How to Get Unemployment Benefits

If you happen to lose your job, and this is a time when that is nothing to be ashamed of, it's important to at least know how to get unemployment benefits from the government so that you aren't struggling to survive while you look for more work. While getting unemployment for an extended period of time and coasting on the money the government pays you isn't the best thing to do, collecting this money in the short term as a buffer between jobs will help you and your family's life from being terribly disrupted. Below are some tips on how to get unemployment benefits.

File for Benefits

One of the main reasons why people don't collect unemployment benefits is because they don't even try to collect them, as they are either embarrassed, don't think they need them or are too lazy to actually go through the process. So the first thing that needs to be done is filing the proper forms with your local unemployment office, stating the reason for why you lost your job and how you lost your job. They will let you know if you qualify for unemployment benefits in a letter that they send to you.

Respond to the Letter Properly

The next step in receiving unemployment benefits is shockingly simple: wait for the letter from the unemployment office telling you if you qualify. Read this letter carefully, as it may not be entirely clear the first time you peruse it. If you are eligible to receive these unemployment benefits, follow the instructions on the letter with how you should respond, as each state's unemployment process is slightly different. If you have been denied unemployment benefits, read the instructions on the letter as to how you can challenge this ruling. In most states, appeals to unemployment benefit denials must be done within two to three weeks and specific forms need to be sent in. Before you go to the unemployment office to appeal this decision, collect evidence as to why you should be receiving benefits from your old job while you look for a new job.

Continue to Send in the Proper Information

Once you have been approved to collect unemployment benefits in your state, many times you must continue to update your progress when looking for a new job on a regular basis, to prove that you are not just collecting unemployment and not actively trying to find new employment. While this procedure varies from state to state, it often entails filling out and unemployment claim form of some kind and sending it in via email or delivering it in person to the unemployment office. On this claim form will be all of your personal information that you have put on all of the other forms you have had to fill out to collect unemployment, as well as the places you have applied to looking for a job. In many states, there needs to be evidence that you are actively trying to find a job and are willing to work before you will be paid unemployment. While collecting a government check is nice, it's always better to have a job.