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Lost your job in Arizona? How unemployment works

Arizona pays regular unemployment insurance through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Unemployment Insurance. Weekly benefits run $236–$320 for up to 24 weeks. Indexed to the unemployment rate: 24 times the weekly amount when the prior-quarter state unemployment rate is under 5%, 26 times when it is 5% or higher. Total is also capped at one third of base-period earnings. 1 unpaid waiting week. Last checked .

What to do this week

  1. File your claim now. Apply as soon as possible after your last day of work. Benefits are not retroactive, and your benefit year usually begins on the Sunday of the week you apply. You can file online, in person. Open the DES filing page or call 877-600-2722.
  2. Gather your records. The agency will ask for your last employers, dates and pay. To qualify: Option 1: earn at least 390 times the Arizona minimum wage in your highest quarter and at least half that amount in the other three quarters combined. Option 2: at least $8,000 total in at least two quarters, with $7,987.50 or more in one of them.
  3. Start certifying every week. Weekly claim online (CACTUS), any time during the week for the prior Sunday-Saturday week; a paper certification is also possible. Search for work on at least 4 different days each week and make at least 4 work search contacts each week; keep a log, because DES can audit up to 2 years back.
  4. Line up other help. Arizona SNAP income limits.

Arizona unemployment at a glance

Agency
Arizona Department of Economic Security, Unemployment Insurance (DES)
Weekly benefit
$236–$320 (table in force from July 1, 2022)
Most weeks
24 — Indexed to the unemployment rate: 24 times the weekly amount when the prior-quarter state unemployment rate is under 5%, 26 times when it is 5% or higher. Total is also capped at one third of base-period earnings.
Waiting week
The first week you meet all eligibility requirements is an unpaid waiting week; you must still file a weekly claim for it.
Appeal deadline
Request reconsideration or file an appeal within 15 days of the date of the determination (received or postmarked), unless you have good cause for missing the deadline.
Spanish / Chinese help
A Guide to Arizona UI Benefits in Spanish (UIB-1240A-S), Spanish initial claim form and appeal form, and Spanish CACTUS tutorial videos. The DES site also has a Google Translate widget (not an official translation).

How much you could get

The current maximum weekly amount is $320. The minimum is about $236, which follows from the 390 x minimum wage high-quarter rule. How it is figured: 4% (1/25) of the wages paid in the highest quarter of the base period, capped at $320.

At the top of the table — $320 a week for 24 weeks — the most a claim can pay is $7,680. That is a ceiling, not a typical claim; most people get less because the amount follows past wages.

Who qualifies

  • Base period. The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.
  • Work and wages. Option 1: earn at least 390 times the Arizona minimum wage in your highest quarter and at least half that amount in the other three quarters combined. Option 2: at least $8,000 total in at least two quarters, with $7,987.50 or more in one of them.
  • If you quit. You are disqualified if you left voluntarily without good cause connected with the work, until you earn wages equal to five times your weekly amount; some personal circumstances (for example domestic violence, spouse military transfer) count as good cause.
  • If you were fired. You are disqualified if discharged for wilful or negligent misconduct connected with the work, until you earn five times your weekly benefit amount.
  • Part-time, gig and self-employed work. You can earn up to $160 in a week with no reduction; each dollar over $160 is deducted from your weekly benefit. DES requires you to report all earnings, including self-employment; the DES pages do not describe gig-platform coverage.

Weekly certification, taxes and appeals

How to file
Apply online through the CACTUS portal; DES has no UI offices. A paper initial claim form (English or Spanish) can be mailed, and ARIZONA@WORK offices offer free computers. The UI Call Center is for questions, not for taking claims.
Weekly certification
Weekly claim online (CACTUS), any time during the week for the prior Sunday-Saturday week; a paper certification is also possible.
Work search
Search for work on at least 4 different days each week and make at least 4 work search contacts each week; keep a log, because DES can audit up to 2 years back.
Taxes
Benefits are taxable income; you may elect 10% federal and 1% state withholding using form UB-433 or online.
State withholding
Optional: 1% of the gross weekly benefit amount.
If you are denied
DES Unemployment Insurance Appeals office (online in CACTUS, phone, fax or mail) Keep certifying every week while the appeal is pending.
Overpayments
Overpaid benefits generally must be repaid even if you have already spent the money, and payment plans are available. Only an Administrative overpayment can be considered for a waiver; a Fraud or Non-fraud overpayment is not eligible. You may appeal within 15 days of the notice date.

Good to know in Arizona

  • DES phone-hour text was not found on the pages reviewed (phoneHours left null).
  • The minimum weekly benefit ($236) is not stated on the DES eligibility page; it is the DOL July 2026 figure and matches 390 x $15.15 / 25. DES FAQ pages still carry some 2022 text.
  • DOL's table shows a $160.49 earnings disregard; the statute and DES say $160.

Sources

Legal and agency information, not legal advice. Rules and benefit tables change — confirm with DES before you rely on a number. How we check: methodology.