In Arizona, unemployment benefits are based on earnings during a base period, which is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before a claim is filed, explains Arizona's [unemployment guide] (https://www.azdes.gov/InternetFiles/Pamphlets/pdf/pau-007-PD.pdf). No matter how much you earned when you were employed, Arizona pays a maximum of $240 per week.

Calculating Weekly Benefits

Arizona pays unemployment benefits weekly. The weekly benefit amount, or WBA, is determined by calculating 4 percent of earnings during the most lucrative quarter during the base period. A person who earned at least $5,987.50 during the highest-earning quarter, is eligible to receive the state's maximum WBA of $240. You can earn up to $30.50 while receiving unemployment without any effect on benefits, but if you earn more, the additional earnings are deducted from benefits.

Total Benefits

The maximum amount of unemployment benefits you receive is your benefit award, and it can be up to one-third of the amount earned during the 12 months of the base period. Benefit awards cannot exceed 26 times the WBA. Unemployment recipients can continue receiving benefits until they reach their benefit award or the benefit year ends, whichever comes first. The benefit year is a 52-week period beginning the Sunday of the week when the initial claim is filed.