July 1, 2019 10:20 a.m.
The amount paid to people filing for unemployment insurance benefits has increased.
A release from the Oregon Employment Division said the maximum weekly benefit amount someone can receive has increased from $624 to $648, while the minimum amount has increased from $146 to $151. The change affects new unemployment insurance claims filed on or after June 30th. Those with existing claims will continue to receive the same weekly amount that they have been getting.
The release said Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance program provides temporary, partial wage replacement for workers who are unemployed, through no fault of their own. The income provided is meant to partially stabilize the economy in local communities experiencing high umployment during times of economic downturn. The program also promotes reemployment and the preservation of a trained, local workforce for businesses during those downturns. The program administers unemployment insurance benefits, such as federal extensions when they are available, and other specialized programs with partners that include the United States Department of Labor and other state agencies.
Under Oregon law, each year the Oregon Employment Department recalculates the maximum and minimum amounts of unemployment insurance benefits that people can receive. The amounts are set as percentages of the average weekly wage earned by Oregonians. The minimum amount is 15% of average weekly wage, while the maximum amount is 64%. Both dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, as required by state law.
High wage growth in 2018 resulted in a 3.4% increase to the minimum weekly benefit and a 3.8% increase in the maximum weekly benefit compared to a year ago.