Apply for Unemployment

The first thing a person should do when laid off from a job is apply for unemployment, before even sending out that first resume. This compensation is meant to support Americans during the period of time they are looking for work, so the earlier they apply the better.

Unemployment can also cause a loss in health benefits.

The process for applying for unemployment differs from state to state. In some states people can apply online or by phone, while in others they must go to the unemployment office in person. Unemployment offices are run by each state’s department of labor and can easily be found by using the online directory.

No matter which method a person uses to apply, the application is fairly extensive. Applicants need to have the following information handy:

• The mailing address and phone number of the applicant and the former employer
• The applicant’s Social Security number or Taxpayer Identification Number
• The dates of employment
• Information on the applicant’s wages from the past three years

The applicant will also be asked on the application why he or she left the previous employer. Being laid off is almost always an eligible reason. Sometimes quitting or being fired is an eligible reason too, but only if the Department of Labor determines that the termination was not the fault of the employee. One example is if the employee quit because the job was misrepresented in the initial interview.

Another question on the application will be whether or not the person would like to have taxes taken out of the unemployment checks. Although the gut answer for many is “no,” but then the taxes must be paid back later. It is not a free pass to avoid Uncle Sam.

A Department of Labor employee will call the applicant to confirm the application and get a statement on why the applicant was terminated. That same representative will then contact the former employer to have someone corroborate the story. If the employer agrees with the employee, the application process is fairly quick.

The department then decides whether the applicant is eligible for benefits according to state employment law. If approved, the applicant will get that first check within approximately three weeks. However, oftentimes the former employer and the applicant come to an impasse on the reason for termination, especially when either one or both of the parties is lying or they have a different interpretation of the same events. The Department of Labor representative will try to mediate between the two parties to determine exactly what happened.

Both the employer and the applicant have the option of appealing the Department of Labor’s decision. If this happens, the case is taken to court or legally binding mediation. A judge then decides whether or not to award the applicant benefits. It behooves the person to get a good employment lawyer who knows state laws backwards and forwards.

Even after being approved for unemployment benefits, applicants need to apply for unemployment again every two weeks, usually using the same method he or she used to apply the first time (in person, by phone or online). If a person misses the biweekly deadline, he or she will not get benefits for the next two-week period.

The process will be quicker and easier since the department already has most of the information needed. All the applicant has to do is assert continued unemployment and need for compensation and prove he or she is actively looking for work by providing names and contact information for companies he or she has applied to. Of course, individuals who find new employment should not continue to reapply. If they do so they are inviting an unpleasant visit from the Internal Revenue Service.

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