Source of Unemployment Payment

By calculating the total wages paid to the employees in the determined base period an employer needs to pay tax as per the laws of unemployment payment. To know more about this check out our Unemployment Rate guide.

Responsibility of an Employer

It is the duty of any employer to inform instantly by mailing process once the claim is filed. It is required to be informed that whether he/she was their last employee or not and also if he/she was the base period employer or not. [Note: The base period is defined as the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the filing of an unemployment insurance claim.]

UI Benefit Claimants Eligibility

?     Be fully or partially unemployed

?     Be unemployed through no fault of your own [the law imposes disqualifications for certain types of separations from employment]

?     Be physically and mentally able to work full time

?     Be available for full-time work

?     Be registered with the Arkansas Works Center

?     Be active in seeking work by making reasonable efforts to find employment each week

?     Participate in selected reemployment services if you are identified as a dislocated worker by the profiling system

?     File your weekly claims as directed.

As a Claimant is it necessary to return any Income Tax on my Unemployment Compensation

Of course yes, Unemployment Benefits are subjected to the Tax of Federal Income. According to the rules of The Arkansas DWS, it deducts 10% of weekly benefit amount for the payment of Federal Income Tax. If in case you have opted for income tax deduction, you will not be asked to pay quarterly estimated tax on the income you receive on your Unemployment Benefits.

To know more about Arkansas unemployment check out our Arkansas Unemployment Benefits guide. If you are not paying your weekly income tax then you need to consult the IRS or the person in contact who prepares your tax plan.

Unemployment Insurance Benefit Claimants Eligibility Requirement

?     Be fully or partially unemployed

?     Be unemployed through no fault of your own [the law imposes disqualifications for certain types of separations from employment]

?     Be physically and mentally able to work full time

?     Be available for full-time work

?     Be registered with the Arizona’s Works Center

?     Be actively seeking work by making reasonable efforts to find employment each week

?     Participate in selected reemployment services if you are identified as a dislocated worker by the profiling system

?     File your weekly claims as directed.

Applying Process

In order to file your claim in Arizona, you need to claim during the first week of total or partial unemployment. If you delay, then you may lose or your gain in benefit will postpone. You may not file for a week when you work four or more days. You must wait until the next Monday to file, if you are still unemployed.

There are two ways to claim the benefit in the state Arizona. The first ways is through calling Arizona Unemployment Call Centre over the number 877-600-2722 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. every day except state holidays and the next option is through logging in to the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s website- azui.com.

Before filing the claim you need to be ready with the details like

1] Your name, social security number, addresses and telephone number.

2] In case you are claiming file for dependents then you need to have their names, birth dates and social security numbers of your dependents.

3] Complete payroll address, reason for separation for each employer you worked for last 18 months before filing the claims.

Benefit Receiving Option

First week before any benefit can be paid is an unpaid waiting week. After waiting week you will be entitled to receive the compensation for about 26 weeks as long as you remain as unemployed but the constraint is to actively seek the employment. To know more about Arizona unemployment check out our Arizona Unemployment Benefits guide.

Your payment will be directly deposited to your unemployment account but you need to file the agreement form with your information and mail it to to ADES. Once it is processed the amount can be accessed through your card or it can be directly deposited to your own checking or savings account.

Did you know that earning also affects your benefit

Of course yes, if your earning is more than $50 then there will be 75 percent of deduction for each dollar you earn over $50. It is very essential to report your earnings of the week, though you are not paid of that particular week also.

Reporting your earnings

So how do you report your earnings, earnings need to be reported bi-weekly. You can claim the benefit through online or on VICTOR.

Calculating the earnings

Best way to calculate your compensation earning is to calculate the number of hours you worked within the week you are claiming the benefit that is Sunday through Saturday and multiply the number of hours worked by your hourly rate of pay by which you will be able to find your gross earning. Although you have worked as more than one job then you would be able to get two gross earnings. You just need to report both the earnings as total on bi-weekly claim. To know more about this check out our Alaska Unemployment Benefits guide.

Does being self employed also affects your benefits

Self-employment income is deducted on a dollar to dollar basis. The first and foremost requirement of the Unemployment Insurance is to be available to accept full time employment. Hence to become eligible to claim unemployment insurance in Alaska it is necessary to give the details of your company, business and the time you remain involved in the business. You are also expected to provide information on your gross earnings of the week deducting the business expenses on net gaining.

Other Deductions

Remember while filing the benefit claims, you need to report all details of income, Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend and Income Tax Return. Under some circumstances separation pay, pension, vacation or sick leave pay, bonus and back pay are also considered as deductibles.

Let us see different categories of employees:

Part time or Temporary Workers

In case people have worked for pay or profit at a particular week then it is considered as part temporary work or part time job.

Employed Without Job

Some people are also counted as employed who have employment but still could not work on the reasons like ill or sick, child care issues, family or personal issues, maternity or paternity leave, industrial dispute, acts of God or bad weather.

Such category people are still considered as in a job but segregated separately as people having job without work since they have to designate the work once the return back.

Unpaid Family Workers

The other set of people are said as unpaid family workers. This section of people will be working without pay over 15 hours for a family business.

Who is truly considered as Unemployed to claim the Compensation:

Remember not all people are considered as unemployed. People who do not have job but still actively searching for the work and are available to contact and work are termed as unemployed.

In case if you are an Unemployed in Alabama, Check the below instructions:

You can newly apply for the unemployment benefit claim or you can also reopen an existing claim that was filed within last year. Your weekly certification for claiming benefits can be filed through telephone or online. To know more about this check out our Alabama Unemployment Benefits guide.

There are some conditions to be noted under which you cannot file a claim via online:

• You worked outside the state of Alabama within the past 18 months.

• You filed a claim against a state other than Alabama in the past 12 months.

• You worked as a merchant seaman in the past 18 months.

• You worked for the federal government within the past 18 months.

• You are currently outside the United States of America.

In all the above stated conditions you need to directly call Alabama Unemployment Compensation department through toll free number 866-234-5382. Contact timings between 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM, to find out your eligibility for filing.

So let us know what Wage Record is and how it works

Wage record is a monetary system to monitor the eligibility for unemployment benefits. This is the system through which the employers submit their quarterly wage information for all their coverage. Earlier, Michigan followed wage record system in which they used to request weekly wage and their separation information whenever the unemployed used to file a claim for benefit.

Next the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) considered the information and decided how much the workers should be allowed to receive as jobless benefits in case they lose their job.

Wage record assists jobless workers to know their beneficial check amount immediately after filing their claims. They can know the time when they can receive beneficial amount. Usually it would by 14 days or sometimes weeks.  This record also assists in tax collection details. Michigan’s wage record legislation has designed the system to be revenue and benefit neutral, from the perspective of the State’s UI trust fund. There will be no deductions or add-ons on the total amount of unemployment benefits paid or the tax collected.

Below are some of the provisions provided by the Michigan’s Law:

Base Period- Earlier, the base period was calculated for 52 weeks for filing the benefits. But now it has changed and calculated on the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. If not then last four completed quarters are taken into consideration.

Weekly Benefit Amount- Earlier wage record calculated benefits were based on 67 % after tax earning whereas now the weekly benefit amounts is calculated at 4.1% of wages paid in the high quarter plus $6 per dependent up to five dependents are allowed now  with the current maximum of $362 per week.

Qualifying Wage- Wage record is calculated as per the total wages paid in the base period. You must have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period.  In one quarter, your wages must have been at least $2,774.  Total wages for your base period must have been at least $4,161.

The Alternate Earning Qualifier Method- This is an alternate means of qualifying the earning, but wages must have been paid in atleast two calendar quarters. That is you must have earned approximately $16, 400, 80 during the four quarters.

Benefit Duration- Earlier benefit duration was calculated by taking into consideration the number of credit weeks in the base period divided by 75%, subjected to a maximum entitlement of 26 weeks. To know more about Michigan unemployment check out our Michigan Unemployment Benefits guide.

But now wage record is divided by 40% of base period wages with the weekly benefit amount to calculate the number of weeks to which an unemployed is entitled. The maximum weeks would be 20 and the minimum would be 14 weeks.

As per the Massachusetts state law, unemployment insurance benefits last for a period of 30 weeks. Beneficial year is considered as 52 weeks period from the effective date of claiming is approved. In case any claimer is denied of benefit, then the beneficial period also extends by the number of weeks being disqualified. To know more about this check out our Unemployment Insurance guide.

Extended Unemployment Insurance

If unemployment rate increases then special state federal programs comes into effectiveness which provides the additional week benefit or extended benefit programs. Such programs are funded partially or fully by the Massachusetts federal unemployment trust fund.

There are two ways to obtain extended unemployment insurance benefits:

1] Federal extension of unemployment benefits – In case of rise in unemployment rate, the federal government comes for assistance by providing extending benefits to those whose state UI benefits have expired.

Your Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) representative will let you know the details and eligibility on qualifying for the benefits since the eligibility requirements are different to some extent and all the workers cannot be benefited even if they qualify for the federal extended benefits.

Information on extended benefits

If unemployment increases in Massachusetts State then beneficiaries are eligible to enjoy the benefit upto 99 weeks as bifurcated stated below:

•    up to 26 weeks of regular benefits from the Massachusetts unemployment program

•    up to 53 weeks of extended benefits from the Emergency Unemployment Compensation

(EUC)

•    up to 20 weeks of extended benefits from the Extended Benefits (EB) program

You can file an extended benefit claim by calling the

Toll-free number: 1-888-998-8418.

2] Approved job training- If you are undergoing the approved job training program, you can still apply for an extension unemployment benefit program. The maximum period for job training would be 18 weeks of time.

Note: To qualify for the extension, you must apply by the 15th week after you begin to get unemployment insurance checks. To know more about Massachusetts unemployment check out our Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits guide.

Reimbursable employers are accountable for the portion of benefits or or the full amount of re-training benefits paid if there are contributory employers in the base period as well.

To qualify for Unemployment Insurance benefit in New York

You must be ready, willing and be able to work. To be eligible for obtaining the claim you must have adequate work and wages in covered employment. In New York State, employers are bound to pay a tax that funds the Unemployment Insurance. The tax is not deducted from paycheck. The New York State Department of Labor decides on whether you are qualified for the Insurance benefit or not. To know more about this check out our New York Unemployment guide.

How to file a claim for UI Benefits – New York State Department of  Labor

How to apply?

There are two options available to apply for the claim.

Web Service: Through this, you can opt for the online service. Web assistance provides a safe process in filing your unemployment insurance claim. You can claim, view or print your weekly payment, check your payment status, change the payment method and withhold tax options.

Note: It is recommended that the person who is claiming the unemployment insurance should alone use the system for process; the only exception can be like if you need someone to assist and access your system. In case you are letting another person to use the system then it is considered as fraud, in case you are taking another person’s assistance then it is very essential to you to be present and not to share the PIN code.

In case your assistant’s or helper’s deception is proved, you may be subjected to penalties and may also lose up to 20 weeks of benefits.

Phone Service: You can also claim for the benefit via phone service.  You can call and contact the telephone claim center with the toll-free number during business hours. Translation service is also available which will help the voice recording assistants to help you to communicate with your preferable languages such as:

•    English

•    Spanish

•    Russian

•    Cantonese

•    Mandarin

•    Creole

•    All other languages

To file a claim you can contact:

New York Residents on the number: 1-888-209-8124

For Out of State Residents: 1-877-358-5306

Between Monday to Friday business hours 8 am to 5 pm

Documents required for filing your claim:

•    Social Security number

•    Driving license or Motor Vehicle ID Card number

•    Employer’s details of last 18 months, of other states if applicable

•    Your complete mailing address with zip code and phone number to communicate

•    If you are not an US citizen then your Alien Registration card number

•    Employer Registration number or Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) of your

most recent employer (FEIN is on your W-2 forms)

•    If you were federal employee forms SF8 and SF50

•    For military service, your most recent separation form (DD 214)

•    If you choose direct deposit of your weekly benefits, you need a check that has your bank

routine and account numbers.

New York State Department of Labor will evaluate your claim for UI benefits and decide whether you are qualified for the benefits and then process the claim. To know more about unemployment check out our Unemployment Claims guide.

Three other countries coupled with County for the 11th lowest rate in the state in December.
Unemployment rate has dipped from 7.9 percent a year ago, while it remains double what it was before the downturn. Franklin County alone has lost approximately 300 jobs last month.

Sectors including mining, manufacturing and construction saw small declines. Local government and the professional and business services sectors also posted slight declines. The hospitality and leisure sector also did not see any profit that it usually does in December since the mild winter deferred the opening at Whitetail Ski Resort, a major employer in hospitality and leisure.

Hiring at Whitetail will be seen in January data this year. Due to projected seasonal hiring for the holiday shopping rush, the retail sector added 100 jobs in December and the employment was somewhat higher than it was a year ago.

According to latest figures released by the Indian Department of Workforce in December, The unemployment rate in Montgomery County has held stable at 8.6 percent for the past four months while Fulton County posted a small decline in unemployment. It added about 100 manufacturing jobs over the month and about 300 jobs over the year.

Recently in Pennsylvania, unemployment compensation law changed which now requires that anyone who claims for benefits with an effective date of Jan 1, 2012, or after have to meet certain work search requirements. For the long-term laid-offs, federal extended benefits have been lengthened through March. To know more about this check out our Pennsylvania Unemployment guide.

The state’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis believes strongly that 200 people in Franklin County to tire out benefits in January and February, and another 520 to exhaust unemployment benefits in March.

The unemployment rate in Milford continues to fall, as 6.7 percent of the people were unemployed as of Jan 1.

Today’s employment information gives further confirmation that the economy is continuing to improve from the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. It is significant that we continue the economic policies that are serving us to dig our way out of the deep hole that has brought about by the downturn at the end of 2007. Most notably, we need to lengthen the payroll tax cut and continue to provide emergency unemployment benefits. To know more about this check out our Unemployment Benefits guide.

Robert Gregory, director of Economic and Community Development pointed at a recent EDC meeting that the city’s jobless rate continues to fall. Last February, 8.5 percent of the population was unemployed. In total, there were nearly 2250 citizens jobless as of Jan 1, compared with 2,766 residents last February. As per the most recent figures released by state, a total of 30,700 people are employed.

At the end of September, 8 percent of the city’s labor force was laid-off. The numbers started to improve rapidly in October, November and December. According to Mayor Ben Blake, Milford city is on the move and is definitely profiting from the improving federal and state economies. He also feels that Milford is in much better shape than other communities in the state.

Calls for people seeking for commercial real estate are increasing which is an indication that the economy is improving and people are gradually turning the corner out of this recession. In addition, 85 housing permits were pulled in 2011, compared to 77 in the year 2010.

During the EDC meeting, Chairman Cyrus Settineri noted that after the revaluation, the tax burden shifted from residential to commercial property owners. As per Blake, revaluation is mandated and he noted five years ago, residential property values mounted while commercial properties remained steady. There has been turnaround and it’s still uncertain what outcome the new property assessments will have on next year’s tax rate. To know more about rate check out our Unemployment Rate guide.

Requesting the claim for payment is generally made every two weeks either on Internet or over telephone. If you file your claim between Sundays to Wednesday, your claim will be effective the week you filed. But in case if you file the claim between Thursdays to Saturday then your claim will be effective in the following week.

Calculation Procedure

Generally a formula is used to analyze the amount of benefits payable to claimants. The estimate is calculated upon your salary that was paid during prescribed base period. Generally the base period is considered as the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters.

Compensation Claims

As stated above, the claims are calculated on quarterly basis. But in few cases, waiting to file until the next quarter may be beneficial if pay increases. In some cases, the difference amount will not make big variations.

Once you apply for unemployment, you are required to wait for one week before you receive your first payment. Once the claim is approved then the benefits are regularly paid every week, approximately $ 1900 per month based on a four-week month.

Payment System

Unemployment Insurance Compensation is gained by The Colorado Department of Labor & Unemployment. It does not provide any paper checks. The department issues unemployment payments via visa Debit card which is default option or in case if it is specified on your application as direct deposit then it is done through direct deposit into your checking or savings account.To know more about unemployment in Colorado check out our Colorado Unemployment guide.

Duration of the payment

Processing duration for the claim can take up to six weeks. First week of the application process done is known as waiting week which is not a payable week. But however, if you meet all the required eligibility then you are allowed to collect the payment for the waiting week also. Usually non payable waiting week is followed each time the new claim is filed. Also, remember that benefits are not paid for weeks of unemployment prior to the date your claim was filed.