What Arizona pays you each week

Arizona's unemployment payment is based on how much you earned during a specific 12-month period called the base period. The state takes your highest-earning quarter (three months) from that period and multiplies it by a set percentage to arrive at your weekly amount. The minimum payment is $320 per week; the maximum is $840 per week as of 2024, though this maximum adjusts annually.

The actual formula: Arizona divides your highest quarterly earnings by 26 weeks, then pays you 66% of that figure. So if you earned $15,600 in your highest quarter, your weekly payment would be $600 (15,600 ÷ 26 × 0.66 = 400, but this example is simplified—the state's calculation is more precise). If that math produces less than $320, you receive the minimum. If it exceeds $840, you receive the maximum.

Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. If you have no wages in that standard base period, Arizona allows you to use an alternate base period—the most recent four completed quarters. This matters if you were recently hired or had a gap in work.

Key Takeaways

  • Arizona pays between $320 and $840 per week, calculated as 66% of your average weekly earnings from your highest-earning quarter in the base period.
  • Your base period is normally the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file, but you can request an alternate base period if you had no earnings then.
  • The maximum weekly amount increases each January based on state wage averages, so the $840 figure changes year to year.
  • You must have earned at least $1,500 in your base period to receive any payment, and at least $75 in your highest quarter.

How to find your base period dates

Your base period depends on when you file. If you file in January through March, your base period is the previous year's first through fourth quarters (January through December). If you file in April through June, your base period shifts: it becomes the previous year's second quarter through the current year's first quarter.

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) will tell you your exact base period dates when you file. You do not have to calculate it yourself. However, knowing the rough dates helps you gather pay stubs or tax documents before you start the filing process. If you worked for multiple employers during your base period, all of them count toward your total.

What earnings count and what do not

Arizona counts W-2 wages from all employers you worked for during your base period. If you were self-employed, you generally do not receive unemployment payments—Arizona's program covers employees, not business owners. Bonuses, commissions, and overtime all count as regular wages.

Severance pay, vacation payouts, and sick leave payouts do count toward your base period earnings, but only if your employer actually paid them out to you during the base period. If you received them after you filed, they do not affect your payment amount. Payments for unused leave that your employer withheld and paid later can sometimes be counted, but you will need to report this to DES when you file.

Tips, gifts, and reimbursements do not count. Neither do payments from a pension, 401(k), or other retirement account. If you received a lump-sum payment from a previous employer's retirement plan during your base period, that does not count as wages for unemployment purposes.

Partial unemployment and reduced weekly payments

If you are working part-time while receiving unemployment, Arizona reduces your weekly payment. The state subtracts 75% of your part-time earnings from your full weekly benefit amount. So if your full benefit is $600 and you earn $200 in a week, Arizona deducts $150 (75% of $200), leaving you $450 for that week.

You must report all earnings, including gig work and self-employment income, when you file your weekly claim. If you do not report earnings and DES discovers them later, you may owe back the overpayment plus a penalty. The reporting is done online through your DES account each week you claim benefits.

How the maximum and minimum amounts work

The $320 minimum means that even if your earnings were very low during your base period, you cannot receive less than $320 per week (assuming you meet all other requirements). The $840 maximum means that even if you earned a very high salary, you cannot receive more than $840 per week. Arizona sets these limits to balance the program's costs and may support all recipients receive a meaningful payment.

These amounts change each January 1st. Arizona adjusts the maximum based on the state's average weekly wage from the previous year. The minimum typically stays the same, but you should check the DES website each January if you are currently receiving benefits or planning to file soon. The adjustment is automatic—you do not have to do anything, but your payment amount may shift if you are already on the program.

Requesting a recalculation if you think the amount is wrong

If you believe DES calculated your payment incorrectly, you can request a recalculation. Log into your DES account and look for the option to file an appeal or request a redetermination. You will need to provide documentation of your earnings—pay stubs, W-2 forms, or tax returns—that show what you earned during your base period.

DES has 10 business days to respond to a recalculation request. If you disagree with their response, you can file a formal appeal, which goes to an administrative law judge. This process takes longer but is free. Keep copies of all documents you submit, and note the date you submitted them.

What happens if you worked in multiple states

If you worked in Arizona and another state during your base period, you may be able to combine wages from both states to reach the minimum earnings requirement. This is called combined-wage filing. Arizona will contact the other state's unemployment agency to verify your earnings there.

Combined-wage filing can help you if you did not earn enough in Arizona alone but did when you add the other state's wages. However, your payment is still calculated based on Arizona's formula and limits. You do not file in both states; you file in Arizona and request combined-wage consideration. DES will guide you through this if it applies to your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my payment amount change if I get a new job while receiving benefits?

No. Your weekly benefit amount is locked in when DES approves your claim and is based only on your base period earnings. If you find work and earn part-time wages, your payment is reduced by 75% of those earnings, but the base amount itself does not change. Once you stop claiming benefits, you cannot restart with a higher amount unless you file a new claim in a future week.

What if I was paid in cash and do not have pay stubs?

You will need some form of documentation. W-2 forms from your employer are the strongest proof. If you do not have W-2s, tax returns showing self-employment or wage income can help, though Arizona may not count self-employment income. Contact DES before you file to ask what documents they will accept for cash-paid work. Without documentation, DES may deny your claim or calculate a lower amount based on what you can prove.

Can I get a higher payment if I worked overtime during my base period?

Yes. Overtime pay counts as regular wages in your base period earnings. If you earned overtime during your highest-earning quarter, that overtime is included in the calculation. The more you earned in that quarter, the higher your weekly benefit (up to the state maximum).

What if my employer disputes my earnings?

DES will investigate. Your employer can challenge the wages you reported. DES will ask both you and your employer for documentation—pay stubs, time sheets, tax records. If there is a discrepancy, DES decides based on the evidence. You can appeal if you disagree with their decision. This process can take several weeks, and your payment may be delayed until it is resolved.

Does Arizona count tips as wages for unemployment?

Tips are counted only if your employer reported them to the IRS and included them on your W-2 form. If you reported tips to your employer and they appear on your W-2, they count toward your base period earnings. If you did not report them or your employer did not include them, they do not count for unemployment purposes.