Unemployment Insurance benefits are cash benefits that are provided to eligible workers who got unemployed with it being no fault of theirs and also meet the other eligibility requirements for getting the unemployment insurance benefit. The unemployment insurance benefits are temporal financial assistance and each State administers a separate unemployment insurance program but follows the same guidelines that have been established by the Federal law. If you are unemployed and you are certain that the reason you are unemployed is not your fault and you want to file for the United state Unemployment insurance benefits claim, this article will guide you on how to go about the process.
Eligibility Requirements for Filing for the United States Unemployment Insurance Benefits Claim
You can quality for filing for the United States unemployment insurance benefits claim if you meet the requirements below:
- If you are unemployed and the reason for your unemployment is no fault of your own. This could mean in most states that you were separated from your work due to a lack of available work.
- You will be eligible for the unemployment insurance benefits claim if you meet your States work and wage requirements. This means that you must meet the requirements of your State for wages earned or the time worked for an established period of time which is also referred to as a base period.
- If you meet other eligibility requirements of your state.
You will be disqualified from your eligibility if:
- You will be disqualified if the reason you have for separation from your last job is because of any other reason other than lack of work.
A determination will be made whether or not you are eligible for the benefits and this determination will be made by the appropriate state under the state law or applicable federal laws. You also have the right to file an appeal if you are disqualified or if you are denied benefits and this must be done within an established time frame.
How to file for the United States Unemployment Insurance benefits claim
To file for the United States unemployment insurance benefits claim, here are the steps to follow:
- After you become unemployed, you need to contact the state unemployment insurance policy as soon as possible. You can then file a claim either by telephone or using the internet.
- You will be asked for certain information when filing your claim such as the date and addresses of your former employment. You need to provide all the information asked of you correctly and completely to prevent your claim from being delayed.
- You need to file your claim with the state where you worked and in a case where you worked in state different from the state where you are now living or if you worked in multiple states, the unemployment insurance agency of the state where you now live can provide information on how to file your claim with other states.
- Generally, it will take 2 or 3 weeks after you have filed your claim to receive your first benefit check.
About the Benefits Provided
The benefits are generally based on the percentage of the person’s earnings over a recent 52 week period up to a state maximum amount. In most states the benefits can be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks. You can get additional weeks of benefits during the times of high unemployment but some state provides additional benefits for specific purposes. Note that the benefits provided are subject to Federal income taxes and must be reported on your Federal income tax return.