Eligibility

• Not every jobless individual is eligible to receive benefits from the program. Both by federal and state rules, it is limited to those who became unemployed through no fault of their own. A claimant who left a job voluntarily or was fired for cause, like misconduct or nonperformance, would not qualify. Also,the individual must be actively seeking work at the time he applies for unemployment compensation. Some state programs apply additional restrictions and eligibility requirements.
  
  

Benefits

• Temporary cash income replacement is the program's basic benefit. However, participants can also receive support in other forms, like skills training, job search counseling and career advice, typically provided by state agencies.
  
  Monetary benefits are calculated as a percentage of the individual's actual prior earnings over 52 weeks. The duration of payments is usually capped at 26 weeks, though some recipients can qualify for extended benefits during periods of high unemployment or under special circumstances.
  
  

Filing a Claim

• Your claim may be filed in person at the nearest office that administers unemployment benefits in your region. In most states, claims are also accepted by phone, postal mail and online. Because the process takes time, you should act as quickly as possible after losing your job. There may also be a mandatory waiting period before you can receive benefits. Be prepared to provide various types of personal information, including where you worked, for how long and at what salary.
  
  

Denial or Discontinuation of Claims

• Unemployment compensation benefits are not automatically granted, continued or extended. Even after you have established eligibility, you may be denied ongoing payments if you fail to periodically update your information, or fulfill all training, counseling or other requirements imposed by your state. Aid can also be discontinued to an individual who stops seeking work or becomes unable to hold down a job. However, denials can be appealed, either by the applicant or by his former employer.
  
  

Considerations

• While the unemployment program's basic federal guidelines are standard across the country, states are allowed flexibility in how they fund and administer benefits for their own residents. This can mean that jobless individuals are eligible for different amounts of money or durations of payment depending on where they live. It is important for all claimants to contact their state's department of labor or other local government unemployment office to learn all the rules that apply to them.