Connecticut Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Connecticut weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Connecticut pays up to $721 a week for up to 26 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Connecticut weekly unemployment benefit from your wages. The state agency makes the actual decision based on your full wage record and why your job ended. File your claim with Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) to get your real amount.
More exact? Enter your highest-paid quarter
Most states base your benefit on your highest-earning quarter of the base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). Enter it for a closer estimate; leave blank to use your annual income.
Estimated Weekly Benefit
$500/week
≈ 50% of your weekly wage · Connecticut · estimate only
Max Duration
26 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$13,000
Up to 26 weeks. Maximum total benefits = (WBA x 26) plus dependency allowances. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
This is an estimate, not a determination. The state agency calculates your actual benefit from your full base-period wage record, and eligibility also depends on why your job ended and your ongoing work search.
Your weekly benefit is based on your wages in the "base period" (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters), replaced at roughly 50% up to Connecticut's $721 maximum. Eligibility also depends on earning enough in the base period and on why your job ended (generally you must be out of work through no fault of your own). This is an estimate, not legal advice or a determination, and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
How Connecticut Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA = 1/26 of the average of the two highest base-period quarters: ((highest quarter + second-highest quarter) / 2) / 26. Construction workers use 1/26 of the single highest quarter. Clamped to the state min/max, then add any dependency allowance.
The result is capped at Connecticut's $721 maximum and floored at its $15 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 26 weeks. Up to 26 weeks. Maximum total benefits = (WBA x 26) plus dependency allowances. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
Dependents: $15 per week per dependent, up to 5 dependents ($75 max). Total dependency allowance may never exceed the claimant's weekly benefit rate. A dependent is a child under 18, under 21 and a full-time student, or disabled regardless of age. Max WBA with 5 dependents = $721 + $75 = $796.
Source: Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL).
Who Qualifies in Connecticut
To draw benefits you generally must have earned enough during the base period (Standard: first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the claim. An alternate base period is used if base-period gross wages were under ~$600 or the claimant is otherwise ineligible.), be unemployed through no fault of your own (laid off, not fired for misconduct and generally not quitting without good cause), and be able, available, and actively looking for work. Must have earned at least 40x the calculated weekly benefit rate in the base period (with a minimum-wage floor); claimants with under ~$600 in base-period wages may have an alternate base period applied. Connecticut has no waiting week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Connecticut?
Connecticut pays roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, from a $15 minimum up to a $721 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Connecticut?
Up to 26 weeks. Up to 26 weeks. Maximum total benefits = (WBA x 26) plus dependency allowances. Not indexed to the unemployment rate.
How is my Connecticut weekly benefit calculated?
WBA = 1/26 of the average of the two highest base-period quarters: ((highest quarter + second-highest quarter) / 2) / 26. Construction workers use 1/26 of the single highest quarter. Clamped to the state min/max, then add any dependency allowance.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Connecticut?
$721 per week in 2026, or up to $796 with the dependent allowance. The maximum is set by the state and usually updated each year.
Is this calculator official?
No. It is a free estimate based on Connecticut's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) from your complete wage record and the reason your job ended. It is not legal advice and RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.
Disclaimer
This calculator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice, a benefit determination, or a guarantee of eligibility. Unemployment formulas and maximums change (often annually); figures are current as of 2026-06-02. Only Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.