7. How to Get Unemployment Benefits?

You might face unemployment due to different reasons. Currently, many people are losing their jobs because of bankruptcy and other reasons. The US government formed unemployment insurance and its benefits by considering these factors.

Through this, the government helps the unemployed people to attain stability and actively search for jobs during this window. You might think that you can avail yourself of unemployment benefits by being unemployed. However, this isn't the case as there are strict guidelines and rules based on which the authorities facilitate these perks.

Most importantly, each US state has policies and frameworks to determine your eligibility. Now, let's look into the different factors associated with gaining unemployment benefits in the US.

Are You Qualified for Unemployment Benefits?

The US government started offering unemployment benefits to its citizens in 1932. It was first taken up in Wisconsin, and then it became a nationwide scheme in 1935 as part of the Federal Society Security Act. However, the Supreme Court constitutionalized this in 1937.

Currently, fifty US states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, provide unemployment benefits to their citizens. But each of these states has its specific guidelines for unemployment benefits. However, here are some general eligibility factors that you have to look into while applying for unemployment insurance in the US.

1. A person has to be unemployed, not because of their fault. One factor that the government considers valid is unemployment because of a lack of available work.

2. The government has work and wage requirements for an individual to qualify for unemployment insurance. Each state will have a set period established as per its guidelines, and it is the base period. In most cases, they will look into the first four out of the last five calendar quarters before filing your claim.

3. Before furnishing you with these benefits, the government will ensure that you are actively looking for job opportunities.

It is then the government will make discretion of whether or not a person is eligible. As part of the listing criteria, there is a minimum earning requirement. However, the federal government has furnished each US state with the power and flexibility to change their insurance policies for unemployment.

Therefore, moving forward with your application process, you must examine these factors based on the documents you have. Another integral element to remember is that you have to apply for your insurance and that you make the application from where you have been working.

Consider that you have been working as a teacher in a school for the last 18 months in New York. However, because of some unforeseen situation, you lost your job, and you have to move back to your hometown, which is in New Jersey.

As you are actively searching for a new opportunity in New York from your hometown, you might need financial aid. To support yourself, you can apply for unemployment insurance. However, while doing so, ensure that you do this in the state you previously worked in, which is New York. Therefore, you must follow their guidelines and fulfill their eligibility criteria to acquire the benefits.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act

As the pandemic took a toll on employment and people started losing their jobs in the US, the government allocated funds to help them. Initially, the US government sanctioned the CARES Act on March 27, 2020, and later on, they formed the American Rescue Plan in 2021. It is through these policies that the US government came up with different pandemic unemployment assistance plans, and they are:

1. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Program or FPUC focuses on providing financial aid to those who gain unemployment insurance. It can be in the form of regular unemployment or partial unemployment compensations. The government offered $600 per week from July 31, 2020, till March 2021. However, later on, the authorities extended it to September 6, 2021, and provided the eligible applicants with $300. The government furnished this as part of the American Rescue Plan.

2. Another compensation offered by the government to the unemployed people in the US is the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA). It is the funding for self-employed people, freelancers, and independent contractors. Similar to FPUC, the program ended on September 6, 2021.

3. Finally, the third initiative is the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation or PEUC. It is an extra fund offered by the government to all those who receive the FPUC and PUA. Here, after the exhaustion of FPUC or PUA, an unemployed individual can receive PEUC for an additional 13 weeks to help them while searching for another job opportunity.

These are the different programs by the government to help the unemployed during the time of the pandemic. However, these programs have expired as the issues related to the pandemic slowed down.

How to Open a Claim?

Nowadays, applying for unemployment benefits isn't a hassle. You can do so from the comfort of your home, even using your mobile phone. Since each state has its policies, it is best to reconfirm the same before moving forward with the application. For opening the claim, you have to furnish your social security number, ID card or driving license number, mailing address, telephone number, employment details, etc.,

If you are not a US citizen, you have to furnish your Alien Registration Card details. The process is pretty straightforward, as you can do so by visiting the DOI website. Although there can be changes in steps based on your state, here are some general ones you have to follow:

1. Visit the CareerOneStop website, a DOL platform, where you can continue with the application for unemployment insurance.

2. After that, you have to fill in your basic details, including your address, telephone number, social service number, etc.,

3. Next, provide your employer's and your employment details. It includes your date of employment, earnings for the past 18 months, etc. However, these details vary from one state to another.

Thus, you can avail yourself of unemployment insurance after the government approves your application.