Tennessee Unemployment Calculator
Estimate your Tennessee weekly unemployment benefit, duration, and total payout. Tennessee pays up to $325 a week for up to 12 weeks. This is an estimate, not a determination.
An estimate, not a determination.
This estimates your Tennessee 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 Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 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
$325/week
≈ 33% of your weekly wage · Tennessee · estimate only
You're at Tennessee's $325 maximum.
Max Duration
12 weeks
Max Total Benefit
$3,900
Your wage is above Tennessee's benefit cap, so you would receive the $325 maximum regardless of higher earnings.
Duration is indexed to the statewide unemployment rate (effective Dec 1, 2023): 12 weeks when the average state unemployment rate is at or below 5.5%, adding 1 week per 0.5 percentage-point increment above 5.5%, up to a maximum of 20 weeks when unemployment exceeds 9%. Current/typical duration is 12 weeks.
Tennessee has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
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 Tennessee's $325 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 Tennessee Calculates Your Weekly Benefit
WBA = 1/26 of the AVERAGE of the two highest quarters of base-period wages (i.e., add the two highest quarters, divide by 2, then divide by 26 - equivalent to about 50% of the two-quarter average weekly wage), clamped to the statutory min/max.
The result is capped at Tennessee's $325 maximum and floored at its $55 minimum (2026). You can collect for up to 12 weeks. Duration is indexed to the statewide unemployment rate (effective Dec 1, 2023): 12 weeks when the average state unemployment rate is at or below 5.5%, adding 1 week per 0.5 percentage-point increment above 5.5%, up to a maximum of 20 weeks when unemployment exceeds 9%. Current/typical duration is 12 weeks.
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Who Qualifies in Tennessee
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 before the claim. Alternate base period available if the standard period 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 wages in at least two base-period quarters, with the average of the two highest quarters and total base-period wages meeting state minimums (generally at least $780.01 in each of the two highest quarters). Tennessee also has a one-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in Tennessee?
Tennessee pays roughly 50% of your average weekly wage, from a $55 minimum up to a $325 maximum per week (2026). Use the calculator above to estimate your amount from your wages.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Tennessee?
Up to 12 weeks. Duration is indexed to the statewide unemployment rate (effective Dec 1, 2023): 12 weeks when the average state unemployment rate is at or below 5.5%, adding 1 week per 0.5 percentage-point increment above 5.5%, up to a maximum of 20 weeks when unemployment exceeds 9%. Current/typical duration is 12 weeks.
How is my Tennessee weekly benefit calculated?
WBA = 1/26 of the AVERAGE of the two highest quarters of base-period wages (i.e., add the two highest quarters, divide by 2, then divide by 26 - equivalent to about 50% of the two-quarter average weekly wage), clamped to the statutory min/max.
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Tennessee?
$325 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 Tennessee's published 2026 formula and caps. Your actual benefit is determined by Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 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 Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development can determine your actual benefit and eligibility. RecordingLaw.com is not a government agency.