How to Claim Unemployment Benefits After Interrupting the Same Before the Full Period of Eligibility
Unemployment insurance is intended to keep those who lose their jobs from descending quickly into poverty. It provides compensation on a temporary basis to displaced workers. Unemployment insurance is administered by a state agency. When you lose your job, it is advisable to file a claim for unemployment benefits within a week. After your benefit payments begin, you will have to file paperwork weekly or biweekly to let the state agency know if you have earned money. If you earn too much money to receive benefits one week, but are eligible for benefits the next week, you will need to reopen your claim.
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Instructions
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Tell the state agency you are no longer working. In some states, such as California and New Jersey, you communicate this by filling out an online form on the agency's website. You may also be able to contact the agency by phone. In any case, you need to communicate to the agency that you are no longer earning money.
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Look for correspondence from the state agency. In some states, when you reopen a claim, your state agency will send you a notification by mail or email. This will confirm that the agency realizes you are once again seeking weekly benefits.
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Certify your continuing eligibility. In states such as New York, you can simply file your weekly certification online or by phone. This single step will let the agency know you are no longer working and restart the flow of benefits. In California, on the other hand, once you reopen an unemployment claim, you will begin receiving continued claim forms by mail every two weeks. With these forms, the agency can determine that you are still available for and seeking work and are no longer receiving income. In New Jersey, you may be able to file your weekly benefit claims using the agency's website.
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Look for your payments. In some states, you will once again begin receiving paper checks. In states such as New York and New Jersey, you can receive unemployment benefits via direct deposit.
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Tips & Warnings
As of December 2010, California filers can certify continuing eligibility over the telephone using EDD Tele-Cert. California claimants will continue to receive paper claim forms and must use the paper forms if, for example, they earn money or change addresses during the claim period.
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