Unemployment Insurance (GDOL)
Last updated August 2026
Georgia unemployment pays $55 to $365 a week, and the length depends on the state's jobless rate when you file: 14 weeks in good times, up to 26 only if unemployment tops 10 percent. Short work histories can qualify for as few as 6 weeks. File through the MyUI Claimant Portal at dol.georgia.gov.
One Georgia quirk decides how you file: if your hours were cut below 30 a week but you still work for the employer, the EMPLOYER files the claim for you. Do not file your own in that case; ask your employer about the employer-filed claim.
Staying paid is a weekly rhythm: request payment each week through MyUI, attach three new verifiable work search contacts to every certification, and register for employment services. Only weeks with an active work search get paid.
Appeals move fast in Georgia: 15 days from the determination's mailing date, filed right in the MyUI portal. Keep certifying weekly while any appeal runs.
A $365 ceiling does not carry a household, so stack the rest while you hunt: SNAP through Georgia Gateway, the kids covered through Medicaid or PeachCare, and 2-1-1 for local rent and utility funds between jobs.
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Based on past wages, the reason for your job separation, and staying available and searching for work
- Must register with WorkSource Georgia for employment services and certify eligibility weekly with work search records
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
File at the MyUI Claimant Portal on dol.georgia.gov the week you lose work.
- 2
Hours cut below 30 but still employed? STOP; your employer files an employer-filed claim for you. Ask them first.
- 3
Register for employment services as required.
- 4
Request payment every week in MyUI, with three new verifiable work search contacts each time.
- 5
Keep records of every contact: name, date, method, result.
- 6
Denied? Appeal within 15 days of the mailing date, in the portal, and keep certifying weekly meanwhile.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much is Georgia unemployment?
$55 to $365 a week, based on your base-period wages. Stack SNAP and other help alongside it; the ceiling is low.
How many weeks does Georgia pay?
14 to 26 weeks, set by the statewide unemployment rate when you file; 26 requires a rate above 10 percent. Short work histories can draw as few as 6 weeks. The table updates each June and December.
What is an employer-filed claim?
If your hours drop below 30 a week but you are still employed, your employer files the claim on your behalf, and you should not file your own. Ask your employer whether they are filing.
What are the work search rules?
Three new verifiable work search contacts submitted with every weekly payment request, plus registration for employment services. Weeks without an active search do not get paid.
How do I appeal a denial?
Within 15 days of the determination's mailing date, through the MyUI Claimant Portal. Keep requesting weekly payments while the appeal is decided.
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