How to Apply for Unemployment Insurance? – 2020 was a challenging year for the whole world, and over 9.6 million people lost their jobs in the U.S. However, the government has come forward to help the people in such dire times with their re-employment programs and unemployment insurance schemes.
What is Unemployment Insurance? – Overview
Unemployment Insurance, or unemployment help, refers to the money given by the government for individuals who have no jobs. The Unemployment Insurance started in Wisconsin in 1932, and later, it was implemented throughout the U.S. by the state governments. Check the unemployment insurance program in your state here.
All the states in the U.S. offer their unemployment insurance program, which the state governments pay. The money spent comes from the taxes levied on the employers. The benefits are for those who have recently become unemployed through no fault of their own.
Eligibility Guidelines for Getting the Insurance
Before a person can take the benefits of these state programs, they have to fulfill the policy’s eligibility criteria. Usually, employees that do not get fired for any misconduct are eligible for unemployment benefits.
Employees who quit their job without any genuine reason are not eligible for unemployment benefits. In some states, if a person gets fired for misconduct, they are permanently barred from receiving unemployment benefits. While in some states, it only disqualifies an employee for a short time.
People who are disabled are also eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. In New Jersey, a person who cannot engage in any activity because of physical or mental impairments is disabled.
What Is the Paperwork Required for Unemployment Insurance?
Once a person fits the eligibility criteria for the application, they have to fill in paperwork to complete the formalities. A person who has worked in any state or government in the last 18 months is eligible for the program.
A candidate has to submit some documents to apply for the insurance program. Here is a list of all the documents you need to apply for the insurance program:
- Social Security Number
- Your state driving license or non-driving identification number
- Pension Information (in case you are receiving any pension)
- Information regarding any separation pay that you may be receiving
- Recall date (in case you have to join back)
- Information regarding your union hiring hall, including their local number and address
- Military Form DD-214 (if you served in the military in the last 18 months)
- Form SF-8 pr SF-50 (if you had served as a federal employee)
- Bank account number and routing number (if you wish to get the payment through direct deposits)
Once you’ve filled in all the information regarding yourself, you’ll have to provide information about your employer. Here are the details that you’ll have to give of the employer for whom you worked in the last 18 months:
- Complete Name and Address of the employer
- Telephone number of the employer
- Your occupation in the company
- Information regarding your date of joining and ending
- Reason for leaving the company
Further Steps to Claim Unemployment Insurance
Once you have completed the paperwork for the application, you have to make an account on the state website. On creating the account, you can go through the programs and the type of benefits offered by the state department.
As the application process moves forward, the department will send you several different pieces of mails. These mails come over several days and will contain documents depending on the type of claim.
An applicant will receive some documents on their emails, and some will come via the U.S. Postal Service.
An applicant has to read the instructions for claiming benefits and certify for the benefits on the scheduled time and date. Before transferring the benefits, a step-by-step verification ensures the protection of the applicant.
Final Step
After the applicant has received the benefits, they can start looking for jobs. A user can go through the government portal, look for job opportunities, and apply for a job. An applicant can also add dependents to the list who can claim the benefits on his behalf.
Now and then, the department will schedule an appointment for the applicant, which they have to attend. In case they don’t, they’ll be ineligible for the benefits.
