quitting makes a claim harder, not impossible. File anyway — the agency decides.
Source: Minn. Stat. § 268.095 · last verified 2026-09-07
Severance, final pay, and PTO in Minnesota
These three decide when your unemployment money starts and how much cash you have to bridge the gap. They are separate rules and they interact.
How severance affects your claim
Severance pay does not reduce your Minnesota benefits — it delays them. DEED converts the severance into the number of weeks it represents at your normal weekly wage and makes you ineligible for that many weeks after your separation (Minn. Stat. §268.085, subd. 3). Report every separation payment when you apply so DEED can allocate it and give you a written determination.
Which category a particular payment falls into is the agency's call, not your employer's label for it: Minn. Stat. §268.085, subd. 3 — payments that delay or reduce benefits.
Report it either way. An unreported payment that the agency finds later becomes an overpayment you have to pay back, sometimes with a penalty — a far worse outcome than a delayed start. For how the two interact in general, and how timing a severance payment changes it, see severance and unemployment.
Final paycheck timing
If you are discharged or laid off, Minnesota makes your earned wages immediately due on demand, and your employer must pay within 24 hours of your written demand (Minn. Stat. §181.13). The clock runs from your demand, not from your last day, so put the request in writing.
Check the figure before you cash it — unpaid commission, an expense reimbursement, or a promised bonus is easiest to raise while the separation is still fresh. The final paycheck calculator works out what you should be owed and when it is due.
Unused PTO and vacation
Minnesota does not require vacation or PTO payout by statute. Section 181.13 is a timing law, not a payment mandate — unused PTO is owed at separation only if your employer's written policy or your contract promises it, and if it does, the 24-hour rule applies to that money too.
Layoff notice: WARN and state law
Minnesota has no mandatory mini-WARN law. Minn. Stat. §116L.976 only encourages employers to give early notice of a plant closing, substantial layoff, or relocation, with no fixed notice period and no penalty; the one binding duty is to report the names, addresses, and occupations of the affected workers to DEED. Federal WARN — 60 days' notice at employers with 100 or more employees — is the enforceable rule.
Whether your layoff should have come with notice — and what happens if it did not — is set out in full in the Minnesota WARN Act guide, along with the notices employers have actually filed in the state.
Are Minnesota unemployment benefits taxable?
Federal and state tax both apply
Unemployment benefits are taxable income under both federal and Minnesota law. Withholding is optional and you choose it when you apply: if you elect Minnesota withholding, DEED deducts 5 percent for state income tax, rounded down to the next whole dollar, in addition to any federal withholding you elect. By January 31 DEED issues a Form 1099-G showing benefits paid and taxes withheld.
Benefits arrive with no tax taken out unless you ask for withholding. Choosing 10% federal tax withholding can reduce the chance of an unexpected tax bill, but whether withholding makes sense depends on your individual tax situation — your other income for the year, your filing status, and any credits you expect. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional.
Minnesota unemployment FAQ
Where do I file for unemployment in Minnesota?+
How much unemployment will I get in Minnesota?+
Is there a waiting week for Minnesota unemployment?+
Do I have to look for work to keep benefits in Minnesota?+
Are Minnesota unemployment benefits taxable?+
When do I get my final paycheck and is unused PTO paid out in Minnesota after a layoff?+
Does Minnesota have its own mini-WARN layoff-notice law?+
How long does it take to get Minnesota unemployment benefits?+
What is the base period for Minnesota unemployment?+
What do I do if my Minnesota unemployment claim is denied?+
Does severance pay stop unemployment benefits in Minnesota?+
Can I get unemployment in Minnesota if I was fired or quit?+
How often do I have to certify or request payment in Minnesota?+
Can I work part-time and still get Minnesota unemployment?+
How much can I earn before Minnesota unemployment benefits are reduced?+
What is the maximum Minnesota unemployment benefit in 2026?+
Can you get unemployment in Minnesota if you quit your job?+
Filed your claim? Here's what to do next
Unemployment replaces a fraction of a paycheck. The next hour is better spent on the things that actually decide how long your runway lasts.
Layoff Runway Calculator
Combine your MN benefit, severance, and savings into a months-of-runway number.
Open toolUnemployment Benefits Estimator
Sanity-check the weekly amount before your determination arrives.
Open toolCOBRA vs Marketplace Calculator
Health coverage is the second bill to solve, and COBRA is rarely the cheapest option.
Open toolSeverance Pay Calculator
See what a severance offer is worth before you sign the release.
Open toolOfficial Minnesota sources
Benefit amounts, deadlines, and eligibility rules on this page are verified against official Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program (DEED) (DEED) sources. Rules and amounts change — check the source before you rely on a number.
Nearby states
Minnesota WARN noticesRelated resources
Educational content only. LayoffNext does not provide legal, financial, tax, insurance, employment, immigration, unemployment, investment, or mental health advice. Always consult a licensed professional or official government source for guidance specific to your situation.
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