Unemployment benefits in Washington, DC
Washington, DC's maximum weekly unemployment benefit is $444.
| Minimum weekly benefit | not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | $444 |
| Maximum duration | 26 weeks |
How the weekly benefit is calculated
1/26 (rounded up to the next dollar) of your total wages in the highest base-period quarter.
Formula and 26-week duration are primary-confirmed from statute (34 weeks applies only to legacy claims filed before March 15, 1983). The $444 maximum is not firmly 2026-dated: the statutory base of $425 was set in 2016, with CPI-based increases since 2018 subject to Council approval, and this figure could not be independently confirmed as the current calendar-2026 amount. No minimum weekly benefit is specified in statute; eligibility instead requires at least $1,300 in one base-period quarter and $1,950 across at least two.
Some figures on this page were read directly from the state agency's own site or statute; others could not be, and are marked accordingly above.
Sources
- D.C. Code §51-107, read 2026-08-23.
While you're working, model your paycheck
Washington, DC unemployment: common questions
How much is unemployment in Washington, DC?
1/26 (rounded up to the next dollar) of your total wages in the highest base-period quarter. The maximum is $444. Formula and 26-week duration are primary-confirmed from statute (34 weeks applies only to legacy claims filed before March 15, 1983). The $444 maximum is not firmly 2026-dated: the statutory base of $425 was set in 2016, with CPI-based increases since 2018 subject to Council approval, and this figure could not be independently confirmed as the current calendar-2026 amount. No minimum weekly benefit is specified in statute; eligibility instead requires at least $1,300 in one base-period quarter and $1,950 across at least two.
How long do unemployment benefits last in Washington, DC?
Up to 26 weeks, the standard duration most states pay.
What wages count toward my benefit?
The standard base period: your wages in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim.
What is the maximum weekly unemployment payment in Washington, DC?
$444 a week is the most Washington, DC pays, before any deductions you elect such as tax withholding or child support. Most claimants receive less, because the weekly amount is calculated from your own base-period wages: 1/26 (rounded up to the next dollar) of your total wages in the highest base-period quarter.
What day does unemployment pay in Washington, DC?
This page does not model payment dates. Timing is set by Washington, DC's own unemployment agency rather than by the benefit formula, and normally depends on when your weekly or biweekly claim is filed and processed rather than on a fixed calendar day. What this page does model is how much you are owed and for how long, both traced to the sources listed below.
More on Washington, DC pay and deductions
Washington, DC paycheck calculator
Washington, DC's own brackets, deductions and payroll assessments, with the sources behind each.
Where Washington, DC ranks
What Washington, DC leaves you against every other state on the same salary, and where a move gains most.
Washington, DC wage garnishment limits
The most a creditor can take from a Washington, DC paycheck, where state law is stricter than federal.