Virginia unemployment benefits
In Virginia, unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks and pay up to $478 a week (as of July 1, 2026). There is an unpaid waiting week, and you file with the Virginia Employment Commission.
By Justin KullaLast updated
Last verified October 6, 2026 against official sources.
File a claim with the Virginia Employment Commission →
Virginia benefits at a glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $478source, July 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Minimum weekly benefit | $160source, 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 | The weekly benefit is reduced by the weekly prorated amount of the payment. This applies only when the employer allocates the payment to specific pay periods.source, January 1, 2023 |
| Pay in lieu of notice | The weekly benefit is reduced by the weekly prorated amount of the payment.source, January 1, 2023 |
| Work-search requirement | Claimants must complete at least 2 work search activities per week. The number depends on geography, labor market, union hall membership, or other factors.source, January 1, 2023 |
| Extended benefits | Not available nowsource, October 4, 2026 |
| How to file | the Virginia Employment Commissionsource, 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 Virginia Employment Commission.
Severance and unemployment in Virginia
Severance pay: The weekly benefit is reduced by the weekly prorated amount of the payment. This applies only when the employer allocates the payment to specific pay periods.
Pay in lieu of notice (including WARN Act pay): The weekly benefit is reduced by the weekly prorated amount of the payment.
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 Virginia
Public workforce boards run American Job Centers, which offer free help with job search, training and benefits.
- Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council
- Bay Area Local Workforce Development Board
- Capital Region Workforce Development Board
- Central Virginia Workforce Development Board
- Crater Regional Workforce Development Board
- Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board
- Hampton Roads Workforce Council
- New River/Mt. Rogers Workforce Development Board
- Piedmont Workforce Development Board (Virginia Career Works Piedmont Region)
- Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board, Inc.
- South Central Local Workforce Development Board
- Southwest Virginia Workforce Development Board
- Virginia Career Works - West Piedmont
- Virginia Career Works Northern Region
- Virginia Works (aka Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement)
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 Virginia Employment Commission. 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.