Sources
Every figure on joblesshelp comes from one of the sources below. Each page shows the date its numbers were last checked.
| Source | Format | How often | What we take |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws | Semiannual | Weekly benefit minimum and maximum, maximum weeks | |
| BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) | BLS API | Monthly | State unemployment rate |
| DOL ETA 539 weekly claims | CSV | Weekly | Initial and continued claims by state |
| CareerOneStop state UI filing sites | Web links | Checked by a link checker | The official filing link for each state agency |
| Editorial benchmarks | Constants in our code | Reviewed by hand | The four figures listed below |
Editorial benchmarks
These four figures are editorial judgements, not research findings. Each states its basis.
| Benchmark | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Typical search length | 3 to 5 months | Editorial band. BLS duration-of-unemployment tables put the median near 9 to 11 weeks and the mean longer. |
| Healthy reply rate | 3% to 15% of applications | Editorial, from observed applicant data. |
| Target applications per week | 15 | Editorial. Below this, a healthy reply rate still yields under one reply a week. |
| Healthy interview rate | 25% of replies | Editorial. Interviews per reply. |