unemployment benefit

American  

noun

1. an allowance of money paid, usually weekly, to an unemployed worker by a state or federal agency or by the worker's labor union or former employer during all or part of the period of unemployment.

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unemployment benefit British  

noun

1. Informal term: dole.  (in Britain, formerly) a regular payment to a person who is out of work: replaced by jobseeker's allowance in 1996

2. (in New Zealand) a means-tested monetary benefit paid weekly by the Social Security Department to the unemployed

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Etymology

Origin of unemployment benefit

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The state’s Employment Development Department said that as of Tuesday, workers had filed about 5,300 unemployment benefit claims linked to the fires.

From Los Angeles Times

Unpaid, they could apply for unemployment benefit, although many had difficulty getting it.

From Seattle Times

If each person received the maximum unemployment benefit of $1,019 each week, for four weeks, the state’s fund would have to pay out $122 million.

From Seattle Times

The five-year statute of limitations on unemployment benefit fraud also begins to toll, meaning some of the earliest instances of people who stole from the government’s generous support program will also be free from legal jeopardy.

From Washington Times

U.S. unemployment benefit claims dropped to an eight-month low last week, the U.S.

From Reuters