banner

Tennessee Unemployment Benefit Questions

How much does the State of Tennessee pay as unemployment benefits?

If you begin collecting Tennessee unemployment benefits, one of the first questions you will have is how much you will receive in payments from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD). The goal is to provide claimants with enough money to take care of basic needs until they can find a new job. However, how much you actually receive depends on how much you earned most recently and how long you are eligible.

This maximum is determined by calculating the average salary for employees in the state and dividing it by half. As of now, the maximum weekly benefit amount you can receive from Tennessee unemployment benefits is $275 per week.

If I received severance pay, will I still be able to collect UI?

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is in charge of providing unemployment compensation to Tennesseans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. If candidates for unemployment insurance benefits meet certain criteria, they may collect unemployment compensation even if they are receiving severance pay from their previous employer.

If you are working while collecting unemployment benefits, you must report your wages each week as you are accruing them, not when you receive the paycheck for that work. Additionally, you must repay any overpayment of benefits to your local unemployment office. All unemployment benefits must be reported as taxable income on your federal tax return.

If I exhaust my regular benefits, how can I file for the first Federal extension that is available?

Once you have exhausted your entitlement to your regular UI claim, you may be eligible to file the first extension. The TDLWD (Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development) will automatically file the first extension and send you notification. No action is required on your part.

When the first federal extension is filed, a notice and claim forms will be sent to eligible claimants. Claimants should continue certifying by phone or Internet.

Comments are closed.