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

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 • Feb. 7, 2025

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

From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2024

Within a very short time after the declaration of war, the trade unions experienced a heavy drain on their funds in respect of unemployment benefit.

From The War and Democracy by