Louisiana Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Louisiana weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Louisiana pays up to $275 a week for up to 20 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Louisiana 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 Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) 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
$275/week
≈ 28% of your weekly wage · Louisiana · estimate only
You're at Louisiana's $275 maximum.
Max Duration
20 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$5,500
Your wage is above Louisiana's benefit cap, so you would receive the $275 maximum regardless of higher earnings.
Indexed to the unemployment rate. For new claims filed on or after Jan 5, 2025, the maximum duration is 12-20 weeks, based on the average of the three most recently published seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rates. 20 weeks is the cap (low-unemployment environments pay closer to 12). Use 20 as the current/typical max.
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 Louisiana's $275 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 Louisiana Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA is set from base-period wages (statutorily ~1/25 of average of the four highest-quarter wages, capped at 1.05% of total base-period wages), clamped to the $35-$275 range. Louisiana publishes a benefit table; the agency states only that the WBA ranges from $35 to $275 based on base-period wages. Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA) = WBA x duration weeks.
The result is capped at Louisiana's $275 maximum and floored at its $35 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 20 weeks. Indexed to the unemployment rate. For new claims filed on or after Jan 5, 2025, the maximum duration is 12-20 weeks, based on the average of the three most recently published seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rates. 20 weeks is the cap (low-unemployment environments pay closer to 12). Use 20 as the current/typical max.
Source: Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC).
Who Qualifies in Louisiana
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. Alternate base period available if standard does not qualify.), 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 base-period wages of at least 1.5x high-quarter wages (and meet a minimum high-quarter threshold); roughly, base-period total must be at least 1.5 times the high quarter. Louisiana has no waiting week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Louisiana?
Louisiana pays roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, from a $35 minimum up to a $275 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Louisiana?
Up to 20 weeks. Indexed to the unemployment rate. For new claims filed on or after Jan 5, 2025, the maximum duration is 12-20 weeks, based on the average of the three most recently published seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rates. 20 weeks is the cap (low-unemployment environments pay closer to 12). Use 20 as the current/typical max.
How is my Louisiana weekly benefit calculated?
WBA is set from base-period wages (statutorily ~1/25 of average of the four highest-quarter wages, capped at 1.05% of total base-period wages), clamped to the $35-$275 range. Louisiana publishes a benefit table; the agency states only that the WBA ranges from $35 to $275 based on base-period wages. Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA) = WBA x duration weeks.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Louisiana?
$275 per week in 2026. The maximum is set by the state and usually updated each year.
Is this calculator official?
No. It is a free estimate based on Louisiana's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) 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 2026-08-21. Only Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.