You must be enrolled in Unemployment Insurance if you

You must be enrolled in Unemployment Insurance if you:

Work thirty plus hours per week and have a contract that is at least six month in length or a contract that will take you past six months. E.g. Jane has a four month 32 hour contract: she is not eligible for enrollment. Jane then signs a new four month 32 hour contract: she must be enrolled. This is because her new contract will take her past six months.
Work 20 to 29.9 hours per week and have a contract that his at least one year in length or a contract that will take you to the one year mark. E.g. Jane has signed three three month contracts: she in not yet eligible. When she signs her next three month contract she will become eligible.
Once you are enrolled, your premiums are 0.008% of your gross income.

The main unemployment allowances are:

Basic Allowance (Kihon Teate)

In case of unemployment, to enable the unemployed seek stable employment. According to the worker's age and years of service, 50-80 percent (%) of his/her average daily wage will be provided for 90 to 300 days.

Technical Skill Learning Allowance (Gino Shutoku Teate)

Allowance provided for the learning of technical skills by the unemployed. To undertake training, permission (a public occupation training order) must be received from the public employment offices' general manager.

Lodging Allowance (Kishuku Teate)

Provided when it is necessary for the unemployed to live independently from their supporting family to undertake job training.

Injury/Sickness Allowance (Shobyo Teate)

Provided instead of a basic allowance when the unemployed is unable to take a job due to injury or illness after having applied for work through the public employment office.

Job Starters' Allowance (Saishushoku Teate)

Provided when the unemployed finds stable employment at an early stage of receiving the Basic Allowance. Note that certain requirements must be met.

Education and Training Allowance (Kyoiku Kunren Kyufukin)

Provided to increase labor skills, under certain conditions 40 percent of the cost of education and training can be provided. (max. \200,000)

Childcare Leave Basic Allowance (Ikuji Kyugyo Kihon Kyufukin)

Provided to enable the employee to take leave from work in order to take care of a child aged under 12 months.

Nursing Leave Allowance (Roujin Kaigo Teate)

Provided to enable an employee to take leave from work in order to care of a family member of members.

Application Procedure For Basic Allowance

Get a "letter of separation" (rishokuhyo) from your company. This will detail the period for which you have participated in unemployment insurance, your wages, and the reason for leaving your job. You take the letter of separation to your local public employment security office and once you have applied to search for work, you may receive acknowledgment of your unemployed status. You should keep in mind that if you choose to quit your company you might have to wait for between one and three months before receiving any allowance. How long you can receive the allowance for depends on your age and how long you have participated in the system, but it varies as below.

Unemployment Benefit Allowance A= Voluntary Resignation or Retirement B= Dismissal, Bankruptcy or Redundancy
Age	Enrollment Status	Length of Employment determines Duration of Allowance in Days
Age	Enrollment Status	less than 1 year	1 - 4 years	5 - 9 years	10 - 19 years	more than 20 years
29 or less	A B	90 90	90 90	120 120	150 180	- -
30 to 44	A B	90 90	90 90	120 180	150 210	180 240
45 to 59	A B	90 90	90 180	120 240	150 270	180 330
60 to 64	A B	90 90	90 150	120 180	150 210	180 240