How To Contact The New Jersey Unemployment Office
Online:
To file an unemployment insurance benefits claim, the easiest way to do so is online through the New Jersey unemployment website. The Department of Labor also offers an online messaging option for unemployment insurance questions.
In person:
You can file a claim at one of the many New Jersey unemployment office locations across the state. To find a New Jersey unemployment office location, visit our helpful guide.
You can also get help filing an unemployment benefits claim at a One-Stop Career Center in your area.
You can also file a claim by calling the states Reemployment Call Centers through the New Jersey unemployment phone numbers listed below:
- North New Jersey:201-601-4100
- South New Jersey:856-507-2340
- Out-of-State claims:1-888-795-6672
You can also call the New Jersey unemployment numbers listed above if you need to get any kind of help with your claim and you are unable to find answers on the states website.
Unemployment Insurance Customer Service OfficeNew Jersey Department of LaborP.O. Box 058Trenton, NJ 08625-0058
If you have questions about prepaid debit cards issues through Bank of America, call them directly at 1-866-213-4074.
How Do I Appeal A Decision
If you are unhappy with the decision about your claim, you may submit a written appeal once your initial determination is received. This appeal should be submitted within seven calendar days after your notice is received or within 10 calendar days of the mailing date marked on your determination notice.
The fastest and easiest way to file your appeal is by using New Jerseys online appeal form.
You also may mail a statement of appeal to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. This statement must include your name, Social Security number, telephone number, and address. In addition, the statement should clearly outline your reasons for disputing the determination. The mailing address is as follows:
New Jersey Department of LaborAppeal TribunalTrenton, NJ 08625-0907
How Do Employers Contest Claims For Unemployment Benefits
When you file a claim for benefits, the state will contact your former employer. It will want to ensure that you meet the requirements to collect unemployment benefits. In New Jersey, you will be eligible for unemployment benefits if you meet the following requirements:
1. You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. If you voluntarily quit or were fired for good cause, your claim could be denied. However, if you were fired or laid off because of downsizing or something similar, you might be eligible for benefits.
2. You must have met the states minimum earning requirements. To qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have earned a minimum of $240 per week for 20 weeks during your base period or at least $12,000 during the covered employment period. If you have not been working for a significant amount of time or have worked very little, you might not be eligible for unemployment benefits.
3. You must be available and able to work. While you are receiving unemployment benefits, you will be required to actively look for work each week and submit proof of your efforts.
If your employer objects to your claim for unemployment benefits and contradicts the claims that you made on your application, you will have an opportunity to present evidence to explain your side. The unemployment agency will schedule a hearing to resolve the problem.
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Amount And Duration Of Unemployment Benefits In New Jersey
If you are eligible to receive unemployment, your weekly benefit rate will be 60% of your average weekly earnings during the base period, up to a maximum of $713. This number is then multiplied by the number of weeks that you worked during the base period, up to a maximum of 26 weeks. For example, someone with a weekly benefit rate of $300 who worked for 26 weeks will be entitled to a total of $7,800 .
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One Of My Workers Quit Because He Said He Would Prefer To Receive The Unemployment Compensation Benefits Under The Cares Act Is He Eligible For Unemployment If Not What Can I Do
No, typically that employee would not be eligible for regular unemployment compensation or PUA. Eligibility for regular unemployment compensation varies by state but generally does not include those who voluntarily leave employment. Similarly, to receive PUA, an individual must be ineligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended benefits under state or federal law, or pandemic emergency unemployment compensation, and satisfy one of the eligibility criteria enumerated in the CARES Act, as explained in Unemployment Insurance Program Letter 16-20. There are multiple qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19 that can make an individual eligible for PUA, including if the individual quits his or her job as a direct result of COVID-19. Quitting to access unemployment benefits is not one of them. Individuals who quit their jobs to access higher benefits, and are untruthful in their UI application about their reason for quitting, will be considered to have committed fraud.
If desired, employers can contest unemployment insurance claims through their state unemployment insurance agencys process.
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Division Of Unemployment Insurance
“My benefits are ending. Are other resources available?”
See links to assistance with food, housing, child care, health, and more.
“How do you verify my identity?”
To reduce the risk of fraud, many unemployment claimants must verify their identity using the security vendor ID.me.
“How can I reset my PIN or password?”
We can help if you’re having trouble with your online account password and/or PIN to certify for weekly benefits.
Federal benefits created during the benefit expired September 4, 2021.
You will still be able to receive benefits for eligible weeks prior to September 4, 2021.
“What does it mean if my claim is pending, or not payable at this time?”
Many claimants see these messages and aren’t sure what, if anything, they need to do about them.
“How do I complete an application?”
Get step-by-step instructions for our application process and find out what happens after you file.
“I want to certify for and claim benefits.”
You must confirm each week that you are still eligible for benefits in order to get paid.
“I need to update my information.”
You can change your address, phone number, and other information from the online dashboard.
Federal Enhanced Benefits Have Ended In New Jersey
The NJ DOL has confirmed that claimants on the PEUC, PUA, MEUC and FPUC programs will file/certify for benefits for the last time covering the week ending September 4, 2021.
Any active claims, with or without remaining balances, will expire after this date and any weeks after Sep 5th will NOT be paid. The only exception are retroactive payments for validated claims after a successful determination or appeal.
While there has been a lot of discussion around extending pandemic unemployment benefits, the Biden administration has confirmed that states will have to use already allocated stimulus funding to expand or extend traditional state unemployment programs.
The NJ DOL has not indicated that is planning to do so at this stage and Governor Murphy recent stated the following in recent remarks confirming this position:
Some claimants may be eligible for State Extended Benefits , but after September 4th all claimants must have a regular UI claim to continue receiving benefits.
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How Do I File For Unemployment Benefits In New Jersey
To file a claim for unemployment benefits in New Jersey, the easiest way to do so online. However, people who have military, federal or out-of-state wages, and those employees who earned wages while working for a maritime employer, will need to file by calling a Reemployment Call Center as follows:
- North New Jersey : 201-601-4100
- Out-of-State Claims: 1-888-795-6672
If you are filing a New Jersey unemployment claim and do not have access to a computer, you can go to one of the states One-Stop Career Centers to use a computer.
Before you file an initial claim, youll need to gather the following pieces of information:
- Social Security number
- Alien registration number of you are not a U.S. citizen
- DD Form214 if you were are active military duty within the past two years
- Wage information, including W2 forms and paystubs from the past 18 months
- A New Jersey drivers license number or a similar photo identification card
- Banking information is you want to receive your benefits by direct deposit
- Your previous employers information, including the date you last worked for them for all employers within the past 18 months
- The reason you left your previous employer
When you file an initial claim, you will be asked to create a Personal Identification Number . You will use this PIN to certify for your benefits and to access your account, so it is important that you write it down and do not share it with anyone.
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How To Apply For Unemployment In New Jersey
by Maurie Backman |Updated July 17, 2021 – First published on March 26, 2020
Image source: Getty Images
Lost your job in the COVID-19 crisis? Here’s what you need to know about unemployment benefits in your state.
Millions of jobs have already been lost nationwide due to COVID-19, and New Jersey is no exception. Here’s what you need to know about filing for unemployment benefits in the Garden State.
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Who Is Eligible For Benefits
Important update: Federal extended unemployment benefits expired September 4, 2021. Learn more here.
When you first apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits, we look at a few different factors to see if you qualify.
We need to know why youre out of work, and whether your recent earnings meet the minimum required by law.
After you first qualify for benefits, you will need to meet some additional requirements in order to keep receiving them.
Some workers, like school employees and business owners, have their own unique qualifications. If you are self-employed and do not pay for Unemployment Insurance through your paycheck, you may not be eligible for benefits.
Read out FAQs on who is eligible for benefits here.
Why are you unemployed?
Did you earn enough during your base year period of employment?
To receive benefits, you have to meet a minimum earnings requirement during your base period. The base period is the timeframe used to determine if you qualify for UI benefits and to calculate your benefit amount. The regular base year period consists of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file an initial claim.Your regular base year period consists of 52 weeks and is determined by the date you apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits, as outlined in the chart below:
| If your claim is dated in: | Your claim is based on employment from: |
Are you a teacher or other school employee?
Are you a corporate officer or business owner?
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Respond To Questionnaires From The State Agency
Also, if there are questions about your eligibility for unemployment benefits, youll receive a fact-finding questionnaire from your states unemployment agency.
They will request additional information from you.
You must respond to this questionnaire by the deadline specified.
Failure to respond may result in disqualification from receiving benefits.
Respond to requests for information about your unemployment claim
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Lost Wages Assistance Program
NJ has made all final payments under the LWA program, which provided supplemental payments to eligible unemployment benefits claimants who were unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. Roughly 800,000 workers in New Jersey were eligible for up to $1,800 in LWA benefits.
The NJ Labor Department has confirmed that LWA payments have been successfully processed on October 21st and disbursed for payment. It could take 1 to 3 business daysfrom this date to actually receive payments in your financial account or debit card due to processing times across financial intuitions,. As such, I expect payments should start appearing in accounts and cards from . This off course is for the first batch of payments. People who verified late or have had their account flagged may see payments a few days or weeks later.
Latest Update It appears that the majority of New Jerseyans are now seeing LWA payments in their bank accounts or debit cards. Check your pending transactions online as well, because that means your payment will be there shortly . If you havent got your payment yet, dont panic as they are still being processed in batches and could take till Monday or Tuesday to get to your account. Calling the NJ DOL/DUI is not going to help at this stage . See comments on this article for reader confirmations of the LWA payment across various banks.
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Some Unemployed In Nj Have Trouble Getting Benefits After State Said Issues Resolved
New Jersey claimants are receiving emails that their claims are not payable at this time after the state Labor Department switched people over from High Extended Benefits to the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
The Labor Department claimed it would be a seamless transition for claimants switching to the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program when the state triggered off of High Extended Benefits.
But John Flynn was one of the people the Labor Departments programming mistakenly excluded from the transition, and he was unable to certify as his claim showed up expired. After a week, the department said the issue had been resolved and claimants should continue certifying during open hours.
And while hes been able to certify, Flynn hasnt gotten his money in over two weeks. When he opens his claim, which is unpayable, it states in red letters that no action is needed on his behalf.
I hope I get backpay, but its more about the not knowing how long this will go, said Flynn, a writer for an ad agency who was laid off in March 2020. Im stuck in this claim not payable loop until Im not sure when.
The Labor Department believes all of these claimants can again certify for benefits without issues, according to spokeswoman Angela Delli-Santi.
Delli-Santi said the department is very sorry when this occurs and that staff tries to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
The Move Could Affect More Than 250000 Non
By: Sophie Nieto-Munoz February 8, 2022 11:57 am
Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo
The state Labor Department will no longer attempt to recover some overpaid unemployment payments after the federal government updated its guidance on pandemic-related unemployment benefits.
The change could affect more than 250,000 New Jerseyans who received extra unemployment benefits through no fault of their own, Labor spokeswoman Angela Delli-Santi said. The department is working through the details and will soon notify eligible claimants of the next steps, Delli-Santi said.
Unemployment skyrocketed during the first weeks of the pandemic, leaving the Labor Department flooded with hundreds of thousands of claims as businesses suddenly shuttered. Congress expanded unemployment benefits for workers who arent typically eligible, like gig workers and freelancers, but those guidelines changed dozens of times as new laws were passed.
About 130,000 residents have received letters from the state asking them to repay unemployment benefits paid in error, with the state blaming the strict federal guidelines. People who owe the Labor Department money typically cant receive more benefits until their claim is resolved.
Now, under the new guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, there are five categories claimants must qualify for to see their overpayments waived, all related to pandemic benefits, like Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation .
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File Your Unemployment Application And Initial Claim Process
Follow these steps to successfully file for unemployment online:
- Go to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website and click on “Unemployment Insurance.”
- Select the “Login” or the “Click Here to create account” option and enter the email address you wish to use for your account.
- After you enter your email address and click “SEND”, a link will be emailed to you to verify the account.
- Look for an email from Click on the link to complete the registration process. The link will expire after 60 minutes.
- After you have registered, you will be returned to the sign in page. Sign in with the email address and password you just created.
- From your dashboard, click on “File a New Claim OR Open an Existing Claim” and complete the claim filing process.
- Options to file for weekly benefits as well as other Claim Management options can also be found here.
How Unemployment Works In New Jersey
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