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PART THREE: QUALIFYING FOR BENEFITS

QUALIFYING FOR UI BENEFITS Our agency will review your claim to determine if you qualify for benefits. We ask the three following questions: 1. Did you work in the last 12-18 months before filing a claim? You must have earned a certain amount of wages in the 12 to 18 months before you file a claim. If you did not earn enough wages, you will not be eligible for benefits. The decision regarding whether you earned enough wages during your base period is call a monetary determination. 2. Why are you no longer working for your most recent employer? The reason you are no longer working helps determine whether you can get UI benefits. Below are some examples of separation reasons that may qualify or disqualify you from receiving benefits. You may receive benefits if you: • Were laid off or your hours were reduced because your employer didn't have enough work for you • Left your last job because of unsafe working conditions • Are unemployed because you or your child were a victim of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault You may not receive benefits if you: • Left your job for personal reasons unrelated to work. • Were fired for wrongdoing. • Are not legally authorized to work in the United States. • Are self-employed full time. • Are currently receiving workers’ compensation for an on-the-job injury. The decision regarding whether you separated from your job for an approved reason is called a separation determination. You can find more information about separation determinations in Part Four of this handbook. 3. Are you able and available to work? To qualify for UI benefits, you must be: • actively looking for work • mentally and physically able to work • legally able to work in the United States, and • available to start new work (for example you do not have barriers that would prevent you from working).

COMPUTING MONETARY ELIGIBILITY You must have insured wages in at least two quarters of your base period in order to qualify for unemployment benefits. The base period is the window of time used to determine UI benefit eligibility. At the time an initial claim for benefits is filed, wages from the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters are considered the base year. The following information will help you understand which wages are used on your claim, and provide general information about weekly and maximum benefit amounts:

CALENDAR QUARTERS: The four calendar quarters of the year are as follows: 1st quarter: January, February, March 2nd quarter: April, May, June 3rd quarter: July, August, September 4th quarter: October, November, December Calendar quarters begin the first Sunday in the new quarter.