When a person loses a job through no fault of his or her own, that individual may be eligible for unemployment benefits. The federal and state governments work together to provide monetary compensation for people who have become involuntarily unemployed. These benefits are not available to people who quit a job without a valid reason, were fired due to inappropriate behavior or willingly resigned to pursue other interests or because of an illness.
Most states allow people who have lost their jobs to collect money from unemployment for up to 6 months. The amount of the payment varies from state to state, but it is usually close to half of the salary previously earned up to a maximum designated amount. When applying for unemployment benefits, you will need:
1. Your Social Security number.
2. The dates your employment began and ended.
3. The Federal Identification Number for your former employer.
4. Your salary history from the past year.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Start claiming unemployment benefits
File for unemployment insurance benefits as soon as you have lost your job. The government will not automatically send you checks once you are no longer working. You must apply, be accepted and fill out bi-weekly forms that ask if you have been working and if you are searching for a new job. Your claim will become official on the Sunday during the week in which you filed. Contact your state government to apply for the benefits.
I recommend: Visit the
U.S. Department of Labor or
CareerOneStop websites and click on your state to be directed to the proper office to submit your claim.
Get help filling out your application for unemployment benefits
It can be difficult to figure out what forms you need to submit, where they need to be sent and how often you have to fill out necessary paperwork to keep the benefits coming. Work with a company that will help you get started, let you know if you are eligible for an unemployment benefit extension and guide you through the entire process.
I recommend: Businesses like
Statepay.com and the
Unemployment Benefits Advisor can help you file for and collect unemployment benefits.
Calculate unemployment benefits
After being laid off, you may rely on the unemployment money you will receive to get you through difficult times. You will want to know how much to expect and how soon you will start receiving checks. The amount you receive is based on your earnings from previous jobs, but the process of figuring out the amount can be complicated and hard to understand.
I recommend: Get help figuring out how much you will receive with the unemployment calculator provided by the
Economic Policy Institute. Have the professionals at
Potts & Associates advise you on what to expect.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Once you have started receiving unemployment benefits, be diligent in filling out the ongoing paperwork in order to keep receiving the checks. A delay on your behalf will result in you not receiving the checks in a timely manner.
- When your initial monetary allocation is about to run out, you may apply for up to an additional 13 weeks of benefits if you and your state are eligible for this federal funding.
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