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Terms related to unemployment insurance
| Unemployment insurance |
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| • Terms and definitions • Court cases • Unemployment insurance programs in the states • Reform proposals related to unemployment insurance • Reform activity in the states related to unemployment insurance • Index of articles about unemployment insurance |
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Unemployment insurance is a term that refers to a joint federal and state program that provides temporary monetary benefits to eligible laid-off workers who are actively seeking new employment. Qualifying individuals receive unemployment compensation as a percentage of their lost wages in the form of weekly cash benefits while they search for new employment.[1][2]
The federal government oversees the general administration of state unemployment insurance programs. The states control the specific features of their unemployment insurance programs, such as eligibility requirements and length of benefits.[2]
Although the word insurance is in the term, a few key differences distinguish unemployment insurance from private insurance plans such as home insurance, car insurance, or health insurance. In most states, employers—rather than individuals themselves—pay unemployment taxes that fund state unemployment insurance programs. When an individual loses their employment (and meets eligibility requirements), state-administered unemployment insurance programs provide temporary monetary benefits to the former employee. Unemployment insurance compensation is not intended to replace lost wages; it is designed to replace a portion of the individual's lost wages with the goal of providing financial support as an individual searches for a new job.[3]
The following pages provide information about key terms related to unemployment insurance:
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