Correctly reporting why you are not working

When you apply for unemployment benefits, you need to report why you are not working. We call this your job separation reason. To avoid delays or a denial of your claim, you need to give the correct information about your employers, and why you stopped working or had your hours reduced, even if it’s only temporary.

Watch this 4-minute video to learn more about correctly reporting why you stopped working:

Report all employers and dates of employment

For a new claim, you need to report every employer you worked for in the last 18 months. When restarting a claim, report all employers since your last weekly claim. Report each employer including temporary and part-time jobs, paid orientations and working interviews.

Failing to correctly report an employer or why you stopped working could result in a loss of benefits, an overpayment or possibly a denial due to fraud. Your work history will be verified with your employers.

The last day you actually worked and the separation date are usually the same, but sometimes the dates may be different. For example, if you last worked on Friday and were laid off on Monday, the dates would be different. If you do not know the exact date, give your best estimate.

Examples of common job separation reasons

Learn more about these and other separation reasons, on the basic eligibility requirements page.

Other articles in this tutorial series

You can also learn more about:

• When to apply or restart your claim for unemployment benefits
• Weekly job search requirements