| Unemployment Benefits FAQ |
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| What could delay, stop or reduce my benefits? |
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Benefits are payable only if you are eligible. Common issues that require investigation and could result in you not receiving benefits include:
- Quitting your job;
- Being fired or suspended from work;
- Missing an opportunity for work;
- Turning down a referral to work by the employment office;
- Failing to contact the employer when referred by the employment office;
- Illness or injury;
- School attendance;
- Failure to look for work;
- Being out of the area;
- Not being willing or ready to take work;
- Retirement pay; and
- Vacation or holiday pay.
If there is a problem, we will contact you to explain the problem and how it could affect your claim. We will ask you for details about the situation. We may contact you by phone or mail. Please reply quickly if you get a letter from us; your benefits could be delayed until you answer. If you do not answer at all, we may deny benefits.
Continue to make your Weekly Claim Line calls while we investigate your claim.
We will make a decision based on information from you, your employer or other sources. If the decision allows benefits and you meet all conditions, we pay any benefits you have coming. Any time your benefits are denied, we send you a decision that explains why we denied benefits, for what time period, how to requalify, and how to appeal if you disagree.
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| What if my benefit payment is late? |
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First, call the Weekly Claim Line or check the Status of Your Claim online.
With the Weekly Claim Line, the recorded voice gives you options. Press "2" for payment information about your weekly claim. You will hear 1 of 5 messages:
- The week doesn't show as claimed;
- The week was paid;
- The week cannot be paid;
- It is too soon to tell because the week has not been processed; or
- The computer cannot find a claim for you.
Each message includes instructions for you to follow.
If the week was processed for payment, the time period mentioned in the message has passed and you still have not received your benefits, contact your employment office.
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| What if I work for a temporary agency? |
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If you work for a temporary or employee leasing agency, you may receive benefits between assignments or if working part time. You must still meet all other eligibility requirements. You are an employee of the agency even if you always work at other employers' businesses.
Assignments may last a few hours or days, or continue for many months. When your assignment ends, always check in with your agency at once; they may have a new assignment for you. If you do not contact the agency for additional work or if you refuse a new assignment, you may be disqualified from receiving benefits.
When restarting your claim after working for a temporary or employee leasing agency, list the agency as your employer, not the business you were sent to help.
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| Can the department reduce my benefits for child support payments? |
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Yes. If you owe child support payments and we have a court order requiring deductions, we will deduct a percentage from your benefits each week. The deductions continue until the court notifies us to stop.
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| Can the department give out information about my claim? |
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We have very strict rules about releasing information. Certain state and federal agencies can get information from us, but only what they need to do their jobs. We will not give out information to your friends, family or anyone else unless you give us written, signed permission to do so.
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| How would retirement pay affect my benefits? |
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Contact your Unemployment Insurance Center at once. The amount and kind of your retirement pay may affect your benefits. Retirement pay could reduce your benefits, make you ineligible, or have no effect at all. Social Security will not affect your benefits unless you do not want to work full time, put limits on the work you will do, or do not want to look for work anymore.
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| How do I change my mailing address? |
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Call your nearest UI Center for assistance.
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| What are my Work Search Requirements while claiming benefits? |
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If you are not expecting to return to work for your last employers:
You must be able to work, available for work and actively seeking work during each week claimed. This includes being available for and actively seeking full-time, part-time, permanent and temporary work.
If you are returning to work for your last employer, but not within 4 weeks, or you are unsure of when you will be returning to work:
You need to stay in contact with that employer and begin to seek other work immediately. This includes being available for and actively seeking full-time, part-time permanent and temporary work.
If you are temporarily laid off and have definite date to return to work within 4 weeks for your regular employer:
In these circumstances, you are considered to be actively seeking work if you stay in touch with your employer. If you find that you will not be returning to work with your employer, or if you are going to be out of work for more than 4 weeks you must begin seeking full-time, part-time, permanent and temporary work immediately.
If you are affiliated with a closed referral labor union (one that does not allow its members to seek work on their own), get all your work through a union hiring hall, and are a member in good standing:
You are considered to be actively seeking work by staying in touch with your union.
If your are affiliated with a labor union (one that allows its members to seek work on their own) and you do not have a definite date to return to work:
You are considered to be actively seeking work by staying in touch with your union and contacting employers within your trade.
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| Where can I get help finding a job? |
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The Employment Department provides a broad range of services to assist in your return to work. Employer job listings, resume writing resources, career exploration tools and labor market information are among the services provided. Staff is available to assist you and introduce you to the services that will benefit you in your work search.
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