Arizona Unemployment Insurance Benefits Eligibility

To be eligible for unemployment benefits in Arizona, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must have worked in covered employment and earned enough wage credits. Covered employment is any job that pays into the Arizona Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fund. The amount of wage credits you need to earn depends on your base period, which is the first four of the last five calendar quarters. You must have earned at least:
  • $5987.50 in your highest earning quarter
  • A combined total of at least $7,000 in at least two quarters of the base period
• You must be unemployed through no fault of your own. This means that you cannot be disqualified for benefits if you were fired for misconduct.
• You must be able and available for full-time work. This means that you are physically and mentally able to work, and you are willing and able to accept suitable full-time employment if offered.
• You must be actively seeking work. This means that you are making a good faith effort to find a job. You must keep a record of your job search activities and report them to the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) each week you file for benefits.

Additional eligibility requirements:

• You must not be receiving benefits from another state’s UI program.
• You must not be incarcerated.
• You must not be a student enrolled in more than six credit hours per semester.

If you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks. The amount of benefits you receive will depend on your earnings during your base period.

To apply for unemployment benefits in Arizona, you can:

• File online at the DES website.
• Call the DES Unemployment Insurance Call Center at (877) 766-8477.
• Visit a local DES office.

Once you have filed your application, the DES will review your eligibility and determine whether you are approved for benefits. If you are approved, you will be paid benefits on a weekly basis.

If you have any questions about your eligibility for unemployment benefits in Arizona, you should contact the DES Unemployment Insurance Call Center.tunesharemore_vert