This week we have posted a separate article about some of the measures supported by the government to overcome the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, including measures concerned with the unemployed and their involvement in paid temporary jobs. However, amendments effective from 1 January 2020 have changed the duration and sizing of unemployment benefit. This article explores how the National Social Insurance Agency calculates unemployment benefit. This issue is likely to become topical now that Latvia has declared an emergency situation, with many employers being forced to terminate their employment relationships with their workers.