How Does Unemployment Work In Minnesota

How Do I Apply For Unemployment Benefits

You can apply for unemployment by creating an account on the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance website or by calling the unemployment office. You should have the following information when you apply:

• Social Security number and personal information
• Driver’s license number or other state government identification number
• Employment history for the past 18 months, including employer name, address, phone number, dates of employment, and pay rate
• Bank account number and routing number for direct deposit

Once your account is set up, you must log in weekly to request your benefit payment. There’s usually a one-week waiting period before you can receive benefits, but Governor Tim Walz has waived this during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supplemental Unemployment Insurance Benefits In Minnesota During The Coronavirus Pandemic

Eligible Minnesota residents could qualify for the following supplemental unemployment insurance benefits made available during the coronavirus pandemic:

Minnesota Unemployment Requirements For Employers

Employers terminating and laying off employees need to make sure they are following the laws regarding unemployment insurance under both federal and state laws. Minnesota employers are required to meet certain requirements to be in compliance with Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Law. Minnesota employers should also be aware that even employees fired for poor performance will be entitled to Minnesota unemployment insurance benefits.

First, Minnesota employers must register for an employer account. Minnesota requires any individual or organization that pays covered wages to register with the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program. Minnesota requires that this registration be done prior to the due date of the first quarterly wage detail report. Additionally, Minnesota employers must maintain their current account information by notifying the Unemployment Insurance Program within 30 days of any mailing address changes, transfers or sales.

Second, all Minnesota employers must display the current version of the Unemployed? poster. The poster must be posted in a prominent place within the workplace so that employees may easily see it. A free poster can be printed through the Minnesota Unemployment Programs website at www.uimn.org. The post is available in several languages and should be posted in an employee break room or wherever employees may easily be able to see it, such as next to a time clock where employees clock in and out.

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I Am Furloughed Intermittently Will I Be Eligible For A Benefit Account

To reduce costs, some employers require workers to take time off without pay. Here, the applicant was willing to work but was laid off by the company as it was unable to bear the costs due to lack of work. Under such situations, you are almost eligible for unemployment benefits.

Tips for workers being furloughed:

• You may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits if you are temporarily or intermittently laid off or your hours are reduced below 32 hours per week.

• Apply for UI benefits during the first week you are laid off or your hours are reduced below 32 hours per week. You cannot backdate the application. You could lose benefits if you wait to apply.

• Every applicant for UI benefits must serve a non-payable week before they can receive any payments. Your nonpayable week is the first week you are eligible to receive a benefit payment. To be eligible, you must apply, request a benefit payment, and meet the requirements of unemployment insurance.

• For intermittent layoffs, it is probably best to continue to request benefit payments even when you are working your normal schedule. Report the hours you worked and the gross amount of your wages. Payments will be issued for the weeks you are laid off or hours are reduced and no payment will be made when you are working your normal schedule.

Once you are eligible for a benefit account, move on to the next step to know what the requirements are which need to be fulfilled each week to receive your payments.

To Be Eligible For Benefits You Must:

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Can I Work While I Am Getting Unemployment

You can work part-time while getting unemployment, but the amount of your wages is taken out of your unemployment money. This is how it works:

• If you work less than 32 hours in a week and you earn less than your weekly unemployment amount, you can get a partial payment.

• If you work 32 or more hours in a week or if your gross earnings for a week are the same as or more than your weekly unemployment amount, you wont get unemployment for that week.

It is really important for you to report all of your earnings in the week you earn the money, not the week you are paid. Report it every week when you ask for your weekly payment. Report your earnings from all jobs, even temporary or part-time jobs. Even a rent discount for being the caretaker of your building counts. Report the earnings even if you think the Unemployment Office already knows about the job.

If you dont report all of your earnings or other income, you get an overpayment. You have to repay this overpayment back to the Unemployment Office. You may also have to pay a fraud penalty and interest. See our fact sheet Unemployment Overpayments.

Each case is different. Call your local legal aid office right away to talk about your case. Find your office at 1- 696-6529.

Timeline Of Unemployment Insurance Program In Minnesota

The following timeline features selected key events in the history of Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program. The timeline is not a comprehensive history of the state unemployment insurance program.

• 1938: As of May 1, 1938, Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program offered a maximum weekly benefit amount of $15 for up to 16 weeks.

• 1985: As of January 1, 1985, Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program offered a maximum WBA of $198 for up to 26 weeks.

• 2021: A March 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Labor found that the trust funds in 40 states and territories, including Minnesota, had dropped below the recommended minimum solvency standard as of January 1, 2021.

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Managing Your Minnesota Unemployment Benefits

To continue receiving unemployment compensation on a regular basis, you will be required to complete a weekly certification to collect your weekly unemployment payment. You can submit this weekly request online or over the phone by using the self-service system at the numbers listed above.

You can complete your weekly certification in just a few steps:

• Log in to your existing account
• Select Request a Benefit Payment
• Answer the questions about the prior one-week time period, which will allow the state of Minnesota to determine your continued eligibility for supplemental unemployment benefits. Report any hours you worked or any income you earned from any job, including part-time work and self-employment.

How Long Does It Take To Get Unemployment In Minnesota

The process to receive your first unemployment payment in Minnesota takes about from the date that you filed your initial claim.

After you file your initial claim, you will need to continue filling regular weekly claim each week that you would like to receive benefits. Keep in mind that there me be a mandatory 1-week waiting period that you will not receive benefits for.

The waiting week is the first week you file a weekly claim and meet all eligibility requirements. Before you can start receiving benefits, Minnesota law requires one waiting week per claim. You will not be paid any money for the week, but claiming the week is required to receive credit for it as a waiting week.

You may be able to find the status of your unemployment on Minnesotas unemployment page.

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Does Unemployment Due To Labor Disputes Affect My Eligibility For Unemployment Benefits

Applicants who leave employment because they are participating in a strike or are a member of a striking union at the establishment where they were employed, are not eligible to receive benefit payment during the strike. Participation includes the failure or refusal to accept and perform available and customary work at the establishment where they were employed.

You can be possibly eligible under following circumstances

• Unemployed because of a strike caused by an employers willful failure to observe the terms of the safety and health section of a union contract.
• Unemployed because of a lockout.
• Laid off due to a strike against the employer .

Before You Quit A Job

• In some cases, you may be able to get Unemployment if you were forced to quit. For example, if you or someone in your immediate family has a serious illness or injury you have to let your boss know and ask for a reasonable accommodation. This means you are asking for changes, like time off or a change in job duties, so you can keep your job. If your boss doesnt do anything to help your situation and you have to quit, you might be able to get Unemployment.
• If you cant keep working your same schedule because you dont have childcare or transportation, you have to let your boss know and ask for an accommodation before you quit. An accommodation can be things like a change in hours or work you can do from home. If you dont do this, you will be denied for Unemployment.
• You may also be able to get Unemployment if you felt like you had to quit because your boss didnt fix a serious problem that you reported, like an unsafe work condition or discrimination.

If things like this happen, keep notes about what happened and when and make your complaint in writing. Be sure to keep a copy of everything important.

Remember: it is important to let your boss know about the problem and give them time to fix it. If you dont, you may not be able to get unemployment insurance.

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Welcome Employers And Agents

This is the official website for Minnesota Unemployment Insurance .

Unemployment Insurance provides benefits to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own. The benefits are funded through a tax paid by employers.

Employers: If you have employees by the Minnesota UI law, you must register for an .

Agents: An “agent” is an entity that acts on behalf of an employer to handle the employer’s Unemployment Insurance obligations.

Amount And Duration Of Unemployment Benefits In Minnesota

The DEED determines your weekly benefit amount. Your weekly benefit amount will be about 50% of your average weekly wage during the base period, up to a maximum that changes every year, depending on the state’s average weekly wage. Benefits are normally available for up to 26 weeks. To get an idea of how much your weekly benefit might be, plug your information into the DEED Benefits Estimator.

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Weekly Benefits And Getting Paid

Following the conclusion of your waiting week, you will start receiving weekly benefits for the weeks that you claimed to not have worked. You may be able to receive the benefits from the following method:

• Prepaid debit card.

What day of the week does unemployment pay?

You can file a claim for the week prior every Sunday, claims and payments are typically processed within 2 business days. Providing that there were no issues with the information that you submitted. If there was an issue, you will be mailed a letter within 5 business days explaining what you need to do to correct the error so that you can receive your benefits.

Other Types Of Unemployment Benefits

• If you were part of a large layoff or plant closing, you may be eligible for employment services for laid off workers.
• If you lost your job due to a natural disaster, you may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
• Veterans may also qualify for Unemployment Compensation for ex-service members.
• You may be eligible for Trade Readjustment Allowances if your job loss was due to foreign imports.

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How Does Working Affect My Benefits

You are not eligible for benefits in any week you work 32 or more hours, or when your gross earnings for the week are equal to or greater than your weekly benefit amount.

A partial benefit payment will be made for any week you work less than 32 hours and your earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount. The system will deduct 50 percent of your earnings from your benefit payment. The amount not paid for that week stays in your account.

What Can Affect My Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Benefits

To keep your Minnesota unemployment benefits eligibility, you must maintain eligibility each week you receive benefits. The following may affect eligibility or cause adjustments to the benefit amount you receive:

No longer meeting weekly eligibility requirements

You must maintain all points of eligibility to continue receiving benefits. If you get a seasonal or part-time job with an income threshold that still qualifies you for benefits, you must maintain an active job search. Receiving some income does not make you exempt from job search eligibility requirements. Additionally, if you have or develop a medical condition that prevents you from working, youre no longer eligible for benefits.

Working/earning wages while receiving benefits

In your Minnesota unemployment weekly claim, youll be asked whether or not you worked during that period and the wages you earned. Though earning an income does not immediately disqualify you from receiving benefits, your Minnesota unemployment rate will likely be reduced if you earned wages during that period.

Fraud and payment errors

If you make a mistake on your weekly Minnesota unemployment claim, you should contact the Minnesota unemployment department. Your benefits will be adjusted accordingly and there will be no penalty. If you discover that you have made a mistake during the Minnesota unemployment claim filing process, you should contact the unemployment department as soon as possible.

Deductions

Pending application

Other income

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How To Appeal A Denial Of Unemployment Benefits In Minnesota

If your unemployment claim is denied, you may request an appeal within 20 days after the denial notice was sent. You can file the appeal online , by mail, or fax. A hearing will be scheduled to receive evidence from both you and your employer. An Unemployment Law Judge will conduct the hearing, usually held by telephone, and will issue a written decision.

If you disagree with the ULJ’s decision, you can file a Request for Reconsideration. If you are not satisfied with the result, you may appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

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.

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Minnesota Unemployment Benefits And Eligibility

COVID-19 UPDATE:Because the coronavirus pandemic has left so many Americans jobless, the federal government has given states more flexibility in granting unemployment benefits. Youll need to apply for these benefits through your states unemployment insurance program, but if you have questions about whether youre eligible for benefits read our COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits and Insurance FAQ. Also, before submitting a claim in Minnesota, be sure to check out Minnesotas claimant handbook.

Supplemental Unemployment Insurance Benefits During The Coronavirus Pandemic

The CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan established the following supplemental unemployment insurance programs during the coronavirus pandemic:

• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation

The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program aimed to provide qualifying unemployment insurance claimants with a supplemental $300-$600 per week in addition to their state unemployment insurance benefits. The program expired on September 6, 2021.

• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation

The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation sought to provide 24 weeks of extended unemployment insurance benefits to recipients who have exhausted their standard benefits. The program expired on September 6, 2021.

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program aimed to provide individuals who are out of work but ineligible for standard unemployment insurance benefits with $300-$600 in weekly compensation. Qualifying individuals included workers who are not eligible for standard benefits, such as independent contractors and self-employed workers, as well as individuals who have exhausted their standard benefits, extended benefits, or PEUC benefits. The program expired on September 6, 2021.

• Lost Wages Assistance

• Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation

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