Tips For Collecting Unemployment
If you find yourself unemployed, remember to file as soon as possible for unemployment benefits, as holding off will cause a delay in receiving assistance.
Check your states website for the specific rules about benefits and requirements, and dont hesitate to contact the office should you have any questions or need clarification about any of the procedures.
Your state department of labor is there to help you get financial assistance if you are unemployed, but also importantly, to help you find a new job and get back to work.
The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.
Who Qualifies For Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are available to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, such as a layoff. Those fired for cause , or who leave voluntarily or refuse an offer for work, need not apply.
In March 2020, when the coronavirus first disrupted the economy, Congress granted unemployment benefits to workers who werent previously covered. Those who now qualify include:
- Workers permanently or temporarily laid off due to coronavirus measures
- Workers whose employers reduced their work hours due to coronavirus measures
- Self-employed workers who have lost income due to coronavirus measures
- Workers quarantined and unable to work due to coronavirus
- Workers unable to work due to risk of exposure to coronavirus
- Workers unable to work while caring for a family member due to coronavirus
Each state, district and territory sets its own guidelines for who is eligible for unemployment benefits and how much theyll receive. You must meet your states criteria for wages earned or time worked during an established period, known as a base period, which is usually the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters before the time that your claim is filed, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The general rule of thumb is that unemployment benefits are based on a percentage of ones earnings roughly between 40% and 60% over a recent 52-week period, and paid out weekly over a period of between 12 to 28 weeks, depending on the state.
The Current Political Context And Outlook
The $2.2 trillion emergency relief bill that President Donald Trump signed in March reset some of the rules for unemployment benefits, expanding eligibility and ramping up payout amounts. The original CARES Act enhanced unemployment benefits but has expired, however, and Congress still doesn’t have a plan for next steps. While you can still apply for unemployment benefits, the extra $600 a week won’t be included.
Even though there are talks of plans nearly every day, Congress is set to leave until after the election with no plan in place. States can continue their own unemployment policies as they see fit, which isn’t the same for everyone. Here’s what unemployment looks like.
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Why Is My Pua So Long
Fraud checks or additional document verification where many UI applications are being flagged has also been cited as a big reason for PUA delays/rejections. This is not surprising since may gig workers and contractors dont have standard unemployment documentation and so require extra verification and fraud checks.
Can You Get Pua If You Didnt Work
You may be eligible for PUA even if you have never worked before and you were scheduled to commence employment and do not have a job or are unable to reach the job as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency OR your job offer was rescinded because of COVID-19 OR you have become the breadwinner or
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What If I Cant Leave My Home Because I Must Care For My Child During The Pandemic Or Because I Have Covid
An individual in any of those situations would be unemployed through no fault of theirown and might be eligible for UI benefits. However, to qualify for UI, theywould still need to meet all other eligibility requirements. For example, the individual must be able and available for work, and show that they are seeking work from home. Individuals can be considered able and available to work if there is some work that they could perform from home .This individual also must prove that they left their job due to their employer. However, there is an exception to the requirement that the reason for leaving is due to the employer. That exception is when an individual quits a job because a licensed and practicing physician deems them unable to perform the work or when their employer is unable to accommodate the individuals need to care for a family member who has been verified to be in poor health or to have a disability.
How To Answer Unemployment Weekly Claim Questions In Florida
Unemployment Benefits In Florida Questions Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Hawaii Here is a list of the maximum weekly unemployment compensation benefits for each U.S. state. $529, Connecticut unemployment, extended benefits, unemployment claim issues, and what to do. Return Doc Can I Collect Unemployment If Im Self-Employed?
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Which Documents Do I Need To File An Unemployment Claim
As with other parts of the unemployment program, required documents vary by state, but some may ask for some combination of the following:
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Driver’s license or state-issued ID card
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Social Security number
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Mailing address
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Your previous employer’s federally issued identification number
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Your work history over the past two years, which should include each employer’s business name and address
Remember that to continue to receive weekly benefits, you may be asked to file a new claim every one or two weeks.
Find Out If You Might Qualify For Unemployment Benefits In Your State
Each state sets its own guidelines for eligibility for unemployment benefits, but you usually qualify if you:
- Are unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, this means you have to have separated from your last job due to a lack of available work.
- Meet work and wage requirements. You must meet your states requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time referred to as a “base period.”
- Meet additional state requirements. Find details of your own states program by selecting your state below.
In March 2020, new federal law greatly expanded unemployment insurance. Many workers who were not previously covered are now eligible. You may now be eligible if any of the following are true:
- Your employer permanently or temporarily laid you off due to coronavirus measures
- Your employer reduced your work hours due to coronavirus measures
- You are self-employed and have lost income due to coronavirus measures
- Youre quarantined and cant work due to coronavirus
- Youre unable to work due to a risk of exposure to coronavirus
- You cant work because youre caring for a family member due to coronavirus
The March 2021 American Rescue Plan adds extra weeks to unemployment benefit payments:
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Submit An Application By Automated Phone
You can apply by phone Monday – Friday, between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
At the end of the call, you will be transferred to a Customer Service Representative to complete your application.
What You Need To File For Unemployment Benefits
To expedite your claim, its best to have all the relevant information and documents at hand before you file. While requirements vary by state, you may need some or all of the following in order to apply:
- Your Social Security number.
- Your driver’s license, state ID, or motor vehicle ID card number.
- Your mailing address.
- Your telephone number.
- The full company names and addresses of all employers that you worked for in the last two years.
- The Employer Registration number or Federal Employer Identification Number of your most recent employer.
- If you were a federal employee, copies of forms SF8 and SF50 if you had federal employment within the last 18 months.
- If youre a service or ex-service member claiming benefits based on your military service, a copy of your most recent separation form DD 214.
The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.
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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.
I Was Furloughed By My Employer But They Have Now Reopened And Asked Me To Return To My Job Can I Remain On Unemployment
No. As a general matter, individuals receiving regular unemployment compensation must act upon any referral to suitable employment and must accept any offer of suitable employment. Barring unusual circumstances, a request that a furloughed employee return to his or her job very likely constitutes an offer of suitable employment that the employee must accept.
While eligibility for PUA does not turn on whether an individual is actively seeking work, it does require that the individual be unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work due to certain circumstances that are a direct result of COVID-19 or the COVID-19 public health emergency. In the situation outlined here, an employee who had been furloughed because his or her employer has closed the place of employment would potentially be eligible for PUA while the employer remained closed, assuming the closure was a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency and other qualifying conditions are satisfied. However, as soon as the business reopens and the employee is recalled for work, as in the example above, eligibility for PUA would cease unless the individual could identify some other qualifying circumstance outlined in the CARES Act.
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Why Do I Owe Pua Money
An overpayment can be caused by many things: We were unable to verify you were attached to the labor force prior to applying for PUA benefits. You received benefits from regular unemployment at the same time you received PUA benefits. You received benefits for a period you worked and failed to report your earnings.
I Am An Independent Contractor Am I Eligible For Unemployment Benefits Under The Cares Act
You may be eligible for unemployment benefits, depending on your personal circumstances and how your state chooses to implement the CARES Act. States are permitted to provide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to individuals who are self-employed, seeking part-time employment, or who otherwise would not qualify for regular unemployment compensation. To qualify for PUA benefits, you must not be eligible for regular unemployment benefits and be unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work because of certain health or economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PUA program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits, which are available retroactively starting with weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27, 2020, and ending on or before December 31, 2020. The amount of benefits paid out will vary by state and are calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts provided under a states unemployment insurance laws. Under the CARES Act, the WBA may be supplemented by the additional unemployment assistance provided under the Act.
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How Long Will I Receive Unemployment Benefits
Most states’ unemployment benefits cover 26 weeks the CARES Act extended this period by 13 weeks, giving most people a total of 39 weeks of coverage. Florida residents, for example, who formerly received unemployment benefits for 12 weeks, are now covered for a total of 25 weeks. Note that if you had already exhausted all of your state-provided unemployment benefits, you could reapply for the federal program’s additional 13 weeks.
For now, it’s unclear whether or for how long future legislation would expand this coverage period. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance will expire on Dec. 31.
How To Apply Apply For Unemployment Benefits
Online
To file a claim online, you must create an account on the UI Online portal. Please follow the steps below to create your UI Online account. For additional tutorials, please
If you have previously filed for unemployment benefits and forgot your password:
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What To Do If Your Claim Is Denied
After you file for unemployment, the state may accept your claim, and youll receive your benefits. But what if youre denied benefits or the state asks you to provide additional information? You can file an unemployment appeal and explain your situation in a hearing.
The state unemployment office will typically send you a letter that will list the date and time of your hearing. These hearings are generally conducted over the phone.
How To Apply For Unemployment Benefits
Contact your states unemployment insurance program office immediately upon losing your job, especially in light of the sharp increase of claims filed throughout the country over the past year due to the pandemic. Check with the office to determine the preferred method of registering in the system, be it online or by phone. While doing so in person was traditionally an option , its a bad idea now.
Keep in mind that registering your claim for unemployment benefits takes time to process, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, so budget your pocketbook accordingly before your first payment appears. According to the U.S. Labor Departments CareerOneStop site, it usually takes two to three weeks after filing your claim to receive your first benefit check, but that estimate was pre-pandemic. Many state unemployment offices continue to struggle to keep up with the spike in demand.
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What Is The End Of Benefit Year
The EDD defines your benefit year as the 12 month period after you filed your claim for benefits.
Once your benefit year ends, you are required to apply for a new claim if you are currently on:
- Regular UI
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation extension
- Federal-State Extended Duration extension
People on PUA do not need to apply for a new claim .
Once you file for a new claim, the EDD will let you know if you qualify. You will receive an email and text message from the EDD when your new claim is processed. Right now, the EDD says this process is taking two to three weeks.
If you do not qualify for a new claim, the EDD will send you a denial letter. You will then be able to continue with a federal benefits extension that you qualify for.
If You See A Link To Apply For Benefits
Once your benefit account has expired or the balance has reached $0, you may see a notification at the top of your benefit account home page stating you may apply for an extended benefit account.
A link to apply for benefits will also display. Select the Apply for Benefits link to apply for an extended benefit account.
Depending on what information we need from you, the Apply for Benefits link will either take you to the PEUC application or the regular UI benefit application. Complete the steps below in order to find out if you are eligible for an additional benefit program.
- Keep requesting payments each week while your application is pending.
- It may be up to 10 days before we finish our review of your application.
- After our review is complete, one of two things will happen:
- If you are eligible for PEUC, you will receive an Amended Determination of Benefit Account in the mail. Any pending payments will be made .
- If you are not eligible for PEUC, we will send you an Amended Determination of Benefit Account in the mail online. That determination will include an explanation of why you are not eligible.
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