(3) Computing the individual's weekly benefit amount to be fifty per cent of the individual's average weekly wage except, that the individual's weekly benefit amount shall not exceed the maximum amount shown for the individual's dependency class in the following table:
Dependency Class |
Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount |
A |
$147 |
B |
223 |
C |
233 |
Effective Sunday of the calendar week in which January 1, 1988, occurs and on each similar day of each year thereafter, the current maximum weekly benefit amount for each dependency class shall be adjusted based on the statewide average weekly wage. Any percentage increase in such statewide average weekly wage between the wage computed for the current year and the wage computed for the preceding year shall be used to increase the maximum amounts then in effect by the same percentage. Such increased amounts will be effective with respect to applications for benefit rights filed during the fifty-two consecutive calendar weeks beginning with such Sunday date.
The director shall calculate the statewide average weekly wage based on the average weekly earnings of all workers in employment subject to this chapter during the preceding twelve-month period ending the thirtieth day of June. The calculation shall be made in the following manner:
(a) The sum of the total monthly employment reported for the previous twelve-month period shall be divided by twelve to determine the average monthly employment;
(b) The sum of the total wages reported for the previous twelve-month period shall be divided by the average monthly employment to determine the average annual wage;
(c) The average annual wage shall be divided by fifty-two to determine the statewide average weekly wage.
In the computation of the weekly benefit amount, any resulting amount not a multiple of one dollar shall be rounded to the next lower multiple of one dollar. In the computation of the adjusted maximum benefit amounts, based on the statewide average weekly wage, any resulting amount not a multiple of one dollar shall be rounded to the next lower multiple of one dollar.