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Delaware unemployment calculator

In Delaware, unemployment pays about half your usual weekly pay, up to $450 a week for up to 26 weeks.

Delaware has no waiting week and raised its maximum to $450 in 2023.

Estimate your unemployment benefits

How do you want to enter your pay?

We count your pay up to this month, spread evenly over the months you worked.

Estimated benefit in Delaware

$450 a week

  • Weeksup to 26 weeks
  • Total$11,700

How we worked it out

  • We used your pay from Jul 2025 to Jun 2026.
  • Your two best quarters add up to $20,800. Delaware divides that by 46: $452.17, rounded down.
  • That is more than the state maximum, so your weekly benefit is the maximum, $450.
  • You can get up to 26 weeks: 26 times $450 is $11,700.

Pay from October to December 2026 ($6,933) is too recent to count yet. If you file after the quarter ends, it may count.

Not yet confirmed by Delaware. Part of this estimate rests on rules or figures the state has not confirmed yet. See which.

This is an estimate from your state's published formula. Delaware Department of Labor makes the final decision, including whether the reason you lost your job qualifies.

Apply in Delaware Delaware rules

If you work part-time while on unemployment

You can usually keep some benefits in a week when you work a little. Enter what you would earn that week, before tax.

Delaware unemployment rules for 2026

Weekly benefit
$20 to $450 a week (maximum since April 2, 2023)
How it is worked out
Your two best quarters added together, divided by 46, rounded down.
Weeks
Up to 26 weeks. Your total is the lesser of 26 weeks of benefits or half your base period pay.
Who qualifies
At least $720 in the base period, and total pay of at least 36 times your weekly benefit. If you are up to $180 short, Delaware lowers your benefit instead.
Base period
The first four of the last five full calendar quarters before you file. For a claim filed in late 2026, that is July 2025 through June 2026.
Alternative base period
The last four full calendar quarters before you file. For a claim filed in late 2026, that is October 2025 through September 2026.
Waiting week
None. Your first eligible week is paid.
Working part-time
Earnings up to half your weekly benefit (at least $10) do not count. The rest comes off your benefit.
How to apply
Online with the Delaware Department of Labor. Apply in the first week after your job ends.

Unemployment by hourly wage in Delaware

For steady full-time work, 40 hours a week, for more than a year. The $450 maximum starts at about $19.91 an hour.

Hourly payWeekly benefitWeeksTotal
$15 an hour$33926$8,814
$18 an hour$40626$10,556
$20 an hour$45026$11,700
$22 an hour$45026$11,700
$25 an hour$45026$11,700
$28 an hour$45026$11,700
$30 an hour$45026$11,700
$35 an hour$45026$11,700
$40 an hour$45026$11,700
$50 an hour$45026$11,700

Not yet confirmed by Delaware. We show our best reading of the official rules here, but could not confirm it from the state itself:

Common questions

How much does unemployment pay in Delaware?

In Delaware, unemployment pays about half your usual weekly pay, up to $450 a week for up to 26 weeks. How Delaware works out the weekly benefit: Your two best quarters added together, divided by 46, rounded down.

How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Delaware?

Up to 26 weeks. Your total is the lesser of 26 weeks of benefits or half your base period pay.

How do I qualify for unemployment in Delaware?

At least $720 in the base period, and total pay of at least 36 times your weekly benefit. If you are up to $180 short, Delaware lowers your benefit instead. You must also have lost your job through no fault of your own and be able to work, available and looking for work.

Does Delaware have a waiting week?

No. Delaware has no waiting week, so your first eligible week is paid.

Can I work part-time on unemployment in Delaware?

Yes. Earnings up to half your weekly benefit (at least $10) do not count. The rest comes off your benefit.

How do I apply for unemployment in Delaware?

Apply online with the Delaware Department of Labor as soon as your job ends. Have your Social Security number and the names, addresses and dates of your employers for the last 18 months ready.

Sources

Checked November 15, 2026. Delaware sets the final amount when you apply.

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