How to Tell if You Are Eligible for Unemployment Benefits

Texas reviews whether you have wages in more than one of the four base period calendar quarters. This is the basis of your potential unemployment benefit amounts.

How Long Do I Have To Work To Qualify for Unemployment?

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While all states follow unemployment insurance guidelines set by federal law, each state is free to establish the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits in their state. Because each state has different laws about the eligibility requirement for unemployment benefits, the amount of time required to qualify will depend on the laws of your state. This article will summarize the amount of time that UI claimants must work to qualify for benefits.

Unemployment insurance (UI) helps millions of American workers each year support themselves and their families. While all states follow guidelines set by federal law, each state is free to establish the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits in their state. Most states have an agency dedicated to operating their unemployment insurance programs.

States require claimants to have worked for a minimum period of time to be eligible for unemployment benefits. Because each state has different laws about the eligibility requirement for unemployment benefits, the amount of time required to qualify will depend on the laws of your state. This article will summarize the amount of time that UI claimants must work to qualify for benefits.

Guidelines for Qualifying for Unemployment Benefits

How can you tell if you’re eligible to receive unemployment? Each state sets guidelines that determine whether an individual will be eligible for unemployment benefits, and how much compensation they will receive.

There are eligibility requirements to qualify for unemployment benefits, including having worked a certain number of weeks for a certain number of hours each week. Those guidelines also determine how many weeks of benefits an unemployed worker can collect.

You’ll find detailed information regarding eligibility criteria on your state unemployment website. In most states, you will need to have worked for a certain period of time, met minimum earnings requirements, and have lost your job through no fault of your own. If your claim is denied or contested by your employer, you can appeal the denial.

But even if you’ve been terminated for cause, don’t assume you’re out of luck. You may be able to collect, depending on the circumstances, and whether or not the termination was justified. It’s worth it to learn about your rights—including your right to appeal a denial of your unemployment claims—before you give up on the idea of filing for benefits.

How Do I Apply?

To receive unemployment insurance benefits, you need to file a claim with the unemployment insurance program in the state where you worked. Depending on the state, claims may be filed in person, by telephone, or online.

I am an independent contractor. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act?

I am about to exhaust my regular unemployment compensation benefits. What kinds of relief does the CARES Act provide for me?

My regular unemployment compensation benefits do not provide adequate support given the unprecedented economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Can I expect to receive additional relief?

Yes, depending on how your state chooses to implement the CARES Act. The new law creates the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program (FPUC), which provides an additional $600 per week to individuals who are collecting regular UC (including Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX), PEUC, PUA, Extended Benefits (EB), Short Time Compensation (STC), Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA), Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA), and payments under the Self Employment Assistance (SEA) program). This benefit is available for weeks of unemployment beginning after the date on which your state entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before July 31, 2020.

I run a nonprofit organization and am a reimbursing employer under my state’s unemployment insurance program. Due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am worried that I may be unable to timely reimburse the state for unemployment benefits it provides to my employees. What should I do?

Contact your state unemployment insurance office to learn what options may be available for delaying reimbursement payments. The CARES Act allows states to provide maximum flexibility to reimbursing employers as it relates to timely payments in lieu of contributions and assessment of penalties and interest. The U.S. Department of Labor will soon be issuing guidance on how states should implement this provision.

What are the different causes of unemployment?

Though these unemployment benefits is for people who have lost their job as they had been removed by the business owner, let us understand the different causes which can leave a professional jobless apart from the pandemic situation. The different causes of an individual losing his job are as follows –

Cyclical unemployment is the unemployment in which there is a huge gap between demand and supply. It is also known as demand-deficient unemployment. It means that the number of jobs available in the market is comparatively less whereas the applicants are more. It is seen at times when there is a huge recession phase going on in different industries in the market. According to the available information, it happens when the consumer demand falls thus affecting company profits. It coerces them to lay off the employees from business organisations and other work locations thereby increasing the demand for unemployment benefits.

The structural unemployment has been said to be of involuntary and a long-term. It is induced when there have been significant technological advances in the sector and when the businessman decides to outsource a part of his product lifecycle for timely delivery to the customers. The advancements in technology in the current era has brought substantial changes in the jobs of employees and are more proficient for the businessmen due to less errors. It assists to reduce the payroll costs for employers and ensures large profits for the business. Outsourcing rawmaterials, packaging techniques and delivery services to third party business service providers have compelled the business owners to remove the people working in this sector from their organization. These employees are then forced to opt for unemployed benefits from the government or secure a job in some other sector such as call centers or with the suppliers/ vendors in the area.

Frictional unemployment happens when the employees have to move to different locations to find a job of their type. This is considered to be a temporary form of unemployment as the condition is valid for the individuals only until they get their jobs. This type of unemployment is also applicable for school or college graduates who have just finished their degree and are looking for job. These individuals can apply for jobs through job portals or connecting with the HR professionals after reading the job description given in advertisements for vacancies. An employee who had left the job position for some personal reason such as caring of older relatives in the family or for raising children can be also counted under frictional unemployment.

Why are the unemployment benefits so different in every state in the U.S.?

Every state has a different calculator to determine the unemployment benefits given to the concerned individuals pnce they have become jobless. Each state government is responsible to set an unemployment tax rate which provides funds for the unemployment insurance. In addition to this, they decide the payment amount, duration for which the applicant can get these benefits and what is the eligibility criteria for the same.

There is a vast difference in the unemployment benefits offered in the different states in America because it is intentionally given by the state government and depends on who needs it. It is calculated on the cost of living required for that area and the basic income of a working individual. It means if the unemployment benefits and the wages received are inversely proportional to each other. For instance, if an individual’s income is low that means less than 30,000 dollars per annum then half of his weekly wages get replaced by unemployment insurance. On the contrary if the income is higher, then replacement income becomes less for insurance. The state government does not provide 100 percent of the old income as unemployed benefits to the people as it would force them to be lazy and not do anything for living. The local unemployment rate in the state varies from the national unemployment rate which is the main reason for the difference in unemployment benefits offered.

References:

https://upsolve.org/learn/how-long-do-i-have-to-work-to-qualify-for-unemployment/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/guidelines-for-unemployment-eligibility-2064135
https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus/unemployment-insurance
https://www.deskera.com/blog/unemployment-benefits/
https://www.deskera.com/blog/unemployment-benefits/