North Carolina Unemployment Department
The department in this state that handles unemployment insurance is called North Carolina Commerce. If you have questions or issues about filing a new or weekly unemployment claim, they should be able to assist you. We provide the contact information for the North Carolina Unemployment Department below including the location, phone number and government website where you can find out how to file your claims, report fraud, find a job for employees and help businesses grow for employers. We also provide the information on how to file for NC unemployment online and file for unemployment over the phone.
- Unemployment Department Location
How Much Might I Get
To determine eligibility for unemployment benefits, North Carolina reviews whats known as a base period, which usually includes the first four calendar quarters of the last five quarters of your work history and wages.
If you meet wage and work requirements for the base period, the DES calculates your weekly unemployment benefit amount by looking at your total wages for the last two completed quarters and dividing that amount by 52. The total must be at least $15 or higher to receive a weekly benefit, up to a maximum of $350 per week.
For example, if your wages for the last two completed quarters were $8,000, your weekly benefit might be $153 .
Again, because states may change their benefits during times of crisis, these maximums may be different during recessions or other difficult economic situations.
How Much Do You Get From North Carolina Unemployment
Your WBA is your total earnings from the last two base period quarters divided by 52 and rounded down to a whole dollar figure. You won’t qualify for North Carolina unemployment benefits if your WBA works out as less than $15. The most you can receive per week is $350 for a maximum of 12 weeks.
You can work during your claim and continue receiving unemployment benefits. However, any earnings can affect your WBA, and you must report all wages in your weekly claim. You can receive up to 20% of your WBA in wages without a benefits deduction. Any earnings exceeding 20% will reduce your entitlement dollar-for-dollar.
You May Like: How Much Does Unemployment Pay In Texas
What Is An Employee Assistance Program
The State of North Carolina knows that there are times when life and work can be stressful. Thats why we have partnered with McLaughlin Young to provide you with an employee assistance program. The North Carolina Employee Assistance Program is a state-sponsored benefit program that offers the support and resources you need to address personal or work-related challenges and concerns. Best of all, its free for permanent employees and members of your household and completely confidential.
The Very Best Guide And Advice By Job Advisors For Job Seekers
OUR MISSIONOur Mission is to help you find the right job by providing you with all the information you could ever need to make sure you stand out from the crowd and get the position you’ve always wanted.
OUR TEAMOur Team is made up of employment professionals, job advisors, employment agency owners, and specialist authors on employment processes and methods. We have the cream of the crop of employment talent who all want to help you secure the job that you’ve always wanted.
OUR VISIONOur vision is to become one of the worlds leading employment information websites providing unbiased advice and guidance for anyone who wants to further their career. With our collective expertise, our years of experience, and our impartial opinion, we aim to support you in every way to ensure you get through your next interview and then climb the employment ladder to as high as you want to go.
Also Check: How To Make Money While Pregnant And Unemployed
How To Talk To A Live Person In Nc Unemployment Customer Service
If you need to speak to a live customer service representative in NC Unemployment customer service you need to dial 1-888-737-0259. To speak with a live agent, you need to press 1 , then press 5 and stay on the line .
Alternatively you can use the following other options available in the customer service phone menu:
- If you need to apply for unemployment or need assistance signing into to your account press 1.
- If you calling to check the status of your claim press 2.
- If you have an appeal and unfavorable unemployment insurance determination, will need assistance filing an appeal press 4.
- For all other inquiries press 5.
- To repeat these menu options press 9.
What Are The Requirements To Qualify For Unemployment Benefits In North Carolina
To be eligible to receive payments you must meet the requirements as set forth by the DES. The state has three basic criteria.
- You must be unemployed through no fault of your own. This means that you were laid off or let go due to lack of work. You will not be eligible for benefits if you were fired for misconduct or you voluntarily quit.
- You must be monetarily eligible. To be able to receive benefits, you must meet certain minimum wage criteria. This means you have earned qualifying dollar amounts during your Base Period.
You must be able, available and actively seeking work. The state maintains that you must contact at least five employers each week you claim benefits as part of your requirements. In addition, it is mandatory that you must register with the states job search and training program NCWorks.gov.
Don’t Miss: Can Unemployed Apply For Credit Card
What Is Unemployment Insurance Tax
As an employer, you pay Unemployment Insurance tax on your payrolls. This UI tax pays for the benefits that are paid to qualified, unemployed workers. Unemployment tax is not deducted from employee wages.
N.C. Commerce’s Division of Employment Security transfers unemployment tax payments made by employers to the federal Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund in Washington, D.C. Each year, a prorated share of the interest earned on this trust fund is added back to the account of each North Carolina employer having a credit experience rating balance.
How Do I File For Unemployment Benefits In North Carolina
Although you can file an unemployment claim by phone, fax, or email, the quickest way to file North Carolina unemployment applications is through the DES website.
If you dont have access to a computer, you can file your initial claim and ongoing weekly claims by calling the DES Customer Call Center at 888-737-0259.
To avoid a delay in receiving benefits, you should file a claim as soon as your job has come to an end or you have worked less than three full-time days in a week. If you are filing a claim for the first time, youll be required to create a personalized PIN that will allow you to access your claim information through the North Carolina unemployment website. You will also use this pin to access the North Carolina unemployment phone number system.
You will need to supply the following information when you open an initial claim:
Like many other states, the North Carolina unemployment program has a one-week waiting period. You will not be paid any benefits during this week. You will need to serve an unpaid waiting week each time you apply for North Carolina unemployment benefits during your established benefit year.
Read Also: How To Fill Out Unemployment
Create An Online Account At Desncgov To:
- File a claim for unemployment
- Complete your Weekly Certifications
- Check your Claim Status
To help prevent fraud and protect claimant and employer information, DES is increasing security measures for accessing its online benefits system.
ID.me: DES is partnering with ID.me to provide a secure identity verification process for unemployment claimants. Claimants may receive an email from DES notifying them that they must verify their identity through ID.me to access their account and be eligible for benefits. Claimants should click on the link in the email to start the verification process, which can be completed online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Multi-Factor Authentication: When signing into their DES account, individuals may be asked to verify their identity using Multi-Factor Authentication. DES will send a one-time passcode to the email address on file for the account. The user must enter the one-time passcode and their password to access their account.
Reemployment Services And Eligibility Assessment
The Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment program delivers regularly scheduled case management services when you’re looking for work. In this program, local staff provide the following services:
- Information on careers and the labor market
- An assessment and an eligibility review
- Help with developing a reemployment plan
- Referrals to at least two reemployment-related services, such as workshops or training opportunities
- An orientation to reemployment services
Enrollment in the program can last up to 10 weeks.
During the initial visit, you may be required to report in-person to an NCWorks Career Center subsequent appointments may be conducted by telephone or e-mail. If you do not report for your scheduled appointment, your benefits may be affected.
Don’t Miss: Can I Sue My Employer For Lying To Unemployment
When And How Will I Be Paid My Weekly Unemployment
The North Carolina DES uses a debit card as the default method to make UI benefit payments more secure and convenient for claimants. Users have access to their benefits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Bank of America, which administers the program, or anywhere that Visa debit cards are accepted. You do not need to have a bank account as the debit card is separate from any particular existing bank account you may have.
Claimants who do not want to use a debit card have the option of choosing to have their benefit payments directly deposited into their own existing checking or savings account at any participating bank, savings and loan or credit union. Direct deposit is confidential, automatic and convenient and allows you to withdraw cash on the same date that payments are made to your account.
File A Wage Complaint
In order for the N.C. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Bureau to assist an employee with a wage dispute, a complaint must be filed.
If you feel you are being discriminated against based on age , race, sex, religion, national origin, color, disability or pregnancy, please call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at 1-800-669-4000 and you will be connected to the closest EEOC office.
Read Also: How Much Federal Tax Do You Pay On Unemployment
Florida Unemployment Phone Number
The Florida Department of Labor, formally called the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, is the organization you need to get in touch to make a labor complaint or file for jobless benefits. The State of Florida makes contacting the agency simple, and there are numerous ways to do so.
Contact the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation by telephone by calling 1-800-204-2418. The phones at the Florida unemployment office answer from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday.
Be set for long waits as lots of people are trying to do the same thing that you are. Be serene and courteous to the person you get connected to and you will get a lot more help. The staffers on the other line are over-worked and are everything possible they can to assist all of the people that are contacting them.
When you call the PA unemployment phone number, ensure that you have:
- Social security number,
- Names and addresses of your employers,
- Gross earnings, and your
- Drivers license number
You will also need a pen and paper to write down your claim number and any other relevant details.
I have been waiting on a call back for 3 days. I finally get ahold of someone and they are rude as ever and dont want or care to help. I got cold call transferred to a manager supposedly but instead was sent to a full mailbox. This is a disgrace on Floridas part. The operator was Roanna, operator number 5875.
Managing Your Unemployment Benefits
Once your initial unemployment claim is accepted, you must continue to submit a weekly certification for each week youd like to receive benefits. This entails answering a series of questions that will verify that you were able, available, and searching for new employment during that week.
These weekly benefit claims must be submitted online, using the account you created when you filed your initial claim. If online submission is not possible for you, you can contact the states customer call center at 888-737-0259.
You May Like: How To File For Unemployment In Sc
S To Create An Online Account
IMPORTANT: USE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS WHEN YOU CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT.
1. Click on Create an Online Account on the DES homepage, des.nc.gov.
2. Enter your Social Security Number twice.
3. Select Next. On the User Account Creation page:
- Create a User Name .
- Enter a valid email address twice.
- Enter your contact phone number.
- Create a Password .
4.Select Create Account.
5.You can now Sign In at des.nc.gov. Use the User Name and Password you entered when creating your Online Account in Step 3.
How Are Weekly Benefits Determined In North Carolina
When you file a claim, DES will send you a Wage Transcript and Monetary Determination letter. This shows all employers you worked for and what your wages were for your base period. This does not guarantee you will be paid North Carolina unemployment benefits but outlines how much you could be paid and for how many weeks if you meet all North Carolina unemployment requirements.
How much you will be paid is determined by the amount of wages earned in your Base Period. As part of your initial North Carolina unemployment application process, you will need to determine what your total gross wages were during your Base Period, as well as how much you received during each calendar quarter. Your Period is the first four of the past five completed calendar quarters prior to the date you applied for benefits.
To qualify for benefits, you must have qualifying wages which are defined as six times the average insured weekly wages in at least two quarters of either the Base Period or an alternate Base Period. To file North Carolina unemployment, you must have at least $780 in wage in one of the last two quarters to establish a Weekly Benefit Amount.
The Weekly Benefit Amount is calculated by adding the wages paid to you in the last two completed quarters of your Base Period and dividing that number by 52.
If that amount is less than $15, you are not eligible for benefits. The maximum North Carolina amount also known as a Weekly Benefit Amount you can receive is $350.
Don’t Miss: Can You File For Unemployment If You Quit
What Happens After September 4 2021
- The week ending September 4, 2021, is the last week of unemployment for which you can receive federal benefits. You may file your weekly certification for that week on or after September 5, 20201, and if eligible, you will receive payment for your last week of federal benefits.
- State unemployment insurance benefits will continue to be available after September 4, 2021. Under state law, state unemployment benefits currently provide eligible claimants with up to 13 weeks of benefits in a one-year period, with a maximum benefit of $350 a week.
How Can I Apply
The fastest way to file a claim for unemployment benefits in North Carolina is online at des.nc.gov. To file a claim online, you must create an online account with the DES. You can also file a claim by calling the DES customer call center at 888-737-0259.
To expedite the filing process, make sure you have the following required information on hand:
- Your Social Security number
- Details about why you separated from your last job, along with any vacation, retirement or severance pay received or owed to you
- Your bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit
- Work history for all employers over the last two years, including employer name, address, phone number, dates of employment, rates of pay and reason for separation
Non-citizens, former federal employees and former members of the military have additional documentation requirements.
You May Like: How Do I Apply For Partial Unemployment
How To Apply For Unemployment In North Carolina
The Division of Employment Security of the North Carolina Department of Commerce handles all unemployment insurance benefits claims and weekly submissions. Before you apply, make sure you have your social security number and history of past employment available. Youll also need the routing and account number for your account if you want your weekly benefits payments deposited to your bank account. Use the links below to begin:
You must be unemployed due to no fault of your own, monetarily eligible, physically able to work, and registered for work search at NCWorksOnline to collect unemployment benefits.
Filing Your Initial Claim and Weekly Certifications
You can file your initial unemployment claim over the telephone by calling 737-0259, but youll get faster results if you file online. Create an online account on the DES Home Page by entering your social security number and creating a username. Youll also need a valid email address and contact phone number to complete the sign-up process.
Once your account is created and verified, you can login to file your initial unemployment insurance claim. The initial claim is for review only. You start to receive payments when you file your first weekly certification. Youll need to certify that youre still unemployed, ready and able to work if asked, and that you can physically and mentally handle the requirements of your job.
North Carolina Work Search Requirement
Appeals Process for Denial of Benefits
Your Work Search Responsibilities
To receive unemployment insurance benefits, you must seek work with at least three potential employers each week and maintain a detailed and verifiable record of your work search. If you cannot prove you looked for work, you may be considered overpaid and required to repay benefits.
Read Also: Can You Get Marketplace Insurance If You Are Unemployed
