Unemployment Benefits Explained: How to Get the Benefits You Need
Job loss is scary business. When it happens, you may feel panic, grief and anxiety – all of which can be overwhelming and debilitating. While we wish we could tell you it’s OK to take your time processing those emotions, in reality, this is not the time to freeze. There is help available, but to claim it you’ll need to keep moving forward. When you receive news of termination of employment, one of the first steps you’ll want to take is to file for unemployment benefits.
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How to Qualify When You File for Unemployment Benefits
You generally only qualify for unemployment benefits if you’ve recently lost your job and it wasn’t because of something you did. That means if you were fired “for cause” you probably won’t qualify. If you were laid off because of no fault of your own, though, you’ll probably qualify for unemployment benefits.
After you’ve lost your job, you generally must meet these three requirements, too:
- You must be available for work.
- You must be able to demonstrate you’re actively looking for a new job.
- Every state has a minimum amount of wages earned or time worked if you want to qualify for unemployment. In most states, you must prove you worked the minimum amount of hours or earned the minimum amount of wages during at least four of the last five quarters.
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Preparing to File for Unemployment Benefits? Make Money Other Ways, Too
Losing your job is stressful, terrifying and many other things. Filing for unemployment benefits right away is a smart thing to do, but it’s not going to replace your full salary. If you need to make quick money in-between jobs, check out some of our favorite ways below.
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| Solitaire Cash | Up to $83 per win | Compete against other players |
What if I Resigned or Quit?
The vast majority of the time, you cannot file for unemployment benefits if you resigned or quit your job. That said, in select states, you may be able to claim unemployment if you can prove that your resignation was for “good cause.”
Rules vary by state, but generally speaking good cause includes things like harassment or discrimination in the workplace, a massive change in work responsibilities or pay, or unsafe working conditions which your employer was unwilling to address. In any of these situations, it’s ideal to have documentation to prove your case.
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A Note about the ADA
If you have a disability or health condition, your employer is required to accommodate you if at all possible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In order to qualify for ADA protections, your disability or health condition must be disclosed to your employer.
Let’s say you had to miss work to get a chemo treatment, and your employer knew this was why you were missing work. They fired you anyway. Even if they say they’re firing you “with cause,” you’ll want to engage an employment attorney as that would likely be in violation of the law. Even with the “with cause” notation from the employer, you would likely still qualify for unemployment benefits.
If you require accommodations that your employer simply cannot provide (this usually happens with small, cash-strapped businesses,) even if you are forced to resign, you may be able to claim you resigned with “good cause” because of the lack of accommodations, depending on your state.
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How to File For Unemployment Benefits
To start the process of collecting unemployment benefits, contact your state unemployment insurance office. While the process varies slightly in each state because each one runs its own unemployment insurance program, you’ll want to be prepared with:
- Any documentation of your firing.
- Proof of wages/hours worked over the past five quarters. This can usually be addressed by gathering up past pay stubs.
- If you resigned, documentation of your “good cause” exception.
- If you believe you were fired “with cause” unfairly, documentation demonstrating this. In these cases you may want to engage the services of an employment attorney.
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When to File for Unemployment Benefits
It’s ideal to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you’re notified that you lost your job. In situations where you’re claiming good-cause resignation or contesting a “with cause” firing, you may or may not want to engage the services of an employment lawyer first. If this is the case, engage with their services ASAP.
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How Long Does it Take to Get Unemployment Benefits?
In the most ideal circumstances, you can expect to start receiving your unemployment benefits within two to three weeks of filing your claim. If there’s an influx of claims or the unemployment office needs more information in order to file your claim, you can expect it to take longer. This is why it’s a good idea to apply as soon as you can.
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How Much Will I Get With Unemployment Benefits?
Depending on your state, unemployment benefits are somewhere between 30% – 50% of the pay you received from your employer. There’s a cap on benefits, though. If you’re a high-earner, you can expect your max benefit to be less than 30% – 50%.
The average unemployment benefit is only a few hundred dollars per week, and in some states it’s less. So even if states didn’t require that you be actively looking for a new job, you’d want to be looking for jobs anyway. It’s not enough to live off of.
Because the payout is so low, you may also want to look into other state benefits that may be able to help you get by during your period of unemployment. This could include SNAP (food stamps), and COBRA or Medicaid for health insurance.
Filing for unemployment can be overwhelming, but it’s a program that’s there for a reason. It can be a helpful stopgap during a period where you’re not bringing in income. While the payout isn’t super high, small amounts can add up during periods of financial crisis. Keep filling out those job applications, and file for unemployment as soon as you get news that your employment has been terminated.
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Pittsburgh-based writer Brynne Conroy is the founder of the Femme Frugality blog and the author of “The Feminist Financial Handbook.” She is a regular contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
