North Dakota unemployment benefits
Check with the Job Service North Dakota for North Dakota’s current weekly benefit amount and how many weeks you can receive. There is an unpaid waiting week, and you file with the Job Service North Dakota.
By Justin KullaLast updated
Last verified October 6, 2026 against official sources.
File a claim with the Job Service North Dakota →
North Dakota benefits at a glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | Check with the Job Service North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Minimum weekly benefit | $43source, July 1, 2026 |
| Maximum weeks of benefits | 26 weeks (12-26 weeks depending on base-period wages)source, July 1, 2026 |
| Weeks depend on the state unemployment rate | Nosource, July 1, 2026 |
| Unpaid waiting week | Yessource, October 6, 2026 |
| Severance pay | Job Service North Dakota's claimant guide says to report severance pay as instructed in the non-monetary determination letter Job Service issues, so the effect is decided case by case.source, October 6, 2026 |
| Pay in lieu of notice | Job Service North Dakota's claimant guide says to report wages in lieu of work (for example, pay through a two-week notice period) in the weeks they are meant to cover, where they count as earnings that reduce benefits.source, October 6, 2026 |
| Work-search requirement | Claimants must complete at least 4 work search activities per week.source, January 1, 2023 |
| Extended benefits | Not available nowsource, October 4, 2026 |
| How to file | the Job Service North Dakotasource, October 6, 2026 |
Weekly amounts exclude dependents’ allowances. Severance, pay in lieu of notice and work-search entries dated January 1, 2023 come from the Department of Labor’s latest Comparison of State UI Laws, which reflects state law on that date; confirm them with the Job Service North Dakota.
Severance and unemployment in North Dakota
Severance pay: Job Service North Dakota's claimant guide says to report severance pay as instructed in the non-monetary determination letter Job Service issues, so the effect is decided case by case.
Pay in lieu of notice (including WARN Act pay): Job Service North Dakota's claimant guide says to report wages in lieu of work (for example, pay through a two-week notice period) in the weeks they are meant to cover, where they count as earnings that reduce benefits.
File as soon as you are out of work even if you received severance. The agency decides how payments affect your claim, and most states pay only from the week you file.
Local workforce boards in North Dakota
Public workforce boards run American Job Centers, which offer free help with job search, training and benefits.
If you’re a laid-off professional
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws and Comparison of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, the DOL Extended Benefits trigger notice, and the Job Service North Dakota. Where official sources disagree or a figure could not be confirmed, this page says to check with the agency rather than estimate. Rules change; the agency’s decision on your claim is what counts. See our editorial standards.