Michigan Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Michigan weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Michigan pays up to $530 a week for up to 26 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Michigan 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 Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) 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 · Michigan · estimate only
Max Duration
26 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$13,000
Maximum 26 weeks (increased from 20 effective April 2025); minimum entitlement is 14 weeks. Number of weeks is based on wage history (variable 14-26).
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 Michigan's $530 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 Michigan Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA (Weekly Benefit Rate) = 4.1% of the wages paid in the highest quarter of the base period, clamped to the $150-$530 range. (4.1% of high quarter is equivalent to dividing by ~24.4.) Plus a dependent allowance.
The result is capped at Michigan's $530 maximum and floored at its $150 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 26 weeks. Maximum 26 weeks (increased from 20 effective April 2025); minimum entitlement is 14 weeks. Number of weeks is based on wage history (variable 14-26).
Dependents: $19.33 per dependent per week for 2026 (up to 5 dependents), scheduled to rise to $26 in 2027. Dependents' allowance is added to the WBA but the combined total may NOT exceed the maximum WBR ($530).
Source: Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
Who Qualifies in Michigan
To draw benefits you generally must have earned enough during the base period (Standard Base Period: first four of the last five completed calendar quarters in the 18 months before the claim. Alternate Earnings Qualifier (AEQ) method also available.), 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. For benefit years beginning Jan 1, 2026: high-quarter wages of at least $5,328, wages in at least two quarters, and total base-period wages of at least 1.5x the high quarter. AEQ alternative: total wages >= 20x SAWW. Michigan has no waiting week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Michigan?
Michigan pays roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, from a $150 minimum up to a $530 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Michigan?
Up to 26 weeks. Maximum 26 weeks (increased from 20 effective April 2025); minimum entitlement is 14 weeks. Number of weeks is based on wage history (variable 14-26).
How is my Michigan weekly benefit calculated?
WBA (Weekly Benefit Rate) = 4.1% of the wages paid in the highest quarter of the base period, clamped to the $150-$530 range. (4.1% of high quarter is equivalent to dividing by ~24.4.) Plus a dependent allowance.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Michigan?
$530 per week in 2026, or up to $530 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 Michigan's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) 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 Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.