On this page, we have explained in detail for everyone to understand what is unemployment insurance (UI), how to qualify and check qualification status for unemployment, file for unemployment, and learn about the compensation plus other benefits that could as well be received.
What is Unemployment Insurance (UI)?
The Unemployment insurance program in the United State (also known as Unemployment, Unemployment benefits, unemployment payment, unemployment compensation) is a compensatory fee paid by the state to eligible unemployed workers who have lost their jobs due to layoffs or retrenchment. It aims to provide a source of income for jobless workers until they can find employment or something doing again.
A person has to be eligible to quality for the Unemployment insurance (UI).
Unlike Canada’s Employment Insurance (EI) program where workers paid premiums of 1.62% of insured earnings in return for benefits in case, they lose their jobs, here in the United State of American the program UI is funded by a compulsory governmental insurance system.
However, the state may either continuously provide partial income replacement for a defined length of time or until you find employment, whichever comes first depends on your qualification.
Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Check Before Applying
To be eligible for the unemployment benefits certain criteria must be met, which includes having worked for a minimum stipulated period and actively looking for employment.
There have been countless times that most beneficiaries are those who recently lost their job without fault of their own, such as being laid off or if the business closed. But each state sets its own unemployment insurance benefits eligibility guidelines. Generally can qualify if you:
- You were laid off from your job with no-fault triggered by you:
- Meet work duration and wage requirements: Because both the federal government and the individual states manage unemployment insurance in the U.S., the requirements will vary. In most states, it is usually the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters before the time that your claim is filed. It is expected that your weekly benefit amount (WBA) ranges from $50 to $550.
- Meet any additional state requirements: Find more information about your own state’s program.
How to Apply For The United State Unemployment Insurance Program
You have to file your claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you worked to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Now, it depends on the state, claims may be filed in person, by telephone, or online, and this is the reason we have listed below the State Unemployment Insurance Offices, office phone numbers, and their official websites.
Steps to file your unemployment benefit claim
- Use the state list below to find and contact your state’s unemployment insurance program as soon as possible after becoming unemployed.
- Generally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked. If you worked in a state other than the one where you now live or if you worked in multiple states, the state unemployment insurance agency where you now live can provide information about how to file your claim with other states.
- When you file a claim, you will be asked for certain information, such as addresses and dates of your former employment. To make sure your claim is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.
- It generally takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check.
COVID-19-Related Unemployment Programs
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law a $2 trillion coronavirus emergency stimulus package called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Also, On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, a stimulus package worth $1.9 trillion which provided additional benefits to Americans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill extended unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic from March 14, 2021, to Sept. 6, 2021.
| PROGRAM | WHAT IT DOES |
|---|---|
| Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) | Extended benefits to the self-employed, freelancers, and independent contractors. |
| Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) | Provided a federal benefit of $600 a week up until July 25, 2020. The benefit is extended but reduced to $300 per week until March 14, 2021, beginning Jan. 2, 2021. |
| Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) | Extended benefits for an extra 13 weeks after regular unemployment compensation benefits are exhausted with an additional 11 weeks having been added for a total of 24 weeks. |
State Unemployment Insurance Offices and Their Websites
| State | Agency | Phone Number(s) | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Department of Labor | 334-242-8025 | https://labor.alabama.gov/uc/ICCS/ |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 907-269-4700 | https://my.alaska.gov/ |
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Economic Security | 1-877-600-2722 | https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual/apply-ui-benefits |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Workforce Services | 501-682-2121 | https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov/ |
| California | California Employment Development Department | 1-800-300-5616 | https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm |
| Colorado | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment | 303-318-9000 | https://www.colorado.gov/cdle/unemployment |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Labor | 1-800-956-3294 | http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/UI-OnLine/ |
| Delaware | Delaware Department of Labor | New Castle County: 302-761-6576 Other Areas: 1-800-794-3032 | https://uics.delawareworks.com/Forms/Form_WL1 |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia Department of Employment Services | 202-724-7000 | https://does.dcnetworks.org/InitialClaims/ |
| Florida | Florida Department of Economic Opportunity | 1-800-204-2418 | http://www.floridajobs.org/Reemployment-Assistance-Service-Center/reemployment-assistance/claimants/apply-for-benefits |
| Georgia | Georgia Department of Labor | 1-877-709-8185 | https://dol.georgia.gov/ |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations | Oahu: 808-586-8970 Hilo: 808-974-4086 Kona: 808-322-4822 Maui: 808-984-8400 Kauai: 808-274-3043 | https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/ |
| Idaho | Idaho Department of Labor | 208-332-8942 | https://www2.labor.idaho.gov/ClaimantPortal/Login |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Employment Security | 1-800-244-5631 | https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/individuals/UnemploymentInsurance/ |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Workforce Development | 1-800-891-6499 | https://www.in.gov/dwd/2362.htm |
| Iowa | Iowa Workforce Development | 1-866-239-0843 | https://uiclaims.iwd.iowa.gov/UIInitialClaim/ |
| Kansas | Kansas Department of Labor | 1-800-292-6333 | https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/ |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Career Center Office of Unemployment Insurance | 502-564-2900 | https://kcc.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Workforce Commission | 1-866-783-5567 | https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/vosnet/ |
| Maine | Maine Department of Labor | 1-800-593-7660 | https://reemployme.maine.gov/accessme/faces/login/login.xhtml |
| Maryland | Maryland Department of Labor | 410-949-0022 | http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/unemployment.shtml |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance | 617-626-6338 | https://www.mass.gov/unemployment-insurance-ui-online |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity | 1-866-500-0017 | https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241—,00.html |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development | Twin Cities Area: 651-296-3644 Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090 | https://uimn.org/applicants/ |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Employment Security | 1-888-844-3577 | https://www.mdes.ms.gov/unemployment-claims/claims-information/ |
| Missouri | Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations | 1-800-320-2519 | https://uinteract.labor.mo.gov/benefits/home.do |
| Montana | Montana Department of Labor and Industry | 406-444-2545 | https://montanaworks.gov/Job-Seeker-UI-Claimant |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Labor | 1-855-995-8863 | https://neworks.nebraska.gov/vosnet/ |
| Nevada | Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation | Northern Nevada: 775-684-0350 Southern Nevada: 702-486-0350 Rural Areas and Out of State Callers: 1-888-890-8211 | http://ui.nv.gov/css.html |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Employment Security | 1-800-852-3400 | https://nhuis.nh.gov/claimant/ |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development | North New Jersey: 201-601-4100 Central New Jersey: 732-761-2020 South New Jersey: 856-507-2340 Out-of-state claims: 1-888-795-6672 | https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/howtoapply/ |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions | 1-877-664-6984 | https://www.jobs.state.nm.us/vosnet/Default.aspx |
| New York | New York Department of Labor | 1-888-209-8124 | https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/ |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Department of Commerce | 1-888-737-0259 | https://des.nc.gov/ |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Job Service | 701-328-4995 | https://www.jobsnd.com/unemployment-individuals/resources-unemployment-individuals |
| Ohio | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | 1-877-644-6562 | http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/index.stm |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Employment Security Commission | 1-800-555-1554 | https://oesc.ok.gov |
| Oregon | Oregon Employment Department | 1-877-345-3484 | https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs4/ |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry | 1-888-313-7284 | https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/File%20an%20Initial%20Claim.aspx |
| Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources | 787-625-7900 | https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/desempleo_en_linea.asp |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training | 401-243-9100 | http://www.dlt.ri.gov/ui/ |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce | 1-866-831-1724 | https://dew.sc.gov/individuals/apply-for-benefits/claims-process |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation | 605-626-3179 | https://dlr.sd.gov/ra/individuals/file_claim.aspx |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 1-877-813-0950 | https://www.tn.gov/workforce/unemployment.html |
| Texas | Texas Workforce Commission | 1-800-939-6631 | https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Labor | 340-773-1994 | https://www.vidol.gov/how-and-where-to-apply/ |
| Utah | Utah Department of Workforce Services | Salt Lake and South Davis Counties: 801-526-4400 Weber and North Davis Counties: 801-612-0877 Utah County: 801-375-4067 Other Counties and Out of State: 1-888-848-0688 | https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/home/initialclaims |
| Vermont | Vermont Department of Labor | 1-888-807-7072 | https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance/ui-claimants/establishing-unemployment-claim |
| Virginia | Virginia Employment Commission | 1-866-832-2363 | http://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed/online-services/apply-for-unemployment-benefits |
| Washington | Washington Employment Security Department | 1-800-318-6022 | https://secure.esd.wa.gov/home/ |
| West Virginia | Workforce West Virginia | 1-800-379-1032 | https://uc.workforcewv.org/consumer/ |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development | 1-844-910-3661 | https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/ |
| Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Workforce Services | 307-473-3789 | https://wyui.wyo.gov/benefits/home.do |
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