Filing a Claim for Government Unemployment Insurance

If you were laid off by your employer, there is a good chance you are eligible to receive unemployment benefits from the government. The state and federal governments tax employers in order to fund unemployment benefits for workers who lose their jobs. All you need to do is apply for unemployment insurance benefits through your state's unemployment agency.

In most cases you can file your claim online, over the phone, or in person by visiting a branch of your state's unemployment office. Make sure you file your claim quickly after you lose your job, though. The application process for unemployment can take several weeks, and the sooner you file, the sooner you can begin to collect benefits. Some states also have a short waiting period between the date you file and the date you are eligible to receive benefits, which is another incentive to file for unemployment benefits early.

• The state unemployment office will require you to provide information about your former employer to verify that you were employed there and that your employment fulfilled the minimum amount of time required for unemployment insurance eligibility. Be prepared with all of this information ahead of time to facilitate the filing process.
• If you commuted over state lines for work and lost your job, you should file for unemployment insurance in the state where you worked, not the state where you live. Your employer paid unemployment tax where it is located, so that is where the funds for your unemployment benefits come from.

Once you have filed for unemployment insurance and started to receive benefits, you will need to prove your eligibility for unemployment insurance on a continual basis. Most states require that you submit a claim for unemployment insurance two to four times a month. You will need to show proof that you have attempted to secure new employment in order to maintain your benefits. If you have earned any income outside of regular employment, you need to report that to the unemployment office, too. Usually extra earnings will not disqualify you from unemployment insurance benefits if you still cannot find work in your field. In some cases, you may be required to attend an in-person appointment at your local unemployment office in order to continue receiving benefits. Keeping this appointment is of utmost importance, because if you do not show up, your benefits will likely be cut off.