Maryland unemployment pays between $25 and $430 per week, depending on your recent earnings

Maryland calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your average weekly wage during a specific period of your employment history. The state divides your total earnings by the number of weeks worked, then applies a percentage to arrive at the weekly payment. The minimum is $25 per week; the maximum is $430 per week as of 2024. Your actual amount falls somewhere in that range based on what you earned before you lost your job.

The calculation uses your earnings from the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. If you earned $15,000 over that period and worked 52 weeks, for example, your average weekly wage would be about $288. Maryland then pays you roughly 50 percent of that amount, which would be around $144 per week — but the state adjusts this formula slightly depending on your total earnings, so the actual percentage varies.

You receive these payments for up to 26 weeks in a standard benefit year, though the number of weeks you actually receive depends on how much you earned during that base period. Higher earners typically may have access to for the full 26 weeks; lower earners may receive fewer weeks of payments.

Key Takeaways

  • Your weekly benefit amount is calculated from your average earnings over the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.
  • Maryland pays a percentage of your average weekly wage, with a floor of $25 per week and a ceiling of $430 per week.
  • The number of weeks you receive benefits depends on your total earnings during the base period, ranging from fewer than 26 weeks to the full 26 weeks.
  • You must have earned at least $30 to $50 in a single week during your base period to receive any benefits at all.

How Maryland calculates your base period and average wage

The base period is the four calendar quarters that determine both whether you meet the earnings threshold and how much you receive each week. Maryland uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. If you file in March 2024, your base period would be January through December 2023. If you file in January 2024, your base period would be October 2022 through September 2023.

Within that base period, Maryland adds up all wages you earned and divides by the number of weeks you worked. The result is your average weekly wage. The state then applies a benefit formula that pays roughly 50 percent of that average, subject to the $25 minimum and $430 maximum. This means someone who earned $600 per week on average might receive around $300 per week in benefits, while someone who earned $50 per week would receive the $25 minimum.

If you worked part of the base period and were unemployed for part of it, only the weeks you actually worked count toward your average. Weeks with zero earnings do not lower your average — they are straightforward excluded from the calculation.

Minimum and maximum weekly amounts in Maryland

The $25 weekly minimum means that even if your average wage was very low, you receive at least $25 per week if you meet the other requirements. This floor protects workers who had part-time or seasonal jobs. The $430 weekly maximum means that high earners do not receive more than that amount, no matter how much they earned before losing their job.

These amounts are set by Maryland law and can change year to year. The state adjusts the maximum benefit amount annually based on changes in the state's average weekly wage. The minimum has remained at $25 for several years, but you should confirm the current amounts with the Maryland Department of Labor when you file, since these figures can shift.

How many weeks of benefits you receive

Maryland's standard benefit year provides up to 26 weeks of payments. However, the actual number of weeks you receive depends on your earnings during the base period. The state uses a formula that ties the length of your benefit period to how much you earned — the more you earned, the longer you can draw benefits, up to the 26-week maximum.

To receive the full 26 weeks, you typically need to have earned a certain threshold amount during your base period. If your earnings were lower, you might receive 20 weeks, 15 weeks, or fewer. The Maryland Department of Labor will tell you exactly how many weeks you are may have access to to when you file and receive your information letter.

What happens if you earned very little during your base period

Maryland requires that you earned at least $30 in a single week during your base period to receive any benefits. Some sources cite $50 as the threshold, but the exact amount depends on current state rules — contact the Maryland Department of Labor to confirm. If you did not meet this minimum, you will be denied.

If you worked multiple weeks but your total earnings were very low, you may still meet the threshold for a single week but receive the $25 minimum weekly benefit. For example, if you earned $35 in one week and $10 in another, you meet the single-week requirement and would receive $25 per week for however many weeks your base period earnings may have access to you to.

How to find out your specific weekly amount

You cannot calculate your exact weekly benefit before you file because the Maryland Department of Labor needs to verify your earnings with your employer. When you file for unemployment, you provide your employment history, and the state contacts your former employers to confirm wages. The department then sends you a information letter that states your weekly benefit amount and the number of weeks you are may have access to to receive.

You can file online through the Maryland Department of Labor website, by phone, or in person at a local office. The information letter typically arrives within two to three weeks of filing. If you disagree with the amount, you have the right to request a hearing to challenge the calculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Maryland unemployment include federal pandemic payments?

Federal pandemic unemployment programs ended in September 2021. Maryland now pays only the state benefit amount, which is the $25 to $430 weekly range. There are no additional federal supplements currently available, though Congress could authorize new programs in response to future economic conditions.

What if I worked in multiple states before losing my job?

If you worked in more than one state during your base period, you may be able to combine earnings from all states to meet Maryland's threshold. This is called combined-wage filing. Contact the Maryland Department of Labor to determine whether your out-of-state earnings can be included in your calculation.

Do taxes come out of my Maryland unemployment check?

Maryland unemployment benefits are subject to federal income tax. You can request that the state withhold taxes from your payment, or you can pay taxes when you file your annual return. State income tax does not explore to unemployment benefits in Maryland.

Can my weekly benefit amount change after I start receiving it?

Your weekly amount is set when the Maryland Department of Labor issues your information letter and does not change during your benefit year, unless you appeal and win a hearing that overturns the original calculation. If you return to work and then lose your job again in the same benefit year, you may be may have access to to additional weeks, but your weekly rate stays the same.