People who recently lost their jobs have been looking for different ways on how do could claim their unemployment benefits. Well, you will soon find out how to do so. To claim your unemployment benefits, you will need to file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you worked.
You may file your claim in person, by telephone, or online, it depends on the state you work.
Unemployment benefits are also known as unemployment insurance and unemployment compensation. Or unemployment payments are fees made by authorized bodies to those persons who are unemployed.
These bodies provide unemployment benefits to workers who became unemployed through no fault of theirs, and these workers must also meet certain eligibility requirements.
Unemployment insurance in the United States is funded by a compulsory governmental insurance system and not taxes on individual citizens.
It usually depends on the jurisdiction and the status of the person involved. The sums may be small, they may cover only some basic needs. Or it may even redeem the lost time proportionally to the prior earned salary.
Are You Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?
Before filing a claim for unemployment benefits, you need to ensure that you qualify for it first. Here is how to check if you qualify for such benefits. To qualify for unemployment benefits, you must meet the following criteria.
- You should be unemployed through no fault of your own.
- Also, you should have labored during a specified period. It is usually up to 18 months.
- You must have earned a minimum number of wages as decided by your state.
- And you should be actively seeking work each week you are receiving benefits.
Note that, these criteria are dependent on your state. Your state might have its requirements for unemployment benefits. Every state operates a separate unemployment insurance program. But all states follow the same guidelines that are established by federal law.
How to Apply for Unemployment Benefits
After meeting the eligibility requirements, you can then apply for unemployment benefits. Follow the steps below to apply for your benefits.
- First, you need to contact your state’s unemployment insurance program as soon as possible after you become unemployed.
- You need to file your claim with the state where you worked.
- If you worked in a different state other than the one where you live now. Or if you worked in multiple states. The state unemployment insurance agency where you now live will provide information about how to file your claim with other states.
- When you file a claim, you will be asked to provide information, such as your address and the dates of your former employment. To ensure your claim is not delayed, you need to give complete and correct information.
- Note that it mostly takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check.
How do I Claim my Unemployment Benefits?
As unemployed personnel, it is important to claim your benefits. So here is How You Can Claim your Unemployment Benefits.
- Establish an initial claim.
- Re-open your existing claim.
- Fill out a claim weekly.
Establish an Initial Claim
You need to establish an initial claim if you have not submitted any application within the past 12 months. If you just became under-employed or unemployed. Know that you will need an email address and some other documents to establish an initial claim.
Re-open Your Existing Claim
If you have filed for benefits during the past 12 months, you already have a claim. So, you will have to re-open your existing claim. It is better to re-open an already existing one than to establish a new claim.
File a Claim Weekly
When you have established or re-opened a claim. You will have to file a claim every week you are unemployed so you can receive your benefits.
Twelve months after your initial claim has been submitted. You will be asked to open a new benefit year so you can continue receiving your unemployment benefits.
If you were later called back to work or got a new job. If you do not wish to file for unemployment insurance benefits, you can just stop filing a weekly claim.
