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YES.
New Mexico offers higher unemployment benefits and is slightly more lenient about who qualifies than Texas.
The weekly benefit in New Mexico is 52.5% of a filer’s highest recent average weekly wage. Filers may receive up to 26 weeks of benefits or 60% of wages earned in the 12 months prior to filing a claim — whichever is less.
The weekly benefit in Texas is 4% of a filer’s highest recent quarterly earnings. Filers may receive up to 26 weeks of benefits or 27% of all wages earned in the 12 months prior to filing a claim — whichever is less.
Texas and New Mexico both have a maximum weekly benefit cutoff of $577. But New Mexico’s minimum benefit of $107 is higher than Texas’ $73.
New Mexico requires that filers earned wages in at least two months of the previous year, while in Texas it’s three.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources:
Texas Workforce Commission Eligibility & Benefit Amounts
State of Texas LABOR CODE CHAPTER 207. BENEFITS
New Mexico Compilation Commission Unemployment Compensation
Texas Workforce Comission Correspondence
New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Correspondence
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