Field Notes

If your state has a one-week waiting period (most do), you do not get paid for that week, but you still have to file a weekly certification for it. Missing this cert because you assume an unpaid week doesn't count delays your first real payment by one to three weeks while the state processes the gap. File the waiting-week cert the same Sunday you file every other cert.

When state UI phone lines disconnect or hold for hours, the Governor's office will route constituent calls to the unemployment agency's escalation queue. Every state has a Governor's constituent services line, and they treat unemployment delays as a routine constituent issue. This works in every state. It is the single most effective workaround for phone-system gridlock that I learned through experience.

Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, South Carolina, and Louisiana all cap regular UI duration below the 26-week standard. Florida, North Carolina, and Louisiana use sliding-scale formulas tied to the state unemployment rate. Plan your runway accordingly; in a low-unemployment economy these caps drop to 12 weeks in some states. Note: Michigan restored its 26-week maximum effective April 2, 2025 (SB 40) and is no longer in this group.

Michigan extended its maximum benefit duration from 20 weeks back to 26 weeks effective April 2, 2025, reversing a 2011 cut. The weekly maximum also increased to $530 starting January 1, 2026. If you were planning a 20-week runway, update your budget: the full 26 weeks now applies to new claims.

Alabama Department of Labor requires identity verification before releasing any benefits. New claimants verify through the state's Identity Verification Portal, and the claimant portal login uses a Google, Microsoft, or Apple account. Unverified claims hold in pending status until the match is confirmed, so complete the step at the first prompt rather than waiting for a separate notice.

Alabama's benefit week runs Sunday through Saturday, but you file the weekly certification between 12:01am Sunday and 5:00pm Friday Central. File by 5:00pm Friday for the week to count as timely. Miss that deadline and the week can be lost unless you have an appealable reason. File online through the Alabama Claimant Portal at uiclaimantportal.labor.alabama.gov or by the weekly certification phone number given during your initial claim.

Alabama gives claimants only 15 calendar days from the mailing date of a determination to file an appeal, one of the shortest windows in the country. The deadline runs from the date printed on the notice, not the date you received it. File the appeal in writing through the Alabama eGov portal or mail it to the address on the determination letter.

Alaska does not let claimants file directly on the Department of Labor site; you must first create a myAlaska account, then link it to the unemployment system. The myAlaska login is the same one used for Permanent Fund Dividend filings, so many residents already have credentials. If you cannot recover your myAlaska password, the recovery email is the bottleneck.

Some commercial fishing work is exempt from Alaska unemployment coverage, depending on the boat and the crew arrangement, which means those crew-share earnings may not count toward your base period wages. Coverage is not automatic either way, so if your recent earnings are mostly crew shares, check your monetary determination carefully and be prepared to rely on prior covered employment if wages come back insufficient. Confirm your specific situation with the Alaska Department of Labor.

Arizona DES has continued sending overpayment notices for pandemic-era PUA claims into 2025, including waiver-eligible cases. If you receive a PUA overpayment notice, you can request a waiver under the federal blanket waiver provisions; do not assume the debt is final. File the waiver request within the appeal window stated on the notice.

Arizona requires 4 work-search activities per week, with employer name, contact method, date, and result logged in your claimant portal. DES audits these logs and disqualifies weeks with vague entries like 'searched online'. Save the job posting URL or the auto-reply email; that paper trail wins audit appeals.

Arkansas reduced its maximum unemployment duration from 16 to 12 weeks under Act 196 of 2023, effective January 2024. Combined with one of the lower weekly maximums in the country, total benefits available are among the smallest nationally. Plan accordingly when budgeting your transition timeline.

Arkansas runs ArkLine at 1-501-907-2590 for filing weekly claims by phone. ArkLine is available Monday through Friday from 6:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday from 12:01am to 6:00pm Central. The system accepts your Social Security number and PIN, so have your work-search log ready to enter. ArkLine also offers service in Spanish.

California EDD routes some new claims to ID.me video verification when automated identity checks fail. Once your documents are approved, you schedule a video appointment; ID.me lets you book a slot up to about a week ahead, and the live wait varies with demand. Start the video step the moment you receive the prompt rather than after gathering documents, since you can prepare while you wait. Missed appointments send you back to rescheduling.

California EDD's UI Online works most reliably in a current desktop browser. If a page will not load or displays oddly on a phone, switch to a laptop or desktop, or try a different browser, before assuming the claim itself failed. Save the confirmation number after each weekly certification in case a submission does not register.

California treats severance as not wages for unemployment purposes. Lump-sum or installment severance does not delay your benefit start date and does not reduce your weekly amount. This is different from many states. Report the severance on your initial claim, but expect benefits to begin from your last day worked, not after severance ends.

California EDD's UI customer service line is 1-800-300-5616, open 8am to 5pm Pacific, Monday through Friday. The same number serves English and Spanish callers, with free interpreter services available in Spanish and other languages. EDD says Monday and Tuesday mornings before 10am are the busiest, so calling later in the week or later in the day can mean a shorter wait.

Colorado's MyUI+ system offers an online virtual agent that answers basic questions about the UI process, but it cannot change information on your claim. Password resets run through an emailed reset code, and some email providers (such as Yahoo and AOL) have had delivery delays, so check your spam folder before requesting another code. Note that you now need to register with ID.me to log into MyUI+. For substantive claim issues you still need a live agent.

Colorado issues benefits either by direct deposit or on a U.S. Bank ReliaCard prepaid debit card. If you file by phone, the prepaid card is the default; if you file electronically, you choose your method during the application. The ReliaCard can carry fees that direct deposit avoids. To switch, log into MyUI+, go to View and Maintain Account Information, then Payment Method Options and Tax Information. Direct deposit requires bank account verification, and if that fails you will need to use the ReliaCard.

Connecticut launched ReEmployCT in mid-2022, replacing a 40-year-old mainframe. The new portal is generally stable but requires a fresh account; legacy logins do not transfer. New claimants must create a ReEmployCT account before filing. The state's filing guide at portal.ct.gov links to the registration flow.

Connecticut treats severance as wages for the period it covers. As of January 1, 2024, receiving severance disqualifies you from benefits for the weeks the payment covers. If your separation agreement allocates severance to a set number of weeks, those weeks are disqualifying. If the severance is a lump sum with no allocation language, Connecticut allocates it over a number of weeks based on your average weekly wage and disqualifies you for that period. Report any separation pay when you file, and read the allocation language carefully.

Delaware caps regular UI at 26 weeks and does not maintain a state-funded extended benefits program. Federal extended benefits trigger only when the state unemployment rate hits a threshold; in normal periods, 26 weeks is the firm ceiling. Plan your transition runway accordingly.

Delaware's weekly cert window runs Sunday through Saturday, with Sunday morning being the earliest you can file the prior week. Filing earlier in the week generally results in faster payment processing. The state's UI portal at ui.delawareworks.com confirms the schedule.

Florida's CONNECT portal has regular hours of 8am to 7:59pm Eastern, Monday through Friday, and is generally offline overnight and on weekends while the system processes payments. Plan to file your weekly certification during weekday business hours rather than over the weekend. New claims can be filed anytime at FloridaJobs.org, but the CONNECT account functions follow the weekday schedule.

Florida uses a sliding scale that ties maximum benefit duration to the state unemployment rate. At low statewide unemployment, benefits cap at just 12 weeks; at higher rates the cap rises toward 23 weeks. Check the rate in effect when you file, not when you separated. The state publishes the current cap quarterly.

Florida's maximum weekly benefit amount remains $275, the figure set for benefit years beginning January 1, 1998 and not raised since. Florida is one of roughly 17 states that do not index the weekly maximum to average wages, so it takes an act of the legislature to change it. Several other low-benefit states, including Alabama and Louisiana, also cap at $275. Inflation since 1998 has cut the real purchasing power of the $275 figure by roughly half.

Georgia requires employers to file a partial unemployment claim for full-time employees whose hours are cut or who have no work for a short period due to lack of work, as long as the worker stays attached to the employer. This does not cover permanent layoffs; if you are permanently separated, you file your own regular claim. For a temporary reduction, the employer-filed partial claim is the correct and faster path. If your employer has not filed and your hours were cut for lack of work, contact GDOL directly.

Georgia DOL introduced the MyUI Claimant Portal, announced in December 2022, as its online system for filing claims, requesting weekly payments, reporting work searches, and viewing determinations. If you have not used MyUI before, create a MyUI account to file or recertify. Confirm your contact and payment details after you log in, since older accounts may need them re-entered.

First-time Hawaii claimants create an account at huiclaims.hawaii.gov and must verify their identity. Hawaii offers two methods: online through Login.gov, or in-person proofing at participating U.S. Post Offices across the state, where you present a photo ID. If online verification does not work, use the USPS option. Neighbor-island residents should check post office availability early.

Hawaii uses the standard four-quarter base period but offers an alternate base period including the most recent completed quarter if the standard period yields too little. If you separated shortly after starting a new job, ask explicitly for the alternate base period during your initial filing.

Idaho's benefit week runs from 12:01am Sunday through midnight the following Saturday, and you have seven full days to file the weekly certification for that week. File earlier in the week for faster processing, and submit before 6pm Mountain to have it processed the same business day. Weekend filings are processed the next business day.

Idaho now requires five work search actions each week, up from the two it required previously, and the documentation standard is strict. Log the employer name, contact info, position, date, and method for each action. The department verifies reported actions with the employers, and lying about your work search is treated as fraud, with penalties and denied benefits.

Illinois IDES at 1-800-244-5631 sees the lightest queues in the first 30 minutes after open at 7:30am Central. The line stays heavy through midday. If you are calling about a held claim, have your claimant ID and the date of the determination notice ready before dialing.

Illinois treats severance as not wages for UI purposes. Under the state's disqualifying-income rule, payments for past services or for lost pension and seniority rights are severance and are not attributed to weeks after your separation, so they do not delay your benefit start date or reduce your weekly amount. Report the payment, but expect eligibility from your last day worked. Note the contrast with vacation pay tied to specific post-separation weeks, which can reduce benefits for those weeks.

Illinois gives claimants 30 calendar days from the mailing date printed on a determination to file an appeal. The period counts weekends and holidays, and Illinois courts treat the deadline as strict, so file early. Submit your appeal in writing by mail, fax, or in person to the office shown on the determination notice.

Indiana's Uplink portal uses the term 'voucher' for weekly certifications. Vouchers are due weekly Sunday through Saturday, with the previous week available starting Sunday. Failing to file a voucher within seven days requires a phone call to reopen the claim.

Indiana requires two work search activities each week to keep unemployment eligibility. Keep a written record and save your confirmation emails or documentation for six months, since DWD can verify activities at any point and deny benefits for incomplete or inaccurate logs. The requirement is waived only in narrow cases: DWD-approved training, a job-attached worker with a recall date within 60 days of separation, or a member in good standing of a DWD-authorized union hiring hall.

Iowa reduced its maximum regular unemployment duration from 26 to 16 weeks under HF 2355, signed June 16, 2022 and effective for claims filed on or after July 3, 2022. The 16-week cap is a flat limit for regular claims; business-closing claims have a separate cap, cut from 39 to 26 weeks. Combined with strict work-search rules, Iowa's regular benefit duration is among the shortest nationally.

Iowa requires registration in IowaWORKS, the state job-search system, before or during your initial unemployment filing. The two systems share authentication, but each has its own profile data. Failing to complete the IowaWORKS profile holds your UI claim in pending status.

Kansas launched a modernized unemployment system on November 19, 2024, replacing the older GetKansasBenefits site. Claimants now file at kansasui.gov. New and returning claimants should expect to set up an account on the new system, set up two-factor authentication when prompted, and keep a working phone number on file.

Kansas verifies claimant identity using LexisNexis, which asks questions based on your credit history. If the automated check does not clear, you can complete in-person verification at a participating U.S. Post Office or law enforcement agency. Handle any verification step promptly so it does not delay your claim.

Kentucky pays benefits on a two-week cycle: you request payment for two weeks at a time through the claims portal at uiclaimsportal.ky.gov. You can make your first request 13 days after filing, then every 13 days after each request. The system is open Sunday 10:00am to 9:00pm ET and weekdays 7:00am to 7:00pm ET, and requests are accepted Sunday through Friday. Kentucky verifies identity through ID.me. Career Center offices can help if you have trouble.

Kentucky does not reduce or delay unemployment benefits because of severance pay. The Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Commission treats severance as neither deductible nor disqualifying for the weeks after you separate, and the Career Center claimant guide confirms severance is not deducted from benefits. You can generally collect benefits and severance at the same time, regardless of how the severance is paid out. Note that pay in lieu of notice is treated differently and can reduce benefits for the weeks it covers.

Louisiana Workforce Commission uses HiRE for both unemployment claims and job-search registration. New claimants must complete a HiRE profile to file UI; the profile data feeds the work-search requirement automatically when you apply for jobs through the portal. Apps logged outside HiRE require manual entry.

Louisiana reduced its maximum unemployment duration under Act 412 of the 2024 Regular Session (HB 119), effective for new claims filed on or after January 5, 2025. The cap is tied to the state's average unemployment rate: 12 weeks when the rate is 5 percent or below, rising one week for each 0.5 percentage point increase, up to 20 weeks when the rate reaches 8.5 percent or higher. That is down from a prior ceiling of 26 weeks, putting Louisiana among the shortest-duration states.

Maine files unemployment claims through ReEmployME, the state's online UI system in use since 2017. You file initial claims, weekly certifications, and work searches there. The Maine Department of Labor posts any scheduled maintenance windows on its unemployment site, so check there before filing and, if possible, file during business hours when staff can help if you hit a problem.

Maine adds a supplemental dependency allowance of $25 per week for each unemancipated dependent child, on top of your weekly benefit amount. State law caps the total dependency allowance at 75% of your weekly benefit amount, so the per-child payments stop adding once they reach that limit. List dependents during the initial claim; adding them later requires a claim adjustment.

Maryland's BEACON portal handles filing, weekly certifications, appeal documents, and payment changes in a single account, and there is a companion mobile app, MD Unemployment for Claimants. Create your account on the BEACON login page and follow the prompts. The Maryland Department of Labor technical-support pages walk through registration if you get stuck.

Maryland requires 3 weekly work-search activities, logged in BEACON with employer name, contact method, date, and result. BEACON pre-populates the log if you applied through Maryland Workforce Exchange; outside applications require manual entry. Audit rates are high enough that sloppy logs are a real risk.

Massachusetts has moved unemployment claims to its Unemployment Services for Workers portal, which uses a MyMassGov login. If you had an older UI Online account, you cannot use it to log into the new site. The portal handles your application, weekly certification, appeals, and document upload in one account. The Department of Unemployment Assistance runs the system and also takes weekly certifications by phone through the TeleCert line.

Massachusetts adds $25 per qualifying dependent child to the weekly benefit, capped at 50% of your weekly benefit amount. The allowance does not extend duration but raises the cash flow during eligible weeks. List dependents during initial filing.

Michigan's MiWAM portal uses a PIN system that combines with a password and security questions. Lost PINs cannot be reset online and require a phone call to UIA at 1-866-500-0017. Have your driver's license number ready before calling.

Michigan UIA has continued reviewing pandemic-era PUA overpayment determinations, including hardship waiver claims. Federal blanket waivers apply to certain non-fraud overpayments. If you received an overpayment notice, you can request waiver review; do not assume the debt is final without challenging.

Minnesota's UI portal at uimn.org opens weekly certs Sunday morning Central. Minnesota's system is one of the more reliable nationally. The state's Department of Employment and Economic Development handles claims; the portal also exposes appeals filing and payment history in one login.

Minnesota uses the standard base period of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters but allows an alternate base period using the most recent four completed quarters if the standard period yields too little. Request the alternate at filing if your job ended shortly after a hire.

Mississippi maintains a 26-week maximum duration but the weekly benefit cap is among the lowest in the country at $235 as of 2024. Total potential benefits are capped accordingly. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security publishes the current weekly maximum each year.

Mississippi MDES claimant services run through the Contact Center at 601-493-9427. The Contact Center is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm Central. Call volumes tend to be lighter in the first hour after opening, so calling early can mean a shorter wait. Note that new or reopened claims are taken from 8am to 5pm.

Missouri's UInteract portal has a strong uptime track record and a clear interface. Filing, weekly request for payment, and appeals all live in one account. Missouri Division of Employment Security handles claims through a centralized contact center that supplements the portal.

Missouri caps regular unemployment benefits at a maximum of 20 weeks per benefit year. A 2015 law (HB 150) tried to cut duration further on a sliding scale tied to the state unemployment rate, but the veto override was ruled unconstitutional, so that reduction never took effect. More recent legislation could change the cap, so verify the current maximum on the Missouri Department of Labor site at the time you file.

Montana requires registration in MontanaWorks, the state job-search system, as a condition of UI eligibility. The registration is separate from filing the UI claim. Failure to complete MontanaWorks registration within the first week of claim holds payments.

Montana provides up to 24 weeks of regular unemployment benefits. A 2023 law (House Bill 652) reduced the maximum from 28 to 24 weeks for claims filed on or after July 1, 2023. The number of weeks you qualify for depends on your base-period earnings, so not everyone reaches the full 24. Confirm the current maximum on the Montana Department of Labor and Industry site when you file.

Nebraska Department of Labor runs NEworks at neworks.nebraska.gov as a unified UI and job-search platform. New claimants must complete a NEworks profile and resume; the resume is a hard requirement, not optional. Sparse profiles trigger eligibility holds.

Nebraska maintains the standard 26-week regular UI cap. Nebraska's partial benefits formula uses a sliding scale that phases benefits down as part-time earnings rise rather than a hard cliff. Working part time during a claim can extend total benefits received.

Nevada's Claimant Self Service (CSS) portal is now at nui.nv.gov/CSS following the state's system modernization. Benefit weeks run Sunday through Saturday, and you submit your weekly certification after the week ends. Use a desktop browser rather than mobile for your first filing. The portal uses ID.me to verify your identity.

Nevada DETR uses separate phone numbers for northern and southern Nevada claims. Calling the wrong region can route you to a longer transfer queue. Northern Nevada is 775-684-0350 and southern Nevada is 702-486-0350. Rural and out-of-state callers use 888-890-8211. Check your claim notice for your assigned region.

New Hampshire Employment Security runs claims through its NHUIS portal at nhuis.nh.gov, with general information at nhes.nh.gov. The portal handles claim filing, weekly certification, and document upload. New Hampshire requires a weekly work search and reemployment activities, and the system flags those requirements when they are due.

New Hampshire maintains the standard 26-week regular UI cap and has not reduced duration in recent legislative sessions. Weekly maximums are indexed and update annually. Check the current rate on the Employment Security site each year.

New Jersey schedules your benefit certification by the last digit of your Social Security number: odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) certify on Monday, even (2, 4, 6, 8, 0) on Tuesday. Your first certification falls on a Wednesday, 17 days after your claim date, then it is every two weeks on your assigned day. Miss your day and you can still certify Wednesday through Friday that same week, or certify online any day.

New Jersey treats severance as not wages for UI purposes. Severance, lump sum or installment, does not delay your benefit start date and does not reduce your weekly amount. Salary continuation is treated differently; if your employer keeps you on payroll, you remain employed and ineligible.

New Jersey's benefit week runs Sunday through Saturday and ends at midnight Saturday. You can only certify after the week has ended. New Jersey lets claimants certify Sunday through Friday from 8am to 6pm Eastern. File early in that window to keep payments on schedule. Your nj.gov account shows your certification details.

New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions runs claims through its UI Tax and Claims portal. First-time accounts require email verification before filing can begin; some users report verification emails landing in spam. Check spam before assuming the email did not send.

New Mexico maintains the standard 26-week regular UI cap. Weekly maximums update annually based on the state average wage. Check the current weekly cap on the New Mexico DWS site at the time of your filing.

New York's automated Tel-Service line for certifying and claim questions is 1-888-581-5812, and the claims line is 1-888-209-8124. Lines are busiest early in the week, so calling midweek or later in the day can mean a shorter wait. Have your Social Security number and any determination notice in front of you before you call.

New York looks at two things for severance, which it calls dismissal pay. First, timing: if the first severance payment is made more than 30 days after your last day of work, the severance does not affect your unemployment eligibility. Second, amount: if severance is paid within 30 days of your separation, New York allocates it on a weekly basis (a lump sum is converted to a weekly equivalent based on your prior pay). For each week, if that weekly amount is more than the maximum weekly benefit rate, you are ineligible for that week; if it is equal to or less than the maximum rate, you may still qualify. Read your separation agreement and ask when payments start, because the 30-day timing matters.

New York DOL's weekly cert opens Sunday morning and closes Saturday at midnight. File early in the week to leave room for portal hiccups. The DOL site at dol.ny.gov posts the schedule on the cert filing page.

North Carolina ties maximum benefit duration to the state unemployment rate, with a floor of 12 weeks at low statewide rates. At higher rates the cap rises toward 20 weeks. Verify the current cap on the NC DES site at the time of filing; this is one of the shortest durations nationally.

North Carolina DES requires 3 work-search activities per week, logged in the claimant portal with employer detail. North Carolina audits work-search logs at high rates; vague entries trigger overpayment determinations. Save URLs and confirmation emails as part of your log.

North Dakota Job Service runs UI through the UI ICE portal. North Dakota's claimant pool is small enough that contact center wait times are typically reasonable, but the portal is the primary access channel. The state's site at jobsnd.com hosts the portal entry.

North Dakota keeps the standard 26-week regular UI cap and has not pursued recent reduction legislation. Weekly maximums update annually. Check the current rate on Job Service North Dakota's site each year.

Ohio uses OH|ID, a statewide single sign-on system that controls access to the unemployment portal and other state services. New claimants must create an OH|ID account before filing for unemployment, and the same OH|ID is used across many Ohio agency systems. File weekly claims by logging in at unemployment.ohio.gov. OH|ID supports multi-factor sign-in, so keep a working phone or email on file.

Ohio treats severance pay, including a lump sum, as deductible income that can reduce or eliminate your weekly benefit. By default, when the employer does not designate a period, Ohio allocates a lump sum to the weeks right after your separation based on your last weekly wage, so a larger payment can cover several weeks. For any week where the allocated severance equals or exceeds your weekly benefit amount, no benefit is paid for that week. An employer can instead designate the specific week or period the severance covers, and Ohio will follow that. File as soon as you are unemployed and report your severance accurately.

Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has moved to a new claimant portal with updated identity proofing, separate from its EZ Tax employer tax system. Older login credentials may not work, so verify on the OESC site before assuming a returning-user shortcut. The contact center handles login resets if the portal blocks you.

Oklahoma keeps the standard 26-week regular UI cap. Weekly maximums update annually. The state's filing portal walks through monetary determination during initial application, but you can run an estimate on the OESC site before filing.

Oregon Employment Department's Frances Online became the system for unemployment insurance claimants on March 4, 2024, replacing the older 1990s-era system. Legacy logins do not transfer, so new account creation is required. Frances Online also handles Paid Leave Oregon, which moved onto the system in 2023, so the same login covers Oregon's paid leave program.

Oregon's weekly certification through Frances Online opens at 12:01am Pacific Sunday for the prior week. Oregon Employment Department posts maintenance windows on its claimant updates page. File mid-week to leave a buffer for any portal hiccup.

Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry replaced its mainframe UC system in 2021. Legacy account credentials do not work. New claimants register a fresh account at the UC portal. Two-factor authentication ties to a working phone number.

Pennsylvania allows part-time earnings up to a defined threshold without reducing your weekly benefit. Above the threshold, benefits reduce dollar-for-dollar against earnings. The threshold updates annually; verify the current figure on the PA UC site before reporting earnings.

Pennsylvania only deducts severance from your benefits to the extent it exceeds 40 percent of the state's average annual wage, and only for agreements or applications dated on or after January 1, 2012. For benefit years beginning in 2026 that threshold is $28,153.63. If your total severance is at or below the threshold, it is not deducted. If it is above, only the portion above the threshold is deductible, and that amount is spread across the weeks right after your separation based on your full-time weekly wage. File as soon as you are unemployed rather than waiting for severance to end.

Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training's UI portal opens weekly cert Sunday morning Eastern. Rhode Island has one of the higher weekly maximums in the country combined with dependent allowances, making total benefit potential strong relative to neighboring states.

Rhode Island adds a dependent allowance to the weekly benefit, with a defined per-dependent figure and overall cap. The allowance applies to qualifying children only, not adult dependents. List dependents during the initial filing; adding them later requires a claim adjustment.

South Carolina DEW's MyBenefits portal handles UI claims, while SC Works handles job-search registration. Both are required. New claimants must complete profile data in both systems for benefits to release. The state walks through the link on its dew.sc.gov filing guide.

South Carolina caps regular UI duration at 20 weeks, below the 26-week standard most states use, and the actual number of weeks slides with the statewide unemployment rate. In low-unemployment periods the cap can drop to as few as 12 weeks. The maximum weekly benefit is $350. Plan accordingly when budgeting your transition runway, and confirm your current maximum number of weeks on the DEW site at the time of filing.

South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation's Reemployment Assistance Benefits portal opens weekly cert Sunday morning Mountain. South Dakota has a small claimant pool and contact center waits are typically modest, but portal access remains the fastest path.

South Dakota keeps the standard 26-week regular UI duration. Weekly maximums are among the lower figures nationally; verify the current weekly amount on the South Dakota DLR site at the time of filing.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development runs UI through the Jobs4TN portal, which doubles as the state's job-search system. New claimants must complete a Jobs4TN profile and resume; the resume is required, not optional, and feeds work-search reporting.

Tennessee's maximum weekly UI benefit is $275, the same figure Florida uses and similarly not indexed to inflation. Tennessee and Florida share the distinction of having two of the lowest real-purchasing-power weekly caps among large states.

Tennessee requires 4 work-search activities per week, logged in Jobs4TN with employer detail. The count rose from 3 to 4 effective July 1, 2024. Activities done outside Jobs4TN need manual entry. Vague entries can trigger holds and overpayment determinations, so keep specific records.

Texas TWC Tele-Center hold times are generally shortest right after the lines open. TWC call center hours are 7:00am to 7:00pm Central, Monday through Friday, and calling early in the morning typically means a shorter wait than midday. The Tele-Center number is 800-939-6631; have your claim ID and the date of your last work ready before dialing. For automated payment requests and claim status, Tele-Serv is 800-558-8321.

Texas requires biweekly payment requests rather than weekly. The TWC portal opens the request Sunday morning Central for the prior two-week period. Late payment requests can be filed retroactively but only within a defined window; check the TWC schedule for your specific assigned day.

Texas treats severance allocated to specific weeks as wages, disqualifying those weeks from UI. Lump-sum severance without allocation is generally treated as not wages. Texas TWC has historically taken a stricter view than some neighboring states; read the agreement carefully and consult an employment attorney if the allocation is ambiguous.

Utah Department of Workforce Services runs claims through jobs.utah.gov, which combines UI filing with the state's job-search system. A complete profile and resume are required; sparse profiles trigger eligibility holds. Utah's contact center is generally among the more responsive nationally.

Utah keeps the standard 26-week regular UI duration. Weekly maximums update annually based on the state average wage. Utah's filing experience is generally smoother than peer western states with newer migrated systems.

Vermont Department of Labor's claimant portal opens weekly cert Sunday morning Eastern. Vermont has one of the smaller claimant pools nationally and the contact center is typically responsive. The portal is the primary access channel; phone is a backup.

Vermont treats severance with allocation to specific weeks as wages for those weeks. Lump-sum severance without allocation is generally not wages and does not delay benefits. As in many states, the wording of the separation agreement controls the treatment.

Virginia Employment Commission rolled out a modernized claimant portal in late 2021 and early 2022, replacing legacy mainframe systems. New accounts are required for both new and returning claimants. The VEC has worked through several rollout issues but the system is now generally stable.

Virginia VEC requires 2 work-search activities per week. The portal log requires employer name, contact method, date, position, and result. Virginia audits work-search logs at notable rates; weak entries trigger holds. Save URLs and confirmation emails as part of your log.

Washington Employment Security Department uses SecureAccess Washington (SAW) as the single sign-on for UI claims and other state services. New claimants must create a SAW account and add the ESD service to it. Existing SAW users from other state services can simply add ESD without creating a new login.

Washington ESD requires 3 work-search activities per week, with a job club option that satisfies the requirement for participants. WorkSource Washington centers run job clubs; participation is logged automatically. Outside job applications require manual entry in the eServices portal.

Washington ESD treats severance as not wages for UI purposes. Severance, lump sum or installment, does not delay your benefit start date. Salary continuation is treated differently; if the employer keeps you on payroll, you remain employed and ineligible until that ends.

West Virginia WorkForce runs UI claims through its claimant portal, with weekly certs opening Sunday Eastern. The state's claimant pool is smaller than peer states, and contact center waits are typically modest. The portal is the primary path; phone backup is available.

West Virginia keeps the standard 26-week regular UI duration. Weekly maximums update annually. The state's filing portal walks through monetary determination during initial application.

Wisconsin DWD's UI portal at my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov is separate from the state's job-search system. Both are required for active UI claims. The DWD also requires registration in Job Center of Wisconsin within 14 days of filing UI; missing the deadline holds payments.

Wisconsin requires 4 work-search activities per week, among the highest weekly counts in the country. Each activity must be logged with employer detail. Wisconsin audits at high rates; vague or template logs trigger holds. Save confirmation emails and URLs as evidence.

Wyoming Department of Workforce Services runs UI through the WYUI portal at wyui.wyo.gov. Each claim week ends on a Saturday, and you file your continued claim within 14 days after the week ends. Wyoming's small claimant pool means contact center waits are usually modest, and the filing flow is one of the simpler interfaces nationally.

Wyoming keeps the standard 26-week regular UI duration. Weekly maximums update annually based on the state average wage. Wyoming weekly maximums are mid-pack relative to neighboring western states.

Several states route identity checks through ID.me video verification (California, Alabama, Arizona, and others). After your documents are approved, you schedule a Trusted Referee video call; ID.me books appointments up to about a week ahead and shows a live wait time that varies with demand. Schedule the call as soon as you receive the prompt instead of waiting to gather documents first. Missed appointments send you back to rescheduling.

States including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Texas treat severance differently based on whether the separation agreement allocates the payment to specific weeks. Allocated severance disqualifies the covered weeks; lump-sum without allocation is generally not wages. Read the agreement before signing; the wording can change benefit eligibility by weeks of pay.

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania pay a dependent allowance on top of the weekly benefit for qualifying dependents. The allowance amount and cap vary by state. List dependents during the initial filing; adding them later requires a claim adjustment that takes weeks to process.

Most states offer an alternate base period that includes the most recent completed quarter when the standard base period yields too little. This matters if you separated within months of a new job. Request the alternate at filing in California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Hawaii, Minnesota, and others. The standard period misses recent earnings.

If you received a pandemic-era PUA overpayment notice from any state, federal law allows blanket waiver review for non-fraud overpayments. States including Arizona, Michigan, and others have continued sending these notices into 2025. Do not assume the debt is final; request waiver review through the state's appeals process within the deadline on the notice.

The federal COBRA subsidy created under the American Rescue Plan ended on September 30, 2021. Many laid-off workers still encounter outdated guidance suggesting subsidized COBRA. The actual cost is the full premium plus 2% admin fee. Compare against ACA marketplace plans; the marketplace special enrollment period after job loss usually offers lower-cost options.

Regular UI is funded by employer payroll taxes on W-2 wages. 1099 contractor income does not establish or boost a regular UI claim in any state. The PUA program that briefly covered 1099 workers ended in September 2021 and has not been renewed. If your only recent earnings are 1099, you likely will not qualify for regular UI in any state.

Generally, you file UI in the state where you physically performed your work, not the state where your employer is headquartered. If you worked remotely from California for a Texas employer, you file in California. The Department of Labor's interstate claims rules cover edge cases; contact the state where you worked first.

Several states require a high number of weekly work-search activities: Wisconsin 4, Arizona 4, Tennessee 4, North Carolina 3, Maryland 3, and Washington 3. These states also run frequent work-search audits, so log each activity with the employer name, method, date, and result, and keep the records for at least a year in case you are asked to prove them.