Filing your weekly claim by telephone or Internet will be much easier if you take the following steps:

  • Be sure you have your Social Security Number ready and your Username and Password set up
  • If you worked during the week you will need the hours worked, rounded down to the next lowest hour, as well as the gross amount earned (the total before any deductions),rounded down to the next lowest dollar amount. If you worked during the week, you will not be allowed to claim the week without wage and hour information. Be aware that wages reported are verified with employers to ensure proper payments
  • If you received holiday pay, vacation pay or severance pay be sure you know the gross amount for each, rounded down to the next lowest dollar amount
  • If you received self-employment income, be sure you know the net amount rounded down to the next lowest dollar amount

When you file your claim by phone, the Voice Response system will follow a script of basic questions. Other questions may be asked depending on the answers you give to the basic questions.

When you file your claim online, the system will determine which weeks you can file for and will identify those weeks. A list of questions will be shown to you. You must answer each question “Yes” or “No” for each week that you are filing for. Based on your answers to these basic questions you may have additional fact finding questions to answer. There is help text for each question if you are not sure what the question is asking you. When your claim is complete, you will be shown a screen with all of your answers. It would be a good idea to print this screen for your records. All of your answers will become a part of your account record.