| Being laid off from your job can be a stressful life | | | | valuable resources that can help you find another |
| event. Your daily routine is disrupted, you may | | | | job. |
| suffer damage to your self-esteem, and your | | | | How do I apply? |
| income is cut. You've got to find a new job while | | | | If you have been separated from work, you |
| continuing to pay your customary household bills. | | | | should file your initial claim during your first week |
| In the worst-case scenario you could lose your | | | | of total or partial unemployment. But if you have |
| home and be forced into bankruptcy. | | | | for some reason waited to apply, don't give up. |
| Fortunately, in the United States we have an | | | | File a claim. |
| economic safety net designed to cushion the | | | | You can generally apply with a phone call. You'll |
| impact of job loss. Unemployment insurance is a | | | | probably be asked to enter your Social Security |
| cash payment system that is funded and | | | | number and year of birth, using the numbers on |
| administered jointly by each state (and the | | | | your telephone. You may also be able to file a |
| District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and the | | | | claim at a local state unemployment office walk-in |
| federal government. | | | | center. |
| Who is eligible for unemployment? | | | | What information do I need? |
| If you have been laid off from your job, you | | | | When you file your claim, you'll need: |
| should immediately check with your state's | | | | Your phone number and address. |
| Division of Unemployment Assistance to | | | | Your social Security number. |
| determine your eligibility. But in general, to qualify | | | | The year you were born. |
| you need to meet these criteria: | | | | Your last date of employment. |
| You need to have been separated from your | | | | The names and addresses of the employers |
| job through no fault of your own. If you quit your | | | | you have worked for recently, and the dates you |
| job voluntarily, you may not be eligible. | | | | worked for them. |
| You are mentally and physically able to work. | | | | The reason you lost your job or your hours |
| You are looking for a job and willing to accept | | | | were cut back. |
| work. | | | | If you are not a U.S. citizen, your alien |
| You have not been able to find another job in | | | | registration number. |
| your field of work or something similar. | | | | Whether you have filed an unemployment |
| You earned a specified amount of money at | | | | claim in your state or another state during the |
| your job during a recent one-year period; this is | | | | past year. |
| called your "base period." | | | | If you are claiming the dependency allowance, |
| If you have received severance pay upon | | | | the names, birthdates, and Social Security |
| your separation from work, you may still be | | | | numbers of your dependent children. |
| eligible for unemployment benefits. | | | | How much money can I get? |
| If your hours or earnings were cut back by | | | | If you are eligible, you may be entitled to up to |
| at least one third, you can usually get a partial | | | | half of your weekly paycheck up to a certain limit. |
| benefit. The greater the cutback, the higher your | | | | How long will my benefits last? |
| benefit. | | | | Currently, state benefits end after an average of |
| The most important thing to remember is that | | | | 30 weeks. During periods of economic hardship, |
| even if you believe that you may not be eligible, | | | | the federal government can extend the benefit |
| file a claim anyway. There is no harm in asking, | | | | period. Check with your state Unemployment |
| and your state's unemployment office will have | | | | Division for the most current laws. |