West Virginia Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Every state has its own specific unemloyment benefits, and West Viginia is no exception.

Eligibility for West Virginia Unemployment Benefits
The basic requirements for collecting unemployment in West Virginia are:

First, you must have been employed. You must have worked a certain amount of time during a required window, and earned a certain mount of money.

Second, you must be determined to be unemployed through no fault of your own as defined under West Virginia law.

Third, you must file ongoing claims and respond to questions concerning your continued eligibility. You must report any earnings from work and any job offers or refusal of work during any claim period.

Finally, you must meet any other unemployment eligibility requirements of West Virginia law.

Your Unemployment Benefit Check
How much: Generally, unemployment benefits are based on an individual's earnings in the base period. The unemployment benefits in WV are also subject to Federal income taxes. WV benefits were raised to $366 in January, 2005.

How soon: You will typically receive your first check two or three weeks after you file an eligible claim.

How long: The duration of WV unemployment benefits in 2005 was several weeks. There is an exception when there is high unemployment or other special circumstances.

The unemployment rate varies from state to state. In West Virginia, the unemployment rate is approximately 4.0%.