Microsoft Word - Unemployment

PART 1: Information about Filing your INITIAL CLAIM of Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Gather all the necessary information first. You must complete the application all in one sitting. Please set aside

at least 50 minutes to complete the application process. You cannot save and return to the application and you

could be timed out if you leave the application idle for 30 minutes.

 Bank account number and Routing Number (if you plan to receive benefits through direct deposit)

 Social Security Number

 Alien Registration Number (if you are not a US citizen).

 Pension information (if you are receiving any pension or 401k).

 Amount and duration of any separation pay you may be receiving.

 Recall date (NJ State Exec Branch – you will answer “no definite recall date”)

 Union hiring hall information, including local number and address.

 Military Form DD-214 (if you were in the military in the last 18 months).

 Form SF-8 or SF-50 (if you were a federal employee).

 For each employer that you worked for in the last 18 months, provide the following:

o Complete name and address of employer o Employer’s telephone number

o Your occupation with that employer

o Beginning and ending dates of employment

o Reason for separation

Go to myunemployment.nj.gov to Start Your Claim

 Click on “New users register here” Page 2 of 7

 Create an Account if you do not already have an account. You will need an email and create a password.

 Fill out the Pre-Qualification questions.

 Go to the next steps, see below

Step 1: General Information

 SSN

 Date of Claim

 Date of Birth

 Legal Name

 (1.2) Select gender

 (1.3) Please select the applicable form of identification

o ID type

o ID number

 (1.4) In the past 18 months, have you worked under a name different from above? Answer yes or no

 (1.5) When you worked in New Jersey, did you live out of state? Answer yes or no

 (1.6) Have you filed an Unemployment Insurance claim in the past 12 months? Answer yes or no

Residence Address

 Enter the address where you reside

Mailing Address

 Enter your preferred mailing address

Personal Information

 (2.1) Are you a citizen or national of the United States? Answer yes or no, if no enter alien

registration information in designated area

o If you are not a citizen or national of the United States, are you authorized to work in the

United States? Answer yes or no, if yes enter permanent resident card information in

designated area

 (2.2) Please enter your home telephone number

 (2.3) Please enter your alternate telephone number

 (2.4) Please enter your email address

 (2.5) If you are scheduled for an appointment, do you need an interpreter? Answer yes or no

 (2.6) Please select the number of years of educated you have completed

 (2.7) What is your ethnic group?

 (2.8) What is your race?

 (2.9) Are you the main wage earner in your household? Answer yes or no

Main Occupation:

 Enter details and description of your occupation

Eligibility Information:

 (3.1) Are you ready, willing and able to immediately work full-time? Answer yes or no

 (3.2) Are you or have you been a student in full-time attendance at an educational institution within

the past 18 months? Answer yes or no

 (3.3) Are you currently enrolled in job training or college? Answer yes or no

 (3.4) Do you wish to have 10% Federal Income Tax withheld from your benefits? Answer yes or no,

carefully consider your choice

 (3.5) Do you wish to claim a dependency allowance? Answer yes or no

 (3.6) Are you a member of a union? Answer yes or no, yes if you are a member of CWA or AFT

 (3.7) Are you currently registered with Vocational Rehabilitation? Answer yes or no

 (3.8) How do you wish to receive your Benefit payment? Select option that works best for you, if you

chose direct deposit make sure to have that information ready and enter where required.

Direct Deposit information: Enter banking information if you chose this type of benefit payment

Employment Information: Enter all employer information for the last 18 months

Employment Details:

 (5.1) Since your last day worked, have you collected disability or worker’s compensation? Answer yes

or no

 (5.2) Were you disabled immediately before filing this Unemployment Insurance Claim? Answer yes

or no, if yes details of your disability claim will be required

Pension Pay

 (5.3) If you applied for or are receiving any private or government pension or lump sum distribution

or 401K (not including Social Security benefits) from any employer that you worked for between [

dates selected by state], they should be listed below. If this applies to you enter information, if no

continue to next section

 (5.4) If you received, or will receive holiday pay, payment in lieu of notice, vacation pay, severance

pay, continuation pay, or other pay for any period after your last date of work they should be listed

below.

o If you will receive holiday pay, vacation pay, or any other pay during a week in which are

also taking furlough days, you must report it here, as well as during weekly certification.

Part 2: Weekly Certification

Unemployment Insurance weeks begin on a Sunday and end at midnight on Saturday.

Your claim is dated the Sunday of the week in which you filed your initial (first) claim. The first time you

certify for benefits will be at least 17 days after your Sunday date of claim. To receive your unemployment

insurance benefit payments, you must go online and certify for benefits for each week which you wish to

receive benefits. Only after the workweek has passed (after Saturday at midnight) are you able to certify for

benefits for that workweek.

You’ll need your SSN, PIN, and earnings for the week you are claiming. Earnings have to claimed when

the work was done, not when paid. Gross earnings are to be reported.

FURLOUGH PORTION: (THIS SECTION IS ONLY FOUND IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS

OF A FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEE)

 Step 4: Employment Information

o State Employer Payroll Number: 22248181800000 (State of New Jersey)

o Are you still employed by this employer? Answer yes

o If “yes” explain the reason: Select “Reduction in hours by employer

o Please select your reason for separation from this employer: Select “Other-COVID-19

related”

o Do you expect to be recalled by this employer? Answer yes

o Do you have a definite date of recall? Refer to form emailed to you for date

o What was the last day you worked for this employer? Enter the last actual date you worked

before the furlough.

FAQ’s

How long will it be between when I apply and when I will be able to certify for benefits?

Your claim is dated the Sunday of the week in which you filed your initial (first) claim. The first time you

claim benefits will be at least 17 days after your Sunday date of claim. How do you know when to certify? You

will receive instructions in the mail after the claim is filed. If you filed online, you will receive an email once

your claim has been entered. If your claim is determined eligible for benefits, you will be able to certify online

during the next block of time assigned to your Social Security number.

How do I find the day and time when I can certify?

Check the schedule. The schedule is subject to change weekly so make sure to check regularly to be aware of

when you can claim your benefits.

See when your Social Security number is scheduled to certify for benefits for the current week:

https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/schedule.shtml. When it is your time to certify, log-in

to our online application and answer the required questions.

Where do I go to certify?

myunemployment.nj.gov. Click on “$ Certify for Weekly Benefits”

What do I need to have ready when I certify?

Social Security number, PIN (the first time you certify you will be guided to create one), and if you worked

during the week being claimed, any earnings for the week. Earnings have to be reported when the work was

done, not when paid. Gross earnings are to be reported.

What if I forget my PIN?

If you have forgotten your PIN, you may reset your PIN within the claim status review function. Go to

myunemployment.nj.gov – Click on “Check claim status here”:

A new page will open:

Enter your Social Security number, date of birth, email you used to register your account and first and last

name. Click Enter.

A new circle/check box will appear to reset your pin. A new pin will be sent to your registered email account

in minutes.

What if there is a problem with my unemployment claim? Do I keep certifying?

If there is a problem with your claim that must be resolved before benefits can be paid, or if you have been

denied benefits and are appealing the determination, you must still certify for and claim your benefits each

week. You will receive “credit” for the weeks which you have claimed. If it is determined that you are eligible

or if you win your appeal, you will be paid these benefits. If you have not claimed benefits and you win your

appeal, you will not be paid for these weeks.

When can I expect my benefits to be paid?

 After your initial claim, benefits should be paid the third week following your filing of the claim. For

example, if you file your initial claim on Friday July 3, benefits will be issued at some point during the

week ending July 18th (the exact day will depend on the certification schedule for that week).

 After your first certification, benefits can be claimed weekly (the exact day will depend on the

certification schedule for that week) and issued within 48 hours of processing. Use the schedule that is

posted online.

 The CARES Act supplemental $600 weekly payment is processed each Friday evening and usually in

bank accounts on Tuesday. Note: if you certify on a Saturday, it will be after that Friday window and the

CARES Act payment will come in the following certification period. (For example, if you certify for

your UI payment on a Saturday, and then claim the following week’s UI payment before the following

Friday, you will receive both $600 payments when those payments are processed that Friday night).

What do I do if I need assistance or have questions?

Check myunemployment.nj.gov and here for frequently asked questions. If you cannot find an answer, you can

call one of our call centers:

 North New Jersey: 201-601-4100

 Central New Jersey: 732-761-2020

 South New Jersey: 856-507-2340

 Out-of-state claims: 888-795-6672 (you must call from a phone with an out-of-state area code)

 New Jersey Relay: 7-1-1