How Do I File for unemployment insurance benefits?
Am I Eligible?
Each state sets its own unemployment insurance benefits eligibility guidelines, but you usually qualify if you:
- Are unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, this means you have to have separated from your last job due to a lack of available work.
- Meet work and wage requirements. You must meet your state’s requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time referred to as a “base period.” (In most states, this is usually the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters before the time that your claim is filed.)
- Meet any additional state requirements. Find details of your own state’s program.
How Do I Apply?
To receive unemployment insurance benefits, you need to file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you worked. Depending on the state, claims may be filed in person, by telephone, or online.
- You should contact your state’s unemployment insurance program as soon as possible after becoming unemployed.
- Generally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked. If you worked in a state other than the one where you now live or if you worked in multiple states, the state unemployment insurance agency where you now live can provide information about how to file your claim with other states.
- When you file a claim, you will be asked for certain information, such as addresses and dates of your former employment. To make sure your claim is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.
- It generally takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check.
State Unemployment Insurance Offices
State | Agency | Phone Number(s) | Website |
Alabama | Alabama Department of Labor | 334-242-8025 | https://labor.alabama.gov/uc/ICCS/ |
Alaska | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 907-269-4700 | https://my.alaska.gov/ |
Arizona | Arizona Department of Economic Security | 1-877-600-2722 | https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual/apply-ui-benefits |
Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Workforce Services | 501-682-2121 | https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov/ |
California | California Employment Development Department | 1-800-300-5616 | https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm |
Colorado | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment | 303-318-9000 | https://www.colorado.gov/cdle/unemployment |
Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Labor | 1-800-956-3294 | http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/UI-OnLine/ |
Delaware | Delaware Department of Labor | New Castle County: 302-761-6576 Other Areas: 1-800-794-3032 |
https://uics.delawareworks.com/Forms/Form_WL1 |
District of Columbia | District of Columbia Department of Employment Services | 202-724-7000 | https://does.dcnetworks.org/InitialClaims/ |
Florida | Florida Department of Economic Opportunity | 1-800-204-2418 | http://www.floridajobs.org/Reemployment-Assistance-Service-Center/reemployment-assistance/claimants/apply-for-benefits |
Georgia | Georgia Department of Labor | 1-877-709-8185 | https://dol.georgia.gov/ |
Hawaii | Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations | Oahu: 808-586-8970 Hilo: 808-974-4086 Kona: 808-322-4822 Maui: 808-984-8400 Kauai: 808-274-3043 |
https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/ |
Idaho | Idaho Department of Labor | 208-332-8942 | https://www2.labor.idaho.gov/ClaimantPortal/Login |
Illinois | Illinois Department of Employment Security | 1-800-244-5631 | https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/individuals/UnemploymentInsurance/ |
Indiana | Indiana Department of Workforce Development | 1-800-891-6499 | https://www.in.gov/dwd/2362.htm |
Iowa | Iowa Workforce Development | 1-866-239-0843 | https://uiclaims.iwd.iowa.gov/UIInitialClaim/ |
Kansas | Kansas Department of Labor | 1-800-292-6333 | https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/ |
Kentucky | Kentucky Career Center Office of Unemployment Insurance | 502-564-2900 | https://kcc.ky.gov |
Louisiana | Louisiana Workforce Commission | 1-866-783-5567 | https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/vosnet/ |
Maine | Maine Department of Labor | 1-800-593-7660 | https://reemployme.maine.gov/accessme/faces/login/login.xhtml |
Maryland | Maryland Department of Labor | 410-949-0022 | http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/unemployment.shtml |
Massachusetts | Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance | 617-626-6338 | https://www.mass.gov/unemployment-insurance-ui-online |
Michigan | Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity | 1-866-500-0017 | https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241—,00.html |
Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development | Twin Cities Area: 651-296-3644 Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090 |
https://uimn.org/applicants/ |
Mississippi | Mississippi Department of Employment Security | 1-888-844-3577 | https://www.mdes.ms.gov/unemployment-claims/claims-information/ |
Missouri | Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations | 1-800-320-2519 | https://uinteract.labor.mo.gov/benefits/home.do |
Montana | Montana Department of Labor and Industry | 406-444-2545 | https://montanaworks.gov/Job-Seeker-UI-Claimant |
Nebraska | Nebraska Department of Labor | 1-855-995-8863 | https://neworks.nebraska.gov/vosnet/ |
Nevada | Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation | Northern Nevada: 775-684-0350 Southern Nevada: 702-486-0350 Rural Areas and Out of State Callers: 1-888-890-8211 |
http://ui.nv.gov/css.html |
New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Employment Security | 1-800-852-3400 | https://nhuis.nh.gov/claimant/ |
New Jersey | New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development | North New Jersey: 201-601-4100 Central New Jersey: 732-761-2020 South New Jersey: 856-507-2340 Out-of-state claims: 1-888-795-6672 |
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/howtoapply/ |
New Mexico | New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions | 1-877-664-6984 | https://www.jobs.state.nm.us/vosnet/Default.aspx |
New York | New York Department of Labor | 1-888-209-8124 | https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/ |
North Carolina | North Carolina Department of Commerce | 1-888-737-0259 | https://des.nc.gov/ |
North Dakota | North Dakota Job Service | 701-328-4995 | https://www.jobsnd.com/unemployment-individuals/resources-unemployment-individuals |
Ohio | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | 1-877-644-6562 | http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/index.stm |
Oklahoma | Oklahoma Employment Security Commission | 1-800-555-1554 | https://oesc.ok.gov |
Oregon | Oregon Employment Department | 1-877-345-3484 | https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs4/ |
Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry | 1-888-313-7284 | https://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/File%20an%20Initial%20Claim.aspx |
Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources | 787-625-7900 | https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/desempleo_en_linea.asp |
Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training | 401-243-9100 | http://www.dlt.ri.gov/ui/ |
South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce | 1-866-831-1724 | https://dew.sc.gov/individuals/apply-for-benefits/claims-process |
South Dakota | South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation | 605-626-3179 | https://dlr.sd.gov/ra/individuals/file_claim.aspx |
Tennessee | Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 1-877-813-0950 | https://www.tn.gov/workforce/unemployment.html |
Texas | Texas Workforce Commission | 1-800-939-6631 | https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services |
U.S. Virgin Islands | U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Labor | 340-773-1994 | https://www.vidol.gov/how-and-where-to-apply/ |
Utah | Utah Department of Workforce Services | Salt Lake and South Davis Counties: 801-526-4400 Weber and North Davis Counties: 801-612-0877 Utah County: 801-375-4067 Other Counties and Out of State: 1-888-848-0688 |
https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/home/initialclaims |
Vermont | Vermont Department of Labor | 1-888-807-7072 | https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance/ui-claimants/establishing-unemployment-claim |
Virginia | Virginia Employment Commission | 1-866-832-2363 | http://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed/online-services/apply-for-unemployment-benefits |
Washington | Washington Employment Security Department | 1-800-318-6022 | https://secure.esd.wa.gov/home/ |
West Virginia | Workforce West Virginia | 1-800-379-1032 | https://uc.workforcewv.org/consumer/ |
Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development | 1-844-910-3661 | https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/ |
Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Workforce Services | 307-473-3789 | https://wyui.wyo.gov/benefits/home.do |