Author:
Elizabeth Ryan
Unemployment benefits are
designed to help people cope with the transition between jobs by
providing temporary financial help to qualified individuals, based on
their previous earnings, while they are looking for other work.
Unemployment insurance replaces part of the income you lose when you
become unemployed, and is available to workers who are out of work
through no fault of their own. Unemployment insurance softens the impact
job losses have on communities by maintaining the purchasing power in
the area where workers live. The money for benefits comes from a tax
imposed on employers. The four steps listed below will help you
successfully file a claim for unemployment benefits.
Step 1: Make sure
that you meet your state's eligibility requirements.
Eligibility for unemployment compensation, as well as the amount and
length of time benefits are available, is determined by the state law.
Typical eligibility requirements required to receive unemployment
compensation payments include:
- A minimum amount of
earnings or a minimum period of time worked over a specific previous
time frame
- Registration with the
state unemployment office
- Unemployed worker is
available to work
- Unemployed worker is
actively seeking work
Contact your state's
Department of Labor to find out the specific eligibility requirements
for your state.
Step 2: File your
claim as soon as possible.
Your claim should be filed in the first week that you have become
totally or partially unemployed. Filing immediately is important for two
reasons:
- Ordinarily, you do not
get paid for the weeks prior to the week you filed your claim.
Benefits will not be paid retroactively for weeks preceding the
filing of your claim unless it is established through a hearing
process that there was a good cause for late filing.
- Benefits will not be
paid until all the paperwork is processed and eligibility for
benefits is verified. It generally takes 2-3 weeks to receive a
benefit check so you want to begin the process in a timely manner to
prevent an extended delay.
Step 3: Be prepared
when you go to file for unemployment.
Employees can file claims for unemployment compensation benefits at
their state unemployment office. You may be able to file for
unemployment online or over the phone. Employees should take the
following documents with them to the unemployment office to help verify
their eligibility.
- Social Security card
- Recent pay stubs
- Documentation relating
to the reason for the job loss
Step 4: Decide
whether you want federal income taxes withheld.
Unemployment compensation is considered wage income. Therefore, it is
subject to federal income taxes, and must be reported on your federal
income tax return. When you apply for unemployment benefits, you may
want to consider having federal income taxes withheld. This process is
similar to the payroll withholding you encounter when you collect a
paycheck. In this case, the form you fill out is the federal W-4V,
Voluntary Withholding Request, or a similar, IRS-acceptable document
that the paying agency has created. However, since unemployment
compensation is usually less than your former paycheck, many people
decide against having taxes withheld. This means you get your full
unemployment check to use toward day-to-day expenses, but you will owe
the IRS when you file your next income tax return.
It is important to be aware
that in addition to weekly subsistence compensation, unemployment
benefits may also include job-training opportunities, job-searching
assistance, and other types of re-employment assistance for those who
qualify. By taking advantage of these programs, you can expedite the
process of finding a new job and limit the amount of time that you
depend on unemployment.
About the Author:
Liz Ryan is a Writing and
Content Specialist for Lawyer
Central. Visit Lawyer Central's
Unemployment Resources for additional information about the rights
of unemployed workers. Discuss unemployment benefits and related issues
on the free Law Forum.
Article Source:
ArticlesBase.com
