How Much Do You Get for Unemployment in Oregon?
Navigate Oregon's unemployment system. Discover how benefits are determined, what impacts your payments, and how to maintain your financial support.
Unemployment insurance provides a temporary financial safety net for individuals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. It offers monetary assistance while claimants actively seek new employment, supporting economic stability during periods of unemployment.
Determining Eligibility for Oregon Unemployment Benefits
To qualify for unemployment benefits in Oregon, individuals must meet state criteria. Job separation must be through no fault of your own, such as a layoff. If an individual quits, it must be for a “qualifying reason” defined by Oregon law; if fired, it must not be for misconduct.
Applicants must also meet work and wage requirements based on earnings during a “base period,” typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before a claim is filed. To establish a valid claim, individuals must have earned at least $1,000 in subject wages during this period, or worked at least 500 hours with some subject wages. Total base period wages must also be at least 1.5 times the wages earned in the highest quarter.
Beyond financial eligibility, claimants must be able to work, available for work, and actively seeking employment. This requires being mentally and physically capable of performing work without restrictions that would prevent accepting a job. The initial application is typically completed online through the Oregon Employment Department’s “Frances Online” system, submitting basic information like social security number, work history, and employer details.
Calculating Your Weekly Benefit Amount
The Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) is the amount of unemployment benefits an individual receives each week in Oregon. This amount is directly tied to past earnings during the established base period, which covers the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the week a claim is filed. For instance, if a claim is filed in July 2025, the base period would generally cover April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
Oregon calculates the WBA as 1.25% of the total gross wages earned during the entire base period. For example, if an individual earned $40,000, their WBA would be $500 ($40,000 0.0125). This calculation reflects an individual’s recent work history and earning capacity. The Oregon Employment Department provides online tools to estimate potential weekly benefit amounts.
State law sets minimum and maximum limits for the weekly benefit amount, which are adjusted annually based on Oregon’s average weekly wage. For new claims filed on or after June 29, 2025, the minimum WBA is $204, and the maximum is $872. These figures represent 15% and 64% of the state’s average weekly wage. Claimants whose benefit years began before this date receive benefits under the rates applicable at their claim’s establishment.
Factors Affecting Your Total Benefit Duration and Payments
While the weekly benefit amount determines the payment received each week, several factors influence the total benefits and duration. In Oregon, regular unemployment benefits are generally available for up to 26 weeks within a 52-week “benefit year.” The benefit year begins on the first week a claim is filed; a new Oregon claim cannot be filed until that 52-week period ends. During periods of high unemployment, the state may implement extensions.
Partial earnings from part-time work can affect the weekly benefit amount. Claimants can earn up to one-third of their weekly benefit amount or ten times the applicable minimum wage, whichever is greater, without benefit reduction. Earnings above this threshold reduce the weekly payment dollar for dollar. Report all gross earnings, including vacation pay, sick pay, holiday pay, tips, commissions, and bonuses, for the week work was performed, not when paid.
Other income sources, such as pensions or severance pay, may also reduce benefits. Claimants are required to report these types of income, though Social Security payments do not reduce benefits. Unemployment benefits are taxable income; claimants can opt to have 10% withheld for federal and 6% for state income taxes. Disqualifications, such as refusing suitable work or failing to actively search for employment, can also stop payments.
Receiving and Maintaining Your Benefits
Once an unemployment claim is approved, claimants have options for receiving weekly payments. The Oregon Employment Department primarily offers direct deposit into a checking or savings account. Alternatively, benefits can be loaded onto a prepaid Visa debit card, known as a ReliaCard.
To continue receiving benefits, individuals must file a weekly claim. These claims require reporting work search activities, gross earnings, and any job offers received or refused. Oregon law mandates at least five work-search activities each week, with at least two being direct employer contacts.
Claimants must submit weekly claims after the work week ends, ideally by the following Sunday. The first week of a claim is typically an unpaid “waiting week,” but must still be claimed to establish eligibility. Maintaining communication with the Oregon Employment Department and promptly responding to information requests ensures continuous benefit processing.