I just applied for unemployment insurance. Now what?

Your claim application is just the first step in getting unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. You must do the following to be eligible for UI payments.

Report your waiting week

Your waiting week is an unpaid benefit week you must serve to get UI payments. File your waiting week certification online the first Sunday after you open your claim.

You must be eligible in your waiting week to get credit and move into payable weeks.

Start looking for work

Keep track of your work-search contacts. You must make at least 2 contacts per week to get payments or waiting week credit.

Report for each week

File a weekly certification each week on the Claimant Portal until you are back to full employment. Benefit weeks start on Sunday and end Saturday. We recommend filing your weekly report on Sunday.

Remember you are filing for the past week. File carefully and honestly.

If you realize you made a mistake while filing, give us a call at (208) 332-8942. To prevent delays in payment, call within 24 hours.

Possible issues

If you were fired or quit your last job, expect a call or email. We will need more information to decide your UI eligibility. File your weekly certifications while you wait for a decision.

Need to know info

Read the Idaho Labor Unemployment Insurance Claimant Guide that will be mailed to you. This information can stop you from making mistakes that might cause you to lose benefits. You are responsible for reading and following all directions.

Along with the Claimant Guide, you will get a Monetary Determination. This states your weekly and total benefit amount based on the wages your employers reported to us. If this information is wrong, call us to avoid issues.

Important!

Your claim will close if:

• You haven’t filed weekly certifications for 2 weeks in a row.
• Your earnings are over 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount for 2 weeks in a row.

To reopen your claim:

• Log in to the Claimant Portal during the week you are laid off or your hours are reduced.
• Reopen your claim with your most recent work history.

What is the status of my unemployment claim?

You can find the status of your claim on the Claimant Portal. Log in and click on the Manage Claims tab to see certifications, issues and payment information.

If the claims section states “No Current Claim,” it means you haven’t yet filed a claim.

The Claimant Portal states I have a pending issue. What does that mean?

A pending issue means we need more information to decide your eligibility. Most pending issues delay payment until they are resolved.

We will call or email you to get the information needed. Respond within 48 hours to avoid payment further delays. Continue filing your weekly certifications while you wait a decision.

How do I file my weekly claim certification on the Claimant Portal?

You must apply for UI before you can file a weekly certification. After applying, you can file your first weekly certification the following Sunday.

Log in to the Claimant Portal and select File Weekly Certification. For instructions on filing a weekly certification, click here.

How do I set up direct deposit?

Log in to the Claimant Portal and click on the Account tab. Under Payment Method, click on the Change Payment Method link and select Sign Up for Direct Deposit.

 

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