A record 6.6 million people filed for unemployment this past week, most of them due to the COVID-19 pandemic that we’re dealing with right now.
That makes almost 10 million in the past 2 weeks alone!
In addition to publishing this website I was still working a day job up until this past week. I was furloughed for an indefinite amount of time and I’ve found myself among the coronavirus unemployed.
I’ve already started down the path of investigating unemployment benefits for myself and for those who, through no fault of their own, have found themselves without a job.
There are a lot of us.
I have a feeling there are going to be even more of us as this pandemic drags on. Some officials are saying that unemployment could reach 30% in the second quarter of 2020.
While it’s important to make sure that your finances are in order, save up an emergency fund and plan ahead for any type of emergency, planning for something like this is extremely difficult.
Thankfully there are plenty of public and private organizations that are setup to help people when their job is lost.
How Does Unemployment Insurance Typically Work?
Unemployment insurance is meant to provide temporary income to those who have lost their jobs due to a layoff, furlough (like me) or business closure. In other words, it covers you if you’ve lost your job through no fault of your own.
The benefits are funded through state employment taxes, and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act.
Unemployment benefits are managed and distributed by the individual states, so just how generous the benefits are varies by state.
Most states supply 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, while others like Florida and North Carolina offer only 12 weeks currently, although that can increase if the unemployment rates goes up.
Typically in order to qualify you have to apply for unemployment benefits with your state agency, and you have to meet several criteria.
- You have to be out of work through no fault of your own (you weren’t fired for cause).
- You have to have been employed for a minimum period as required by your state’s laws, called the “base period”. This period will help to determine how much your benefit amount is, and typically it’s less than half of your normal pay.
- You are able to work, are available to interview and are actively looking for a new job.(This requirement may be waived due to so many being temporarily out of work due to COVID-19).
Most states will have a maximum benefit amount that you can receive per week, so if you had a high paying job your benefits will not be nearly as high as your income. They will max out at a certain dollar amount, which varies by state.
Once you apply you will usually hear back within a few days, sometimes longer, about whether you're approved for unemployment benefits or not. If you are approved you'll usually have to go to your state's website every week or every other week to request new unemployment payments and report any earnings you might have had from part time employment, which can reduce your benefits.
Expanded Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits In The CARES Act
We’ve written recently about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), and the $1,200 economic impact payments or stimulus checks that it provides for individuals, or $2,400 payments for couples. It also provides $500 for each dependent child 16 and under.
While the stimulus checks are needed, the CARES Act also puts in place some extended unemployment benefits for workers. Among the provisions that are most important for people applying:
- It adds 13 weeks to the typical 26 weeks of unemployment that most states provide. This runs through 12/31/2020. That would mean you could have a maximum of 39 weeks.
- It adds $600/week in benefits and payments through July 31st, 2020. You can receive this extra benefit until you’ve exhausted your state benefits. In some states that more than doubles the weekly maximum benefit amount, and in some cases means some people are earning more by being unemployed. See the weekly max benefit for each state in the table down below.
- The act also extends unemployment benefits to part-time and contract workers as well as self-employed individuals. This is huge if you’re a gig worker or self employed.
- Incentivizes states to waive the 1 week waiting period for unemployment benefits that most states have by reimbursing the states for 100% of the benefits for that week.
When Does The $600 Extra Unemployment Benefit Payment Begin?
When applying for benefits this week I found that my state is still waiting on guidance from the federal government on how to distribute the additional $600/week, and they said that it may be a few weeks before that provision takes full effect and funding is supplied.
In checking sources online most are saying that they should have updates to provide the extra $600/week by mid to late April, 2020. Until then, however, you can still collect your state’s normal unemployment benefits if you’re approved.
You'll be automatically added to the stimulus programs rolls once official guidance and funding is available.
It's important to note that the $600 is also paid retroactively, starting on 4/5/20. So you will get the benefits from the date you signed up for unemployment on. It will only be paid and apply to those who are receiving unemployment benefits. If your state says you are not approved for benefits, you will also not receive the $600 extra COVID-19 payment.
Usually after you lose a job there is a 1 week waiting period before you can apply for unemployment benefits. That waiting period is now also paid for by the federal government due to the CARES Act, so if the state approves you for benefits for that week they will be 100% reimbursed. So in most states you will be able to apply the same week that you lose your job.
A Listing Of All State Unemployment Offices For All 50 States
To apply for benefits, check out the table below where we have a listing of each state agency handling unemployment claims in all 50 states.
There is a link to each state unemployment website, a listing of how many weeks of unemployment they typically offer, the max weekly benefit and a phone number for the agency handling unemployment claims. To figure out your max benefit take the state's listed amount, and add $600 to the total.
State | Agency | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
26 weeks $275/wk max | Alabama Department of Labor | 334-242-8025 | |
26 weeks $370/wk max | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 907-269-4700 | |
26 weeks $240/wk max | Arizona Department of Economic Security | 1-877-600-2722 | |
26 weeks $451/wk max | Arkansas Department of Workforce Services | 501-682-2121 | |
26 weeks $450/wk max | California Employment Development Department | 1-800-300-5616 | |
26 weeks $618/wk max | Colorado Department of Labor and Employment | 303-318-9000 | |
26 weeks $649/wk max $749 with dependents | Connecticut Department of Labor | 860-263-6000 | |
26 weeks $400/wk max | Delaware Department of Labor | New Castle County: 302-761-6576 Other Areas: 1-800-794-3032 | |
26 weeks $444/wk max | District of Columbia Department of Employment Services | 202-724-7000 | |
12 weeks $275/wk max | Florida Department of Economic Opportunity | 1-800-204-2418 | |
16 weeks $365/wk max | Georgia Department of Labor | 1-877-709-8185 | |
26 weeks $648/wk max | 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 | |
20 weeks $448/wk max | Idaho Department of Labor | 208-332-8942 | |
26 weeks $484/wk max ($667 with dependents) | Illinois Department of Employment Security | 1-800-244-5631 | |
26 weeks $390/wk max | Indiana Department of Workforce Development | 1-800-891-6499 | |
26 weeks $447/wk max | Iowa Workforce Development | 1-866-239-0843 | |
16 weeks $488/wk max | Kansas Department of Labor | 1-800-292-6333 | |
26 weeks $552/wk max | Kentucky Career Center Office of Unemployment Insurance | 502-564-2900 | |
26 weeks $247/wk max | Louisiana Workforce Commission | 1-866-783-5567 | |
26 weeks $445/wk max | Maine Department of Labor | 1-800-593-7660 | |
26 weeks $430/wk max | Maryland Department of Labor | 410-949-0022 | |
26 weeks $823/wk max $1,234 with dependents | Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance | 617-626-6338 | |
20 weeks $362/wk max | Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity | 1-866-500-0017 | |
26 weeks $740/wk max | Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development | Twin Cities Area: 651-296-3644 Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090 | |
26 weeks $235/wk max | Mississippi Department of Employment Security | 1-888-844-3577 | |
20 weeks $320/wk max | Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations | 1-800-320-2519 | |
26 weeks $552/wk max | Montana Department of Labor and Industry | 406-444-2545 | |
26 weeks $440/wk max | Nebraska Department of Labor | 1-855-995-8863 | |
26 weeks $469/wk max | 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 | |
26 weeks $427/wk max | New Hampshire Department of Employment Security | 1-800-852-3400 | |
26 weeks $713/wk max | 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 | |
26 weeks $511/wk max | New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions | 1-877-664-6984 | |
26 weeks $504/wk max | New York Department of Labor | 1-888-209-8124 | |
12 weeks $350/wk max | North Carolina Department of Commerce | 1-888-737-0259 | |
26 weeks $633/wk max | North Dakota Job Service | 701-328-4995 | |
26 weeks $480/wk max $647 with dependents | Ohio Department of Job and Family Services | 1-877-644-6562 | |
26 weeks $539/wk max | Oklahoma Employment Security Commission | 1-800-555-1554 | |
26 weeks $648/wk max | Oregon Employment Department | 1-877-345-3484 | |
26 weeks $572/wk max $580 with dependents. | Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry | 1-888-313-7284 | |
26 weeks $190/wk max | Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources | 787-625-7900 | |
26 weeks $586/wk max $867 with dependents. | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training | 401-243-9100 | |
20 weeks $326/wk max | South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce | 1-866-831-1724 | |
26 weeks $414/wk max | South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation | 605-626-3179 | |
26 weeks $275/wk max | Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development | 1-877-813-0950 | |
26 weeks $521/wk max | Texas Workforce Commission | 1-800-939-6631 | |
26 weeks $552/wk max | U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Labor | 340-773-1994 | |
26 weeks $580/wk max | 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 | |
26 weeks $513/wk max | Vermont Department of Labor | 1-888-807-7072 | |
26 weeks $378/wk max | Virginia Employment Commission | 1-866-832-2363 | |
26 weeks $790/wk max | Washington Employment Security Department | 1-800-318-6022 | |
26 weeks $424/wk max | Workforce West Virginia | 1-800-379-1032 | |
26 weeks $370/wk max | Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development | 1-844-910-3661 | |
26 weeks $508/wk max | Wyoming Department of Workforce Services | 307-473-3789 |
File For Unemployment Insurance Right After A Layoff Or Furlough
Once your job goes away, your number one job should be to start looking into unemployment insurance benefits in your state.
With the CARES Act you should be able to start applying the same week that you are laid off, so it's to your benefit to apply as soon as possible after you lose your income.
Some states, like mine, are so overwhelmed with people applying for unemployment right now that they're having people apply for benefits only on certain days, based on their Social Security Number. Make sure you find out what day you're eligible to apply, and get your information ready to go so you can apply on that day.
What Information Will I Need To Apply For Unemployment Benefits?
The information that you'll need to apply for unemployment benefits will vary by state, but it will pretty similar no matter where you apply.
By way of example, here is the information I needed when I applied for benefits in Minnesota.
- Social Security Number.
- Name, birth date, address, contact information, email.
- Highest education level.
- Whether you are a citizen or not.
- If you are disabled.
- Direct deposit information, including routing number and account number.
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all companies you've worked for in the past 18 months.Start and end dates of employment.
- Your pay rate at your job(s).
- Questions about why you are no longer employed. (MN has specific questions about COVID-19 and whether it is related to why you're unemployed).
During the process you'll be asked for the above information, as well as more detailed information about your employer, why you are no longer working there and also about any other income you may have coming in that could affect your eligibility (Worker's compensation, disability, etc).
After you submit the application you'll want to keep your eyes open for your approval or denial email, or notification within the online portal. Sometimes you may be denied because the application is incomplete, or you need to provide further information. So make sure you're checking your email and logging into the portal daily.
What Happens After I Apply For Unemployment?
Once you apply your information will be routed through the system, and if need be, it will be flagged as needing additional information or explanation. If you're denied after your first try, make sure to supply them with any additional information that they're asking for. Odds are that you will be approved once you do.
Sometimes it might be to your benefit to jump on a phone call with them to ensure that you understand why you were denied, or to get answers to questions you might have.
I had to do this while going through the process. They phone queue was quite long when I called and I had to wait for over an hour on hold before getting to a live customer service rep. During this busy time, you can probably expect wait times as well.
Make Sure To Submit Your Claims For Unemployment Benefits
Once you're finally approved for unemployment you'll need to submit your first claim for benefits, and you'll need to continue to do that on a weekly or bi-weekly basis until your benefits run out.
In Minnesota where I am you have to recertify and request a new unemployment payment every week. When you do you also make sure to let them know about any work you've done during the week, as well as any income that you've made that may lower your payment, or make you ineligible for a payment that week.
Make sure that you understand the complete process in your state, including what you have to do on an ongoing basis in order to continue to be eligible for benefits.
Worried about what the tax impact of receiving the expanded unemployment benefits might be? Check out this article:
Interesting follow up would be how this will affect tax filings next year and what kinds of forms to expect from the government
Good point, that might be a good one for a follow up, the tax affects of the stimulus payments, unemployment benefits, etc. For what it’s worth, the unemployment benefits are taxable income, that will need to be reported on taxes when you file.
I’ve heard they are suppose to have a way to file for unemployment for self employed and people who work for churches that didn’t pay unemployment taxes but haven’t heard how or where to file for these individuals.
So apparently i thought for some reason i never got approved for unemployment and when i signed in 3 days ago i noticed it said that my claim has been open since 1/05/2020- 1/02/2021. Max benefit was1,300. Weekly pay was 96.00 so my status has been open. I dont know how i didnt see that 3 days ago before i reclaimed again i put the same info same months i worked and when i stopped. And it says on my history claim “reactivate claim Additiona on 4/28/2020 when i reclaimed my unemployment”. So below it shows they are sendingme $192 from 2/14/2020. Anway bottom line is since reactivated with the same exact info from last time and i live in Nevada would i still get 600 and should i even get that money out now ?
The amounts are wrong . For example Nevada max is $469 not $427.
Rob, some of the sources I pulled from may have had outdated information. I’ve updated Nevada now to $469, as well as several others that had old amounts.
Will the extra $600 unemployment affect your disability amount, meaning you can only make so much before your disability is affected, will that extra $600 unemployment be counted as income for disability
I’ve seen it said in a couple of places that it won’t, but I would confirm that to be sure.
What if you already get unemployment? Will you still get the extra 600?
Yes, you should. The extra $600 is in addition to your regular unemployment benefit.
Yes..I’ve been on since November and my extra $600 popped up yesterday
Where did it pop up to? On same account where you are receiving unemployment from? Because I have the debit card from unemployment wondering If it will pop up on there
I’ve been collecting unemployment since November, my $600 kicked in yesterday but I only have about 3 weeks of unemployment left…is 13 weeks added to my 3 that’s left as well? Plz answer ty so much. I’m in Delaware
I believe you would get the additional 13 weeks on top of the 26 you’re currently collecting, so you would have 16 weeks left then if I’m reading your comment correctly.
Yes you would BUT you must apply for extended benefits.
Are taxes taken out of the 600 is it taxable in New York
Yes, it would be considered taxable income, just like regular unemployment income. In New York, according to this form they will withhold 10% for federal taxes and 2.5% for state taxes, although I think you have the option of having the taxes withheld, or getting the full amount. If you get the full amount you would be on the hook to pay the taxes through estimated tax payments.
I live and work in south Dakota and have been working at my current job bartending since june 9th of 2019 however I am on a furlough leave due to this covid-19 pandemic and my reemployment assistance has denied me twice stating that its due to not meeting monetary requirements. i live in a tourist town and i make all my money over 4 months and the winters are horribly slow is there any other assistance I can apply for someone mentioned a pandemic relief or something i think. Please help im behind in rent, electric, cell phone and currently have no money for groceries. Thanks for any help you may be to me!
My State ( Utah ) is still requiring the one week waiting period. I will not receive a payment from the State for this week, however I need to know if I will still be eligible for the 600.00 from the Federal government for the waiting period week
The governor of Kentucky stated that they had the money to pay the extra $600 but no one that I know has of yet seen this money so where is it people are battling just to get their regular unemployment as it is so what’s going on with this money I spoke to someone in the Unemployment Division today they have no clue or the individual I spoke with didn’t
My understanding is that many of them are still trying to put updates and changes in place in the state unemployment systems to make this possible, and in some states it’s taking longer than anticipated. But the $600 benefit should be backdated to the week that you applied and were approved. I saw the same thing in Minnesota, they were still updating systems and didn’t know if it would be a week or even more for it to start being paid by the state.
Since I get paid unemployment every 2 weeks does that mean I’m gonna get 1200 for each week or just 600 for both weeks?
the company reduced my hours in wyoming and now im getting UI, but now i go back to work 25hrs a week instead od 40hrs a week, so this means they will stop my unemployment?
I was laid off, and am working a temporary full- commission job during COVID. So far, my weekly commissions are less than than my weekly unemployment benefits. But let’s say if my weekly commissions were to exceed unemployment during a week. I know I would not receive state unemployment for that week. But would I receive the $600 federal check for that week?
I live in Pennsylvania, i owe unemployment overpayment and it seems like they are taking it out of my current claim. Will i get the extra 600 or can they put it towards what i owe.
So apparently i thought for some reason i never got approved for unemployment and when i signed in 3 days ago i noticed it said that my claim has been open since 1/05/2020- 1/02/2021. Max benefit was1,300. Weekly pay was 96.00 so my status has been open. I dont know how i didnt see that 3 days ago before i reclaimed again i put the same info same months i worked and when i stopped. And it says on my history claim “reactivate claim Additiona on 4/28/2020 when i reclaimed my unemployment”. So below it shows they are sendingme $192 from 2/14/2020. Anway bottom line is since reactivated with the same exact info from last time and i live in Nevada would i still get 600 and should i even get that money out now ?
Odd I am a single parent (mother passed a few years back) raising 2 kids and I lost my job just before this hit due to my factory being closed and sent overseas. I am on unemployment barely making it (just had my car repossessed) and I have yet to receive the extra $600 weekly yet I know of several others that have and they have 2 adults in the house.
I just don’t get it? How do they determine who gets it and when? Will you get retro pay since they claim to have started this last month in my state (Kentucky)? I am grateful for the additional money, but it certainly is frustrating to see couples getting this when a single parent is not. I can’t even get anyone from the unemployment to reply to me they are so swamped.
If anyone knows how I can in fact check on this I would greatly appreciate it!