Unemployment Benefits

• You may also be able to get benefits if you felt like you had to quit because your employer did not fix a serious problem that you reported, such as an unsafe work condition, sexual harassment or discrimination.

If things like this happen, you should keep notes about what happened and when and make your complaint in writing. Be sure to keep a copy of everything important.

Remember: it is important that you let the employer know about the problem and give them time to fix it. If you do not, you may not be able to get unemployment benefits.

1. You will not be able to get unemployment benefits if you quit for personal reasons or because you did not like your job.

2. You will not be able to get unemployment if you were fired for misconduct. Misconduct can be things like poor attendance and being late a lot. It is also things like fighting on the job or refusing to do what your supervisor asked. If you are told not to do something or if you keep breaking the rules even after being warned that is misconduct.

You can work part-time while getting unemployment benefits, but the amount of your wages is taken out of your unemployment benefits. This is how it works:

• If you work less than 32 hours and earn less than your weekly unemployment benefit amount, you can get a partial benefit payment.  

• If you work 32 or more hours in a week or if your gross earnings for a week are the same as or more than your weekly unemployment benefit amount, you will not get unemployment benefits for that week.

It is really important for you to report all of your earnings and other income to the Unemployment Office. Report your earnings from all jobs, even temporary or part-time jobs. Report the earnings even if you think the Unemployment Office already knows about the job. If you do not report all of your earnings or other income, you will get an overpayment. You have to repay this overpayment back to the Unemployment Office, plus interest. You may also have to pay a fraud penalty.

Each case if different. Call your local legal aid office right away to talk about your case.

Unemployment benefits are about 50 percent of the wages you were making. But it may be less in certain situations.

File your claim right away. The longer you wait, the longer it will be before you get any benefits. You do not get paid at all for the time between your last day and the week that you file. Also, there is a 1 week waiting period before you get paid your first benefits.

It is fastest to file online at http://www.uimn.org/. You can also file by phone. In the metro, call (651) 296-3644. Outside the metro, call 1-(877) 898-9090. TTY: 1-(866) 814-1252.

Get all your job information together:

• Your social security number
• The employer’s name and address
• The dates you worked there
• Why the job ended
• Names of your employers for the last 18 months and the dates you worked at each job
• Any papers from your employer explaining why your job ended

You can usually get up to 26 weeks’ worth of unemployment benefits, but you have to use them within a year of your job ending date.

To keep your benefits, you must sign up with the unemployment office, look for work and ask for benefits each week. If you do not, you could lose your benefits.

You can appeal if benefits are denied, lowered or cut off. You will get a letter if your benefits change. You can send your appeal electronically, by mail or fax. The information to do this will be in the letter.

You have 20 days to appeal. Do not wait until the last day to file an appeal. If you miss the deadline for any reason your appeal will be ignored. Make sure you keep a copy of your appeal. They will set a phone hearing and send you a letter about it. Make sure you give them the right phone number for the hearing. Be sure you can answer the call at the hearing time! If you don’t answer the call, you will lose your chance to appeal.

• Get your proof together – Read the papers from the Unemployment Office about why your employer thinks you should not get benefits, or why your benefits are being lowered or cut off. Bring any notes, doctor’s statements or records you have to help your side. Write down the things you want to say at the hearing, so you don’t forget anything.

• Legal help – You don’t have to have a lawyer, but it can help. At least talk to one for advice about how to handle the hearing yourself. Call your legal aid office for help or referrals.

If you lose the appeal, you may have an overpayment. That means that you have to pay back any benefits that you got.

For more information on appeals go online to http://www.uimn.org/ or call (651) 296-3795.