Am I Eligible For Unemployment

Prepare For Your Claim

To apply for unemployment benefits, you will need:

• Your Social Security number
• FEIN number
• If you donât have a FEIN, use employer details from paystub

Some workers will need to provide additional information:

• Non-U.S. citizens must provide their Alien Registration Number or work authorization form
• Military employees must provide their DD-214 Member copy 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8
• Federal employees must provide SF 8 or SF 50
• Union members must provide the unionâs name, hall number and phone number

If you want to use direct deposit, you must provide your bank account number and routing number. You can also request a Reemployment Assistance debit card.

Unemployment Benefits And Public Charge

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not list unemployment benefits as public benefits under its new rules on public charge. In fact, the agency clarified that DHS would not consider federal and state retirement, Social Security Retirement benefits, Social Security Disability, postsecondary education, or unemployment benefits as public benefits under the public charge inadmissibility determination as these are considered to be earned benefits through the persons employment and specific tax deductions. For more information on public charge, go to www.protectingimmigrantfamilies.org.

I Am About To Exhaust My Regular Unemployment Compensation Benefits What Kinds Of Relief Does The Cares Act Provide For Me

Under the CARES Act states are permitted to extend unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks under the new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. PEUC benefits are available for weeks of unemployment beginning after your state implements the new program and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before December 31, 2020. The program covers most individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and who are able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work as defined by state law. Importantly, the CARES Act gives states flexibility in determining whether you are actively seeking work if you are unable to search for work because of COVID-19, including because of illness, quarantine, or movement restrictions.

In addition, if you have exhausted the 13 weeks of additional benefits available under the PEUC program, you may be eligible to continue receiving benefits under the PUA program. PUA benefits are available for a period of unemployment of up to 39 weeks, meaning that if you have exhausted regular UC and PEUC benefits in fewer than 39 weeks, you may be eligible to receive assistance under PUA for the remaining weeks within PUAs 39 week period.

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Seasonal Adjusted Ui Rate 90% Or Above

Maximum Number of Weeks: 20Maximum Benefits Payable will Equal the least of:20 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period wages

How To Track Your Refund And Check Your Tax Transcript

The first way to get clues about your refund is to try the IRS online tracker applications: The Wheres My Refund tool can be accessed here. If you filed an amended return, you can check the Amended Return Status tool.

If those tools dont provide information on the status of your unemployment tax refund, another way to see if the IRS processed your refund is by viewing your tax records online. You can also request a copy of your transcript by mail or through the IRS automated phone service by calling 1-800-908-9946.

Heres how to check your tax transcript online:

1. Visit IRS.gov and log in to your account. If you havent opened an account with the IRS, this will take some time as youll have to take multiple steps to confirm your identity.

2. Once logged in to your account, youll see the Account Home page. Click View Tax Records.

3. On the next page, click the Get Transcript button.

4. Here youll see a drop-down menu asking the reason you need a transcript. Select Federal Tax and leave the Customer File Number field empty. Click the Go button.

5. The following page will show a Return Transcript, Records of Account Transcript, Account Transcript and Wage & IncomeTranscript for the last four years. Youll want the 2020 Account Transcript.

6. This will open a PDF of your transcript: Focus on the Transactions section. What youre looking for is an entry listed as Refund issued, and it should have a date in late May or June.

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Contact Your State Representative Or Senator

As a last ditch effort, Harris reached out to her state senators office, and says she was told they would send an inquiry on her behalf. About two weeks later, in late September, Harris received back pay totaling $10,000. Harris believes she is still owed additional benefits, and is unclear on how to ensure continued benefits.

Pagan has reason to agree that, for anyone who is having trouble getting their unemployment benefits, contacting a state senator or other state elected official is probably the best bet. She credits this approach with helping get her issue resolved.

Unemployment benefits are handled by the state, so contacting your state-level elected officials can help get the ball rolling. They can sometimes get an answer faster than the unemployment office itself, Stettner says. They are doing case work on behalf of their constituents, but theyre also overwhelmed, he says. He even recommends reaching out to your state governors office.

Q: How Long Do I Have To Be Out Of Work To Start Getting Benefits

Some states require a one-week waiting period for people who become unemployed before they start collecting benefits. Under this bill, Washington will pick up the full cost for states that want to provide those benefits immediately, instead of waiting one week. But ultimately, its up to the state you live in to decide whether to provide benefits during that first week.

If you knowingly misrepresented your situation, you could be cut off from receiving any further pandemic unemployment compensation and face a fine and jail time under the law.

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If I Am Eligible For Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Do I Need To First Apply For Unemployment Insurance

States must have a process for determining that Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applicants are ineligible for regular unemployment benefits, which may not include filing a regular claim as a first step. States are not required to take and adjudicate a full claim for regular unemployment insurance benefits to meet this requirement. While states are not prohibited from taking a full claim, to facilitate expedited claims processing the U.S. Department of Labor has discouraged states from doing so. Individuals should apply using the states PUA application process and, in states that have not yet established that process, must wait until it is established.

Who Qualifies For Unemployment Benefits

There are a few factors to determine who qualifies for unemployment benefits.

First, your former employer must be subject to the Stateâs unemployment insurance law. This law specifically exempts certain industries and employers including agricultural, domestic, railroad work, government work, commission-based employment, and certain employment for oneâs family. If you were working in these industries, you may not be eligible for benefits, but a more specific analysis of your previous employment is required. Please consult with an attorney if you work in one of these areas and are pursuing unemployment benefits.

Second, you must have earned at least $1,600.00 during the last 12-month period, also known as a base period, and you must have earned at least $440.00 outside of the base period quarter in which your earnings were highest. Basically, you need to have been employed over 90 days at your most recent job to qualify or you need to have made at least $1,600.00 during the last year with $440.00 not being earned in the most recent three months.

Third, your unemployment must be Involuntary. If you are voluntarily unemployed, you will be denied benefits.

Fourth, you must be entirely out of work or reduced to less than full-time because full time work is not available. This work reduction must also result in a loss of income.

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The Unemployment Rate Definition

The unemployment rate is the share of the unemployed labor force, expressed as a percentage. It is a moving indicator, meaning it generally rises or falls in response to changing economic conditions, not in anticipation of it. The official unemployment rate is known as U3. It defines the unemployed as people who are willing and able to work, who have been actively looking for work in the past four weeks.

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Filing A Weekly Claim

When do I file my first weekly claim for payment?

• File your first weekly claim on Sunday afternoon or evening or Monday before 7 p.m. after filing your unemployment claim in the previous week. For example: If you filed your initial application on Tuesday you should file for your first week of unemployment on the following Sunday or Monday. You may file weekly claims on the Internet or telephone.
• The calendar week for unemployment compensation purposes runs from midnight Sunday to midnight the following Saturday. You may file on any day of the week, Sunday through Saturday, but filing early in the week assures the most prompt payment. You will not receive a benefit payment until that week has been claimed. If you do not file within 14 days, your claim will become inactive and you will have to file an application to re-open your unemployment claim.
• You must file each week to be eligible for your weekly payment.
• If there is a state or bank holiday, your payment will be delayed.

What information do I need to file a weekly claim for payment online or by phone?

You will need the following information to file a weekly claim for payment:

There is no toll-free phone number available for the Weekly Claim Line. We recommend that you file your weekly claims online to avoid long-distance charges.

What questions will I be asked?

You will be asked a series of questions when you file a weekly claim.

How do I file my weekly claim online?

Do I have to claim every week or can I skip weeks?

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Unemployment Insurance Relief During Covid

Notice

The CARES Act gives states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are ordinarily ineligible for unemployment benefits. Please contact your states unemployment insurance office at the website or phone number provided below to learn more about the availability of these benefits where you live.

• Where Do I File for Unemployment Insurance?

Do I Have To Earn A Certain Amount To Qualify

DC, Maryland, and Virginia use the same base period, which is a one-year period that includes the earliest four of five complete calendar quarters before the date you apply. For example, if you apply for benefits in April 2020, your base period is from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019. If you dont qualify according to the base period, Maryland may use an alternate period to determine your eligibility.

In DC, you must meet all of the following requirements to qualify:

• You earned at least $1,300 in the highest paid quarter of the base period.
• Your total earnings for the base period are at least $1,950.
• You earned wages in at least two quarters of the base period.
• Your total earnings for the base period are at least 1.5 times your earnings in the highest paid quarter, or within $70 of that amount.

In Maryland, you must meet both of the following requirements:

• You earned at least $1,176 in the highest paid quarter of base period.
• Your total earnings for the base period are at least 1.5 times your earnings in the highest paid quarter.

In Virginia, you must meet both of the following requirements:

• Your earned wages in at least two quarters of the base period.
• Your total earnings for two quarters are at least $3,000.

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Am I Eligible For Unemployment Benefits

In this article…

In this article we will explain Who is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits and How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits including:

• Who Manages Unemployment Benefits?
• Are All Employees Covered by Unemployment Insurance?
• Does an Employee Need to Pay Towards Unemployment to Qualify?
• Who Qualifies for Unemployment Benefits?
• What is Considered Voluntary Unemployment?
• How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits?
• What happens if benefits are denied or contested?
• How Much Man I Receive While on Unemployment?
• What is the Certification Process?
• How Long Am I Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?
• How has Covid-19 Impacted the Unemployment Process?

In this article we will explain Who is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits and How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits including:

• Who Manages Unemployment Benefits?
• Are All Employees Covered by Unemployment Insurance?
• Does an Employee Need to Pay Towards Unemployment to Qualify?
• Who Qualifies for Unemployment Benefits?
• What is Considered Voluntary Unemployment?
• How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits?
• What happens if benefits are denied or contested?
• How Much Man I Receive While on Unemployment?
• What is the Certification Process?
• How Long Am I Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?
• How has Covid-19 Impacted the Unemployment Process?

Your Wages Are Missing Or Incorrect On Your Award Notice

After we process your application, we will send you a Notice of Unemployment Insurance Award . Review this notice carefully to make sure that all employers you worked for during the quarters shown are listed. We compare the information on your application with the wages your employers report to us.

You must contact us if you disagree with information in the table on the award notice, including:

• Your wages are missing or incorrect.
• An employer is not listed or an employer is listed for which you did not work .

To contact us, mail a letter to the mailing address on the front of your notice within 30 calendar days of the Mail Date printed at the top of the notice. If you do not contact us within 30 days, you may miss your opportunity to let us know that your claim should be investigated to determine if your award amount should be changed. We may extend the 30-day period for good cause.

Please provide your full name, address, and Social Security number. Also, include proof of wages and any employment information you want to add to your claim. If you did not work for an employer in the table, provide a statement that you did not work for a listed employer.

Important: If you dont notify us of any inaccurate employment or wage information on the award notice, you may be subject to an overpayment and other disqualifications and penalties if you intentionally withhold information.

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Im Partially Employed Because Im A Student And Work Part Time Doing Ride

You may be eligible for PUA, depending on your personal circumstances. A gig economy worker, such as a driver for a ride-sharing service, is eligible for PUA provided that he or she is unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work for one or more of the qualifying reasons provided for by the CARES Act. For example, a driver for a ride-sharing service may be forced to quit his or her job if he or she was diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical professional, and although the driver no longer has COVID-19, the illness caused health complications that render the driver objectively unable to perform his or her essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Similarly, under an additional eligibility criterion established by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to 2102, a driver who receives an IRS Form 1099 from the ride-sharing service may qualify for PUA benefits if he or she has been forced to suspend operations as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, such as if an emergency state or municipal order restricting movement makes continued operations unsustainable. Relatedly, widespread social distancing undertaken in response to guidance from federal, state, or local governments may so severely reduce customer demand for a drivers services as to force him or her to suspend operations, and thus make the driver eligible for PUA.

What Is An Offer Of Suitable Employment And How Is It Connected To Unemployment Insurance Eligibility

Most state unemployment insurance laws include language defining suitable employment. Typically, suitable employment is connected to the previous jobs wage level, type of work, and the claimants skills.

Refusing an offer of suitable employment without good cause will often disqualify individuals from continued eligibility for unemployment compensation.

For example, if an individuals former employer calls the individual back to work after having temporarily laid the individual off for reasons related to COVID-19, the individual would very likely have to accept the offer to return to work, or jeopardize his or her eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits, absent some extenuating circumstance, such as if the individual tested positive for COVID-19. The job an individual held before the spread of COVID-19 will constitute, in the vast majority of cases, suitable employment for purposes of unemployment insurance eligibility.

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