Oregon unemployment insurance benefits are a vital source of financial assistance for workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. These benefits are intended to help individuals meet their basic needs while they search for new employment opportunities.
The process of calculating Oregon unemployment benefits can be complex. It’s important to understand how UI benefits are calculated.
Oregon Unemployment Benefits Calculator
How are Oregon unemployment benefits calculated?
Your weekly benefit amount is 1.25% of your total base year wages. Oregon law determines the minimum and maximum amounts you can receive.
Oregon unemployment benefits are calculated based on an individual’s past earnings and work history. To determine the amount of unemployment compensation you are eligible to receive, the Oregon Employment Department uses a formula that takes into account your total earnings during their base period, which is typically the first four quarters of the last five completed calendar quarters before the individual files their claim.
The formula used to calculate Oregon unemployment benefits takes the highest-earning quarter of the base period and uses it to determine your weekly benefit amount (WBA). The WBA is calculated as 1.25% of the total earnings in the highest-earning quarter of the base period. The minimum WBA in Oregon is $183, and the maximum WBA is $783.
Benefits last for 52 weeks from the first week you applied for Oregon unemployment benefits. Over this period, you are eligible to receive UI benefits that total up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount.
What is a base period?
The base year is the one-year period made up of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. This period is determined by the date when you submit your claim application, not the date of your unemployment. If you are ineligible for a regular base year claim, your application will be reviewed automatically to assess if you meet the requirements for an alternate base year.
A calendar quarter is a three month-period that concludes on March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31.
To qualify for Oregon unemployment benefits, you must have earned a minimum of $1,000 in gross income during your base year. If you did not earn that much, you can still qualify if you worked for at least 500 hours during the base year and received wages.
What is a base year?
The base year is a period of one year that forms the basis of your unemployment benefits claim. It is established based on the date you submit your initial claim application, rather than the date you become unemployed.
A calendar quarter is a three-month period that ends on either March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31.
Deductions that can reduce your weekly benefit amount
Deductions from your benefits can occur if you owe child support payments or if you receive retirement income.
Child Support Deduction
When there is a court order from the Oregon Department of Justice for a deduction from an individual’s benefits, a percentage is deducted from their benefits every week. The deductions will persist until the court instructs the relevant authority to cease the deductions.
Individuals who have inquiries concerning child support deductions may reach out to the Oregon Child Support Program for support via phone at the following numbers:
From the Salem area: (503) 373-7300
Toll-free in Oregon: (800) 850-0228
From outside Oregon: (503) 378-5567
TTY: (800) 735-2900
Retirement Deduction
Your weekly benefit amount may be reduced by the Oregon Unemployment Department if you receive retirement income. You must inform the UI Center if you are receiving or will receive any kind of retirement pay, except for Social Security. If you fail to report changes in your retirement pay, you may be penalized for committing Oregon unemployment fraud and may receive an overpayment of benefits.
In case you receive retroactive retirement pay for weeks during which you received benefits, you are required to notify the UI Center and repay any overpayments. If you disagree with an OED determination, you have the right to file an appeal.
How do I get paid?
Before you can get paid each week, you must file a weekly claim and document your work search activities. This verifies your ongoing eligibility for UI benefits.
For new claims, the first benefit payment is usually sent via paper check. The Oregon Employment Department offers two electronic payment options for subsequent payments:
- Direct Deposit into a checking or savings account at your bank, credit union, or savings and loan
- S. Bank ReliaCard Visa debit card
Direct deposit
To apply for direct deposit, you must provide your routing and account numbers. The Authorization for Electronic Deposit Form can be accessed through the Online Claim System or the Forms webpage.
It may take up to two weeks to verify your account information for direct deposit. During the verification pay period, you will receive payments via paper check. Submitting multiple requests for direct deposit before the verification process is complete will cause a delay.
If you provided incorrect bank account information, contact the OED.
U.S. Bank ReliaCard Visa debit card
You can choose to receive your payments on a debit card if you’d rather not set up direct deposit.
With the U.S. Bank ReliaCard Visa option, benefit payments are deposited onto a prepaid debit card that can be used anywhere Visa cards are accepted. The card is mailed to you in a discrete white envelope.
Be sure to keep the debit card even if you sign up for direct deposit. If for any reason direct deposit fails, the system will automatically revert to payments to the debit card.
To activate your ReliaCard, call the toll-free number provided on the card. Make sure you read the Cardholder Agreement and any additional notifications carefully, as the use of your ReliaCard may involve fees.
You can change your payment preference by logging in to your online account or by calling the claims center.
Do I have to pay taxes on my benefits?
Yes, you are required to pay income tax on your Oregon unemployment compensation.
You will receive a Form 1099-G (Statement for Recipients of Unemployment Compensation) at the address on your claim by the end of January. This form contains the necessary information for tax filing, including the benefits paid and taxes withheld during the previous year. You can access and print your 1099-G after the end of January by selecting the “Status of your claim” option on the Online Claims System.
If you’ve changed your address, it’s important to update it as the 1099-G will not be forwarded. You can update your address by selecting the “Change your address” option on the Online Claims System or by calling the UI Center.
You can have 10% of your weekly benefit amount held back for federal income taxes and/or 6% for state income taxes. Any taxes withheld will be promptly forwarded to the Internal Revenue Service and the Oregon Department of Revenue. To modify your tax withholding status, you must submit a completed Authorization for Tax Withholding (1040WH) form.