If you are unemployed due to no fault of your own I.e. you didn’t wake up one day and decide you hated your job and quit, but were put out of work because they couldn’t afford you, or your contract was terminated legally.
If you find yourself without work at no fault of your own you will be eligible to apply for unemployment benefits and compensation. (You’ll want to check your state’s requirements as they may differ). This is a program in place that is meant to just bide people through gaps of employment that they experience.
It’s meant to help maintain a flow of income in households while individuals look for a new employment. In order to apply for unemployment you can access the application on your state’s website. You can apply by phone, online or you can hand in a physical application.
If you are wrongfully terminated you are eligible for unemployment compensation, as well as continued health benefits. It does differ from state to state. You can find your state’s employment insurance program under Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program.*
Let’s have a look at the process of applying for unemployment insurance in detail.
1. First you want to confirm your eligibility
You have to check that you meet the state’s requirements for wages or pay earned in a specific period of time known as the “base period”. The state will also want to check that you are unemployed due to no fault of your own.
2. Then you’ll want to file a claim
As soon as you are officially unemployed you should file a claim with your state’s unemployment agency, this can be done online or over the phone. They will ask you for information such as the dates of your previous employment and your address, in order to receive your money as soon as possible, you’ll want to make sure that you provide as accurate information as possible. In a normal situation you would want to claim your unemployment from the state you’re currently in. However if your place of previous employment was in a different state to where you are now, you’ll want to contact your current state and get information on how to file a claim in the other state where you worked.
3. How long does it take to receive unemployment benefits?
Generally it takes between 2-3 weeks to receive the first check. The amount will be based on a percentage of what the person earned in the prior 52 weeks. Benefits usually last for a maximum of 26 weeks, but can be extended during times of high unemployment.
