Monday, March 25, 2024

How Much Is Unemployment In Arizona

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Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits

How will Arizona pay for unemployment?

Arizona has similar unemployment eligibility requirements to much of the rest of the country, including:

  • You must be out of work or have had your hours drastically reduced through no fault of your own.
  • You must be able to work and have worked for an employer who paid unemployment tax.
  • Your past earnings must meet certain standards.
  • In normal times, you also need to be actively seeking work. However, Governor Doug Ducey has waived the work-seeking requirement due to public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Arizona evaluates your income during a base period. This is the first four of the last five full quarters before you applied for unemployment. So if you apply in March, it will be October 2018 to September 2019 and if you apply in April, it’ll be January 2019 to December 2019.

    According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security website, in order to qualify, you must meet one of the following requirements:

    • You must have earned at least 390 times the Arizona minimum hourly wage in at least one quarter and you must have earned at least half of what you earned in your high quarter in the remaining three quarters combined.
    • You must have earned at least $7,000 over two quarters of your base period and you must have earned at least $5,987.50 in one of these quarters.

    Applying For Unemployment Insurance Benefits

    You can apply for unemployment insurance benefits beginning the day after your final employment date. The payments are not retroactive, so you should apply for benefits as soon as possible. The applications are all done online , so youll need access to a computer. In order to complete your application, youll need the following documents and information:

    • Social security number
    • Arizona drivers license or state issued ID
    • Mailing address
    • Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all your employers for the last 18 months
    • Last date of employment
    • Severance, vacation, holiday, and unused sick pay
    • Pension and other retirement income
    • Name and local number of your union hall
    • Alien registration number
    • Copy #4 of your DD Form 214 if youve been discharged from the military in the last 18 months
    • SF 8 or SF 50 if youve been employed in Federal Civilian service in the last 18 months

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    State Boosting Unemployment In 2022

    Changes also are coming to unemployment next year after the Legislature approved a bipartisan bill, which Ducey signed, that will boost the weekly benefits in the state to $320 a week effective July 2022. However, when the unemployment rate is at or below 5%, the benefits will only last 24 weeks, instead of the current 26 weeks.

    The Grand Canyon Institute, which pressed for the increases at the Legislature, estimates that 70,000 Arizonans will benefit from the increased payouts in the first year.

    The changes will put Arizona at 44th highest in the nation based on weekly benefit amounts, according to the group.

    The institute also is pleased with a change in the “income disregard,” or the amount of money a person can earn from a part-time job while collecting jobless benefits. The current figure is just $30 a week but that will change to $160 a week.

    The Grand Canyon Institute estimates 14,000 people a year will benefit from that change, which effectively allows people to take on more work without losing state benefits.

    “The new law will provide more people with the opportunity to remain connected to the workforce while they look for full employment,” the Grand Canyon Institute said in a statement on the new law.

    Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.

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    Work Search Requirements And Maintaining Eligibility

    In order to continue to be eligible for unemployment in Arizona, you must re-certify each week. You can re-certify online or by telephone. When you re-certify, you must indicate that you are continuing to look for work and are still in need of benefits. You must also report any income you received that week.

    If you fail to re-certify, the unemployment system will delete your account and you will not be able to claim any additional benefits. You will have to contact the Department of Unemployment Security by telephone to re-open your claim.

    The first week after you are approved for unemployment is a waiting period, but you must re-certify during this week to receive any benefits.

    Whether you certify online or use the TIPS telephone system, you will receive several questions intended to determine whether you remain eligible for benefits. The DES will want to know:

    • Whether you are actively looking for work
    • Whether you have refused a reasonable offer of employment
    • Whether you have started or quit a job during the benefit week
    • Whether you have earned any wages
    • Whether you are able to work and available for work

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    Spotlight Changes To Unemployment Benefits Under The Consolidated Appropriations Act

    April
    • An additional $300 per week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments will be added to all unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021 %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people. rel=nofollow> FPUC)
    • Regular state unemployment benefits will be extended for up to an additional 29 weeks through September 6, 2021, beyond the 50 weeks of benefits provided for by previous laws, through Pandemic Emergency Unemployment compensation %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people. rel=nofollow> PEUC)
    • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for categories of workers excluded from regular benefits %E2%80%94An%20additional%20%24600%20per,25th%20for%20most%20people. rel=nofollow> PUA)
    • Six months of free COBRA health insurance will be available to the unemployed
    • Workers who have at least $5,000 in annual self-employment income but were previously ineligible for regular state unemployment benefits will continue to receive up to $100 per week

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    Change : The Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount Will Change For Claimants Who Begin Receiving Benefits On Or After July 1 2022

    Important Points:

    • The maximum weekly benefit amount for which Arizonans can be eligible is increasing.

    How this change will affect claimants:

    • Claimants whose claims were opened prior to July 1, 2022, will not be affected by this revision.
    • The maximum weekly benefit amount is only available to claims that are opened on July 3, 2022, and after and meet the wage requirements for eligibility. However, claimants are not guaranteed to get the full amount of the $320 per week allotted maximum weekly benefit amount. The amount a claimant is eligible to receive is based on the wages they earned when they were working. Beginning July 1, 2022, new claims will be eligible to receive a weekly benefit amount of between $200 and $320.

    New Stimulus Package: Unemployment Benefits $300 Per Week Extended Until September

    • Lisa Rowan Forbes Advisor

    The stimulus package signedinto law on Thursdayby President Joe Biden extends unemployment benefits for millions of American workers who are still dealing with the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Unemployment benefits turned out to be one of the most hotly debated parts of the$1.9 trillion aid package, with legislators at odds over how long to extend benefits and for how much.

    Some details of implementing the employment-related measures from the stimulus package have yet to be revealed, as they require guidance from the IRS or other government agencies that hasnt been finalized.

    Heres what we know about extended pandemic unemployment benefits and when you can expect them.

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    Cutting Off Benefits Is Economically Short

    The governors who have withdrawn from the programs are complaining that federal benefits are holding back their recovery because certain employers cannot find the workers they need. However, this claim ignores the fact that the money from federal benefits flows into local businesses through consumer spending, generating another $1.61 in economic activity for every dollar spent. Any benefits that the states businesses might receive from some of these workers, in terms of faster ability to hire them in the short term, would be overwhelmed by the loss of unemployment debit card swipes hitting the cash registers of those same businesses.

    On a national level, there are still only 8 million job openings as compared to 16 million jobless workers, and the U.S. economy is still short over 8 million jobs from before the pandemic. With jobs depressed, pandemic benefits have contributed to a fast start for gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2021 .

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    Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work

    Arizona paid $4.4 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims during pandemic

    To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you’re offered a suitable position, you must accept it.

    Whether a position is suitable depends on how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position. The longer you are unemployed, the more likely you will have to consider jobs that pay less, are in a different field or occupation, or require a longer commute.

    Under Arizona’s normal rules, you must engage in a good faith search for work, including registering with the Arizona Job Connection and making at least one job contact per day for four days out of each week. You must keep records of your job search efforts, which you may have to submit with your weekly claim for benefits.

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    What Happens When The Des Denies Benefits

    You have the right to appeal any decision by the DES. The DES will mail a Determination of Deputy informing you of the circumstance. You will have 15 calendar days from the mailing date of the determination to file your appeal.

    For more about the unemployment benefit appeal process, please view our page on Arizona Unemployment Appeals.

    How To Calculate Your Unemployment Benefits

    The Balance

    Unfortunately, theres no easy way to calculate exactly how much money youll receive through unemployment benefits or for how long youll be able to collect those benefits unless your state has an online unemployment calculator. However, there are calculators you can use to estimate your benefits.

    Each state has a different rate, and benefits vary based on your earnings record and the date you became unemployed. Once you find out whether you are eligible, you can file a claim for unemployment benefits. If youre not sure about your eligibility, check with your state unemployment office. You dont want to lose out on unemployment compensation because you didnt think you would qualify.

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    What Happens If Unemployment Claims In Arizona Are Denied

    If the state denies an unemployment claim, Arizona law entitles the individual to a benefits denial appeal. To do so, complete the Request for Reconsideration/Appeal form and mail it to the address listed at the top.

    After the appeals claim filing, the state sets up a hearing to give the person a chance to argue their case. Organizations like Community Legal Services, Southern Arizona Legal Aid and ASU Law Civil Litigation Clinic offer free legal representation for appeals hearings.

    How Do I Apply For Unemployment Benefits

    Fast Unemployment Cost Facts For Arizona

    To apply for Arizona benefits online, you’ll need the following information:

    • Your Social Security number or Alien Registration Number
    • Your Arizona driver’s license number or state-issued ID
    • Your mailing address
    • Your employment history for the past 18 months, including employer names, addresses, phone numbers, and your last day of work
    • Bank account information for direct deposit

    After you’ve set up your account, you must log in weekly to request your benefits for that week, even while your claim is being processed. There’s usually a one-week waiting period for benefits, but Arizona has waived it due to COVID-19.

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    Do You Meet The Minimum Earnings Requirement

    Like every state, Arizona looks at your recent work history and earnings during a one-year “base period” to determine your eligibility for unemployment. The base period is the first four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed your benefits claim. For example, if you file your claim in May 2020, the base period would be from January 1 through December 31, 2019.

    To qualify for benefits in Arizona, you must meet either of the following criteria:

    • You must have earned at least 390 times the Arizona minimum wage during the highest paid quarter of the base period , plus at least half that amount in the other three quarters of the base period combined.
    • You must have earned at least $7,000 in two combined quarters of the base period, with at least $5,987.50 earned in one quarter.

    Terms Of Employment Loss

    In order to qualify for unemployment insurance payments in Arizona, you cannot be at fault for your unemployment. A few commonly qualified situations include layoffs due to a business location closing, a reduction-in-force, or lack of work. If your separation from the company is due to a specific reason, the DES will assess who initiated the separation, and whether or not the reason for the separation qualifies for benefits. Generally speaking, quitting your job disqualifies you from receiving unemployment insurance benefits.

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    How Do You Apply For Arizona Unemployment Benefits

    Arizonans can file for unemployment benefits by mail by downloading the form Arizona Initial Claim for Unemployment Insurance and mailing it to the DES Unemployment Insurance Administration office in Phoenix. The address appears on the form for quick reference.

    For faster processing, people can also complete the application process online. Before filling in the online application, gather the following information:

    • Names, addresses and telephone numbers for every employer you had during the last 18 months
    • Date of your last work day
    • Amount paid for any severance, vacation, holiday or unused sick pay before deduction and when this payment was received

    You may also need the following:

    • Name and phone number of union hall if you belong to a trade union
    • Alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
    • Copy # 4 of DD Form 214 if you received a discharge from the military during the last 18 months
    • SF 8 or SF 50 if you worked for the Federal Civilian service during the last 18 months
    • Amount of monthly pension payments other than social security and when you began receiving them

    Once you have the necessary information, simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the application. Then, wait to receive a packet from the state via U.S. mail. In it, you’ll find a Certificate of Understanding that you must return to the state before application processing can begin.

    How Do I Talk To A Person In Arizona Unemployment Customer Service

    Should Arizona increase its unemployment benefits?

    Steps:

  • Stay on the line
  • The automated phone system will connect you to a live customer service agent from Arizona Unemployment
  • Arizona Unemployment Voice Main Menu

    • Press 2 if you are a claimant.
    • Press 3 if you are an employee.

    Arizona Unemployment Voice Sub-Menu

    • Press 1 if you have not yet filed a claim for unemployment.
    • Press 2 if you have already filed a claim for unemployment.

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    Are You Out Of Work Through No Fault Of Your Own

    You must be out of work through no fault of your own to qualify for unemployment benefits in Arizona.

    Collecting Unemployment After a Layoff

    If you were laid off, lost your job in a reduction-in-force , or got downsized for economic reasons, you will meet this requirement.

    Collecting Unemployment After Being Fired

    If you were fired because you lacked the skills to perform the job or simply werent a good fit, you wont necessarily be barred from receiving benefits. If, however, you were fired for deliberate or negligent misconduct, you will be disqualified from receiving benefits. For example, you may not be eligible for benefits if you neglected your job duties, willfully disregarded your employers interests, or deliberately violated workplace rules, among other things.

    Collecting Unemployment After Quitting

    You wont be eligible for unemployment benefits if you quit your job voluntarily and without good cause. In general, good cause means that you had a compelling reason that left you no other choice than to leave. For example, if you left your job because of dangerous working conditions or discrimination that your employer refused to stop, you may be able to collect benefits. You may also be eligible if your employer relocated beyond a reasonable commuting distance or your military spouse was transferred to a new location.

    How Is Unemployment Calculated In Arizona

    how your Arizona unemployment is calculatedYour weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amount is calculated on wages you earned from employers who paid Unemployment Tax to the State of Arizona. The WBA is 4% of the wages paid in the highest quarter of your base period. The current maximum WBA is $320. It may also depend on the unemployment rate.Arizona unemployment benefits table

    What happens if your weekly benefit amount calculation is over the $320 weekly maximum set by the State of Arizona? If you are someone who earns more than this amount annually you will just receive the weekly maximum. Currently, that is the maximum amount of unemployment weekly benefits that are allowed. That amount may go up as the cost of living continues to increase but as for right now it is capped at weekly.

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