How to Apply for Unemployment
Applying for unemployment will likely never feel like either an easy or a pleasant task, but when viewed from the opposite angle, unemployment resources can be seen as a right of every employee who has paid into the system that generates employment benefits. Employees who qualify for unemployment are simply collecting what has been accrued on their behalf. Unfortunately, the task of learning how to apply for unemployment nearly always arises in a case where there is already more emotion than normal surrounding employment, finances, and quality of life; but the good news is that it isn't as difficult to learn how to apply for unemployment as it may first appear. Strip away the layers of emotion and fear and what you will find is a system laid out by your state that walks you through how to apply and receive your unemployment benefits.
Determining if You Qualify
The first step when collecting unemployment is to determine if you qualify to receive unemployment benefits or not. While each state may administer the program slightly differently, the true legal justification to qualify for receiving unemployment benefits is to have been relieved of your job duties "through no fault of your own". So even if you have been fired, if the cause of firing was due to dissolution of a position, or left undocumented, you may very well qualify to receive unemployment. Similarly, employees who were laid off or quit, depending on the reason that you and your job parted ways, you may be eligible for unemployment. If your former employer does not automatically offer these benefits to you and walk you through the process, each state has an appeal process through which cases are heard and investigated, and you can use this avenue to file your claim for unemployment benefits.
How to Apply
Once you have determined that you qualify to receive unemployment benefits, the next step is to apply. You will need to locate the department in your state that handles unemployment benefits disbursement. This is usually the Department of Labor or the Workforce Commission in your state, but the name may vary. Doing an internet search for "(state name) unemployment application" will likely yield the name, or you can call the Secretary of State office and ask. If you use the phone system you will be asked for your former employer's name and business address, the dates between which you worked for that employer, your weekly hours and pay or wage information, and your social security number. If you use the online system should your state provide this option, you can register as a user on the site and log in to transmit the required information electronically instead.
Continuation of Unemployment Benefits
Once you are eligible for unemployment benefits, you will need to meet certain requirements in order to keep your benefits checks coming up to the maximum allotted time period. These can vary by state but generally relate to documentation of a certain number of hours spent in job-searching each week.
