How Much Does Unemployment Pay in Oregon?
Get clear insights into Oregon unemployment benefit amounts, how they're determined, and the payment process.
Unemployment insurance provides temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. These benefits help bridge the financial gap, allowing individuals to meet basic needs while seeking new employment. Understanding how these benefits are calculated and disbursed is important for those navigating job loss.
Calculating Your Weekly Benefit Amount
The weekly unemployment benefit amount in Oregon is determined using a “base period,” which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before a claim is filed. For example, a claim filed in October 2025 would use a base period from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025. To qualify, individuals must meet earnings thresholds within this period, such as earning at least $1,000 in covered wages or working a minimum of 500 hours.
Oregon calculates the weekly benefit amount as 1.25% of an individual’s total gross earnings during the base period. This calculation is subject to state minimum and maximum weekly benefit amounts. For claims filed on or after June 30, 2024, the minimum weekly benefit is $196, and the maximum is $836. Claims filed on or after June 29, 2025, will see a minimum of $204 and a maximum of $872 per week. These amounts are annually adjusted based on Oregon’s State Average Weekly Wage.
Factors Affecting Your Payment
Several factors can modify the weekly benefit amount an individual receives, even after the initial calculation. If a claimant works part-time while receiving benefits, they must report all gross earnings. Benefits may still be payable if the gross earnings are less than the weekly benefit amount. Oregon allows claimants to earn up to one-third of their weekly benefit amount or 10 times the state’s highest minimum wage, whichever is greater, before benefits are reduced dollar-for-dollar. If gross earnings for a week equal or exceed the weekly benefit amount, no benefits are paid for that week.
Other income types can also impact unemployment payments. Severance pay generally does not reduce benefits in Oregon, provided the individual did not voluntarily quit their employment. Retirement pay from an employer within the base period can affect benefits, potentially reducing them dollar-for-dollar; however, Social Security payments do not reduce unemployment benefits. Accrued paid leave, such as vacation, holiday, or sick pay, must be reported and can affect weekly payments. Benefits may also be subject to deductions for obligations like court-ordered child support or recoupment of prior overpayments.
Duration of Benefits
In Oregon, individuals receive unemployment benefits for a maximum duration. The benefit year, which begins the first week a claim is filed, lasts 52 weeks. During this period, an eligible individual may receive payments for up to 26 weeks. This maximum number of weeks is a fixed cap, regardless of the calculated weekly benefit amount.
While the maximum duration is 26 weeks, provisions for extended benefits exist during periods of high unemployment. These extensions, often federally supported, are not always active. For example, programs active during the COVID-19 pandemic are currently not available in Oregon. Claimants who exhaust regular benefits and meet specific criteria may be notified if any extensions become available.
Receiving Your Payments
Once an unemployment claim is approved and weekly eligibility requirements are met, claimants receive benefits through electronic disbursement. The Oregon Employment Department offers two methods for payment: direct deposit or a prepaid Visa debit card. Claimants can select their preferred method when applying for benefits or update their choice later through the online system.
Direct deposit transfers weekly benefits directly into a claimant’s checking or savings account. Individuals provide their bank’s routing and account numbers for this option. Alternatively, benefits can be loaded onto a U.S. Bank ReliaCard, a prepaid Visa debit card for purchases or cash withdrawals. Payments are issued weekly, provided the claimant files a weekly certification affirming eligibility and work-seeking activities.