Tips for Collecting Unemployment Benefits

Claim and Collect Unemployment Benefits

By: Dan P.

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The job market is looking rougher than it has in over twenty years, and the amount of people claiming unemployment benefits is at its highest level since 1982.For these reasons, a lot of Americans are wondering: "how am I supposed to collect my unemployment benefits if I have been, or am about to be laid off?" Claiming unemployment benefits can be a bit confusing at first, but thankfully this process has become a bit more streamlined lately in light of the dire circumstances besetting the economy at the moment. With this practical guide, it should be relatively easy for you to begin collecting your benefits.

The Basics of Unemployment Compensation

The current system for collecting unemployment benefits, officially referred to as unemployment compensation, has been handed down from the days of FDR's New Deal. Established as part of the Social Security Act of 1935, the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation Program, as the name implies, is administered in tandem by government at the national and state level. Funding is provided by the Federal Unemployment Tax Act as well as state unemployment taxes, which is delivered to states according to the stipulations of the Social Security Act.

Who is Eligible to Claim?

In practice, states have a significant degree of control over who is eligible for unemployment benefits, and persons looking to claim benefits are urged to consult each states requirements. Generally, eligibility is based upon your having been employed at your latest job for a minimal base period, and having been laid off without having done anything wrong (this is the difference between being fired and being laid off, and each state's laws on the subject differs from others'.)

How Long Can You Collect Unemployment Benefits For?

The period for receiving benefits is generally 13 weeks, though an additional 7 weeks can be filed for as an extension; in states with high unemployment rates, collecting unemployment benefits is possible for up to 33 weeks.

When to File a Claim and What You Will Need

Whatever your state's laws, make sure that if you need to file a claim, you do so immediately upon being laid off, and that you have the following information on hand:

Your mailing address.
Your Social Security number .
Your previous employer's information.
The period of your previous employment and how much you were earning .
Information on the last two years of your job history.

Finding Where to Claim

As mentioned before, you need to get in touch with your state's unemployment insurance program offices immediately upon being laid off.
To do this, visit this link at ServiceLocator, to find state-by-state lisiting; certain states allow you to make your jobless claim over the phone and over the internet, while others may require you to visit their offices in person.

Claiming the Right Compensation

There is more than just one framework for unemployment benefits, and if you were a federal employee or are an ex-service member, you may have a specific safety net for you. In the case that you qualify as the former, go to WorkForceSecurity/Federal Employee, whereas if you qualify as part of the latter group, go to WorkForceSecurity/ Ex-Service to get an idea of which avenues of help are open to you. Otherwise, you'll have to apply for the standard unemployment benefits.

Being Patient With the System

On average, people claiming unemployment benefits will have between a one and three week delay period in order to begin receiving their check. States with higher unemployment levels, and therefore bigger volumes of claimants, generally will take longer to put your payment in the mail. Furthermore, you will have to continue filing for unemployment benefits weekly or biweekly, depending on your state's system, in order to keep receiving the compensation.
You may be made to jump through a few hoops, amongst which it is common for states to oblige you to register with a job-recruitment program. In the end, no state wants to continue paying benefits to somebody who does not need them, or is in a perfect condition to get a new job immediately.

Understanding the Tiers

Again, states with high unemployment (over 6%) are “triggered on” in unemployment lingo, and means that people laid off in that state will be eligible to collect second tier benefits. First tier benefits are available nationwide, and last for 13 weeks with the possibility of a 7 week extension. Second tier benefits are offered in states with more than 6% unemployment for 13 additional weeks, with a total of 33 weeks.

Calculating Your Unemployment Benefits

The amount that you receive will be determined by a series of factors, including where you live, how much you were making in your previous job, whether or not tax is being withheld, and how long you have been a salary-earning employee. For a professional that earns roughly 45K per year, living in an area with an average cost of living, it would be typical to get a biweekly check for between $700 and $1000; you need to contact your state's offices to get a firm notion of what you are entitled to, however.

Further Resources

To finish, it is a good idea to consult the US Department of Labor's website for further, specific information and a series of very helpful links. Remember, you will not be able to collect unemployment benefits forever, so working on getting the next job should always be the biggest priority.

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