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When Can You File For Unemployment

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Who Qualifies For Partial Unemployment

How To File For Unemployment If You Lose Your Job During The Coronavirus Pandemic

You would normally not qualify for partial unemployment benefits if you’ve scaled back your work hours for family or personal reasons. State guidelines vary though, so it’s important to check with your state department of labor office for qualification criteria in your location.

  • Most states provide partial benefits to individuals whose work hours have been reduced through no fault or choice of their ownfor example, when a company is sold, liquidated, or restructured.
  • Many states also cover employees who have lost their full-time jobs and have partially replaced the lost income with one or more part-time jobs. Some states even cover individuals who were working two or more part-time jobs and lost one of those jobs.
  • Workers who are not technically laid off or terminated but placed on zero-hour schedules are eligible for unemployment compensation in most cases, according to Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation.

Eligible workers must meet the requirements within their state for minimum earnings during the unemployment base period. They must also satisfy the minimum time-of-employment state requirements. Check with your state unemployment office for guidelines.

How Do I Return Unemployment Benefits I Shouldn’t Have Received

If you received unemployment benefits you were not eligible for , we will send you a notice. It is important to repay this benefit overpayment as soon as possible to avoid collection and legal action. After receiving a notice, visit Benefit Overpayment Services to learn how to repay an existing overpayment.

If you want to repay these benefits before receiving a notice, review the following:

  • Benefit check not cashed Return the original check to the EDD.
  • Benefit check cashed Send a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the EDD.
  • Debit card If the funds are still on your card, transfer them to your bank account and then repay them by sending a personal check, cashierâs check, or money order made payable to the EDD.

Include a letter with the following information:

  • Name.
  • Social Security number or EDD Customer Account Number .
  • Week or weeks that the returned payment applies to.
  • Reason for returning the benefits.
  • Date you returned to work .
  • Gross earnings for each week of benefits being returned .

Mail the payment and letter to:

Employment Development Department Overpayment CenterPO Box 66000

Is There An Unemployment Waiting Period

Unemployment insurance waiting periods are 100% state-driven. Many states have what is known as a “waiting period,” otherwise referred to as a “waiting week” as part of their unemployment insurance laws.

For example, in New York State, you must serve an unpaid waiting period equivalent to one full week of unemployment benefits before you receive payments. Minnesota has a non-payable waiting week before benefits can be collected. In some locations, the waiting week benefits will be paid, but you will have to wait until the end of the claim period in order to collect those funds.

Based on the state-by-state differential, it’s best to check with your;state unemployment office website as soon as you lose your job;for information regarding the unemployment waiting period in your location.

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Who Is Eligible To Receive Unemployment Compensation

Your state establishes;eligibility requirements for unemployment insurance coverage, with primary requirements including having worked for a certain period of time and your job having been lost through circumstances beyond your control, typically a layoff or a furlough.

Typically, you must be considered an;employeeas opposed to an;independent contractorat a company that pays into the unemployment insurance fund for your state. However, benefit guidelines have changed due to the coronavirus.

Self-employed workers may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Check with your state department of labor for information on qualifying.

If you meet the eligibility requirements established by your state, you are entitled to receive temporary compensation, generally half your earnings up to a maximum amount.

Wrongful termination;can result in eligibility for unemployment benefits, as well as possibly some company benefits.

Why You Might Take A Part

When Can You File For Unemployment

Taking a part-time job after losing your full-time position might seem like a step backward, but it may come with many benefits that could boost your career in the long runnot to mention some cash that might come in handy. Youll probably earn more money by combining your partial unemployment benefits with income from a part-time job.

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While You Receive Benefits

If you do meet all the various qualifications to receive unemployment, be aware that compensation comes with conditions. While you are receiving unemployment, you must be actively seeking a new joband states can request proof of your job search.

If you turn down a suitable position , your unemployment benefits may be terminated. Also, during the Great Recession that bottomed out in 2009, many states changed their laws to prohibit receiving severance and unemployment benefits simultaneously.

Once I Start Receiving Benefits What Do I Have To Do To Remain Eligible To Receive Benefits

Once you apply for benefits, you will need to periodically certify that you are ready, willing, and able to work in order to continue receiving benefits, and you may need to provide evidence of your job search. Most states allow for certification by telephone, mail, or Internet. Click on your state in the map at the bottom of this page for a link to certify for UI benefits online.

Most states require you to continue following the normal procedures for weekly or biweekly certifying for UI benefits, even if you are not receiving the benefits because the state agency has determined that you are ineligible. If you do not follow the certification process, you may win your appeal on eligibility but not be able to collect the benefits for the time you were challenging the determination.

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Do I Qualify For Unemployment Insurance

There are things you need to know before you apply, and steps you must take after filing your claim for unemployment insurance benefits.

Unemployed Through No Fault of Your Own

The Unemployment Insurance program provides benefits to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who are able, available, and looking for work. You may file a claim for benefits the first day after becoming separated from employment or after your employer has significantly reduced your work hours. Information will be gathered from you as well as your separating employer and an agency determination will be based on whether you meet the eligibility requirements under state law.

You Must Have Qualifying Base Period Wages

You must have earned an average of $780.01 in each of 2 quarters of a time frame called the Base Period and the second highest quarter must be over $900 or 6 times the weekly benefit amount. If youve earned sufficient wages during this time frame, the wages earned will then be used to calculate your weekly benefit amount and the number of weeks you may receive benefits. The Base Period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the quarter in which your initial claim is filed. A calendar quarter is three months of either January – March, April – June, July – September or October – December.

Who Pays For Unemployment Insurance

Can you file for both unemployment and Social Security Disability Benefits?

Usually, unemployment insurance is funded by a tax imposed on employers by the state they operate in and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act . This equates to 6% of any employees first $7,000 in earnings. Unemployment insurance spending is excluded from balanced budget standards, and states are permitted to borrow money from the federal government if their resources are depleted.

Any state that borrows money from the Treasury must repay it within three years, or the federal government would automatically raise taxes on those businesses until the debt is paid off. Because the federal government does not set guidelines for how much money laid-off workers should be entitled to, states are free to interpret and make their own reimbursement decisions.

All states have the authority to set their unemployment tax rates and the amount of reimbursement, and the length of time that benefits are provided. States can also set their eligibility standards, such as the minimum amount of time someone must work before being laid off.

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Where To File When You Worked In A Different State

If you live in one state and worked in another, or if you have moved, you should generally file your unemployment claim with the state where you worked.

If you worked in a state other than the one where you live or if you worked in multiple states, the state unemployment office where you now live can provide information about how to file your claim with other states.

How Soon Do I File Unemployment After Losing My Job

Many unemployment claimants are unsure of how the unemployment filing process goes, especially the time frame for filing an initial claim. You cant file for unemployment before your last day of work, even if you know your job will be terminated soon. After the last day of work, its always best to file your claim as soon as possible to speed up the process. Waiting week requirements and severance pay may delay the start of your unemployment payments but not the date you can file your claim.

If COVID-19 has affected your job, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Head to the;Department of Labor’s website;for updates, and check out;careeronestop;to learn how to file for unemployment in your state.

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Filing For Weekly Benefits

Once youve filed your;initial claim for unemployment benefits, you can access your account each week and apply for benefits, check on the status of the claim to see when payment was made, and review how much unemployment compensation is left in your account. Mark your calendar with the day you need to file. Payment won’t be made unless you file for benefits each week for which you’re eligible.

While receiving unemployment, you must be;actively willing to work;and actively looking for work. The definitions of actively willing to work and actively looking for work also vary by state.

What Is Unemployment Insurance

Can You File For Unemployment If You Are Self Employed In ...

Unemployment insurance is compensation provided to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, providing monetary payments for a specific period of time or until the worker finds a new job.

Benefits are provided by state unemployment insurance programs within guidelines established by federal law. Eligibility for unemployment insurance, benefit amounts, and the length of time benefits are available are determined by laws in your state.

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Check With Your State Unemployment Office

Check with your state unemployment office;for information on what benefits you are entitled to.;Initial benefits may be different from weekly benefits, there may be a waiting period before you receive payment, and some states have maximum payout amounts or timelines.

It’s important to do your research and contact your states unemployment agency quickly, so you have all the accurate information you need to collect the benefits youre entitled to.

You will find information on qualifying for benefits in your location on your state’s unemployment website, as well as detailed information on what you need to do to submit a claim.

Submit An Application By Automated Phone

You can apply by phone on Fridays, between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm.

  • Twin Cities area: 651-296-3644
  • Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090
  • TTY : 1-866-814-1252
  • Make your language choice . If you need another language, press 1 and follow the prompts to speak to a representative and request an interpreter.
  • Enter your Social Security number.
  • If your Social Security number is not recognized, choose either frequently requested information or apply for benefits.
  • If the system recognizes your Social Security number as having a current unemployment benefit account, enter your password, and then respond to the options available to you.
  • Follow the prompts.
  • At the end of the call, you will be transferred to a Customer Service Representative to complete your application.

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    What If I Was Furloughed

    In contrast to a layoff — in which a job is permanently eliminated — a furlough is closer to a temporary leave of absence. Furloughed workers sometimes continue to receive some benefits including health insurance.;

    Unemployment benefits for furloughed employees vary from state to state. But the first stimulus bill provided expanded coverage so that even furloughed employees could receive unemployment benefits. And, unlike workers who were laid off, furloughed employees do not have to provide proof of having lost their job.

    What Is Unemployment

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    Unemployment defines a condition in which a person who is actively looking for a job is unable to find work. Unemployment is seen as a significant indicator of the economys health. The unemployment rate, which is calculated by dividing the number of jobless persons by the number of people in the labor force, is the most used measure of unemployment. Many governments provide unemployment insurance to select unemployed people who meet certain criteria.

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    How To Get Cobra

    Group health plans must give covered employees and their families a notice explaining their COBRA rights. Plans must have rules for how COBRA coverage is offered, how beneficiaries may choose to get it and when they can stop coverage. For more COBRA information, see COBRA Premium Subsidy. The;page links to information about COBRA including:

    My Benefit Year Ended And I Think I Earned Enough Wages But I Cant Reapply In Ui Online Why Not

    According to our records, you did not earn enough wages to establish a new claim, so we will continue to process federal extension weeks on your claim. Continue to certify for benefits if you have weeks available and check your payment status on UI Online.

    Note: If you think you earned enough wages, but your employer did not report them to us, you can submit a new application by paper or phone.

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    Where Do I File For Unemployment Insurance

    Unemployment insurance is a joint state-federal program that provides cash benefits to eligible workers. Each state administers a separate unemployment insurance program, but all states follow the same guidelines established by federal law.

    Please see the map and list below to find the contact information for your state in order to apply for Unemployment Benefits.

    Get Your Paperwork In Order Before Filing For Unemployment Benefits

    How to File for Unemployment Benefits

    The better prepared you are, the faster your unemployment claim will be processed . Assemble supporting paperwork as if youre going to the Department of Motor Vehicles but with the reward of a paycheck.

    Your Social Security number alone is not enough . You will also need to provide the name, address, phone number and dates of employment from your most recent employer. For most people, this is all you need. Some states, such as Utah, require a drivers license as a form of identification. If youre not a U.S. citizen, but legally authorized to work in the U.S., you will need to provide your Alien Registration Number . For ex-military, have handy your DD214 form, which is your certificate of release or discharge from active duty . Former federal employees will need to provide either their Standard Form 8 or Standard Form 50 . If you receive, or will receive, severance pay from your former employer, you will need to provide documentation detailing your payout. Qualified pension recipients should have their pension documentation at the ready.

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    You Can Get Unemployment Benefits Even If You Still Have Some Work

    Obviously, if youre still working full-time, then youre not unemployed and, therefore, not eligible for unemployment benefits. But if, say, youve lost one job but kept another, or if you get paid for a temporary assignment, you can still collect unemployment benefits. However, they will be reduced accordingly to compensate for the additional income youre receiving. You must report your gross wages earned each week, not just your take-home pay.

    In Missouri, for example, partial unemployment benefits are calculated by taking your weekly wages and subtracting $20, or 20% of your weekly benefit amount, whichever is greater. That amount is your deduction, which is then subtracted from your weekly benefit and rounded down to an even dollar amount. Any withholding for federal taxes and such is taken from this amount.

    Although state policies vary, as a general rule, if you perform part-time or temporary work, which includes self-employment, you are still required to fulfill your states requirement of providing a list of new job searches each week. The District of Columbia, for example, requires listing two job applications each week . And your state wants you to have the time to actively look for full-time employment, with the selfish goal of stopping payments of unemployment benefits to you when you return to work full time.

    My Regular Unemployment Compensation Benefits Do Not Provide Adequate Support Given The Unprecedented Economic Challenges Caused By The Covid

    Yes, depending on how your state chooses to implement the CARES Act. The new law creates the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program , which provides an additional $600 per week to individuals who are collecting regular UC and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers , PEUC, PUA, Extended Benefits , Short Time Compensation , Trade Readjustment Allowances , Disaster Unemployment Assistance , and payments under the Self Employment Assistance program). This benefit is available for weeks of unemployment beginning after the date on which your state entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before July 31, 2020.

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