Unemployment Insurance is a program funded by taxes on employers that provides weekly benefits to some people who have just lost their job. The program is available only for those who are (i) unemployed due to no fault of their own; (ii) have earned enough in the months previous to qualify for the benefits; (iii) do not earn too much to qualify for benefits; and (iv) able, available and actively seeking work. Generally speaking, those who quit their job or are fired for cause are not eligible for benefits.
In North Carolina, regular Unemployment Insurance benefits can last between five and twenty weeks. The number of weeks actually paid depends on the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate. The weekly benefit amount is calculated by a using a formula, which results in a weekly benefit that is a fraction of what a worker had earned previously per week.
William C. Trosch
Managing Partner