Eligibility Requirements for Unemployment Benefits?
With today's tight economy and high unemployment rates, it has become more important than ever to understand how and when and for how long an employee can collect unemployment benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a website that explains all of the ways that unemployment benefits can be accessed in a variety of situations. In general, individuals are eligible to file for and collect unemployment benefits when, as it states on the U.S. Department of Labor website, "employees are unemployed through no fault of their own". This refers to a situation where the employee has been laid off or let go for factors other than being fired for cause. Learn more about who is eligible for unemployment and how to file.
Who Is Eligible for Unemployment
The U.S. Department of Labor states that there are several instances in which an employee may be eligible to collect unemployment. Employees first and foremost must be unemployed for factors other than personal fault. Situations that could incur unemployment include a disaster situation as designated by the United States President, ex-military personnel or civil servants who are unemployed, former employees who have already collected all other means of unemployment support in high unemployment circumstances and are left without resources, support for employees who wish to start their own businesses rather than become re-employed through traditional means, and employees whose employment was disrupted due to changes in foreign import traffic to the United States.
How to File for Unemployment
In general, unemployment is conducted through the state agency responsible for handling unemployment filings in your state of residence. Unemployed workers on the state and federal level must contact the state department in the state of residence for further instructions. Often the filing can be done via internet or telephone. The U.S. Department of Labor website has more information about how to contact the appropriate state agency.
