How to File for Unemployment
Losing a job was a source of great personal distress some years back, but more and more people are getting laid off because of the global financial crisis. Just because you lost your job doesn’t mean that you’ll spend the rest of your life in the gutter. Rather, you can have a fresh new start at life with unemployment benefits.
Social Security
Unemployment benefits are part of the social security system used by the government to look after people in need of support because they have lost their jobs. All American citizen pays taxes through their employers, which means that part of those taxes are set aside for social security.
You can think of social security as an insurance system; in the event you lose your job because of circumstances out of your complete control, you can file for unemployment benefits. You can think of social security as a way for the government to help workers get back on their own two feet. For many unemployed people, the small sum that goes to them for unemployment benefits is a great help until such time that they can get a stable income.
Requirements
Requirements for unemployment benefits vary from state to state, although here are some of the important documents needed for you to file for unemployment across all 50 states:
Mailing address
Social security number
Statement of previous gross income
Information about your previous employer
Date of hiring and termination from your previous employer (including cause of termination)
Federal ID number of your previous employer (this number can be found on your pay stub or the W2 form)
Claim Questions
The unemployment office on your state has strict standards and requirements for an unemployment claim. Most unemployment claims are approved for people who were formerly employed by a company, and were let go because of circumstances and events out of their control. Reasons include:
Inability of the employer to pay for salaries.
The employee was laid off.
The employer closed the business and the employee’s record is clean.
Once you have answered the questions satisfactorily, you can then fill in claims that you want to be part of your unemployment benefit packages. The government will still have to check your claims to see what claims you are entitled to.
Losing your job doesn’t have to be the end of your world. Once you’ve filed for unemployment and satisfied your claims, you can find it just a bit easier to get back on your feet, get employed, and be financially independent.