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

This is then usually followed by a corresponding jump in unemployment benefit claims.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

That allows it to align the monthly figures collected in the Current Employment Statistics survey with more comprehensive payroll hours and earnings data, including unemployment benefit records, that are available on a delay.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

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 • Feb. 29, 2024

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

From Reuters • Sep. 21, 2023

If I were a factory girl, I should be getting unemployment benefit.

From Helena by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.