Filing for an Unemployment Claim

Filing for an unemployment compensation claim is the first step in ensuring you are financially covered throughout the job-seeking period. Even if you have filed a lawsuit against your employer due to wrongful termination or workplace harassment, filing for unemployment can help you pay your bills as you await your court decision. To make this process easier, Jacksonville unemployment attorney has compiled these tips on how to file for compensation.

It is usually a good idea to file for unemployment insurance as soon as you separate from your previous job so you may begin collecting payments as speedily as possible. Your payments will not be backdated and there is always a one week waiting period after you file, so if you wait three weeks to file, it would be a full month before you begin to collect insurance.

When you file for an unemployment compensation claim, it is important to have a number of things on hand to speed up the process. You will need:

The names, addresses and phone numbers of all of your employers in the last 18 months.
The dates you worked and total earning from each employer (this information can be obtained from your final pay stub from each employer).
Your gross earnings for the week you are filing.
Your driver's license or state ID number and social security number.
If you belong to a union, you will need the name and local number of your union hall.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need your Alien Registration number and your work permit expiration date.
If you were in the military in the last 2 years, you will need your DD-214 form.
If you were a federal employee, you will need your Form SF-50 or SF-8.

There are four ways to apply -through mail or fax, on the phone and on the internet. The internet is recommended as the easiest method to use. When you file for unemployment by internet, make sure you complete your application within 72 hours of starting it AND by midnight on Saturday that week. Failure to do either of these things will result in a loss of your information and you will be forced to restart the process from the beginning. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour to file an unemployment claim via internet and 15 to 20 minutes to file over the phone. Always complete the entire application and be completely honest.

If you have any questions, contact the Agency for Workplace Innovation at 800-204-2418 or call a Jacksonville unemployment compensation attorney, who can help answer any of your questions about the process and inform you of your options if you are denied. His dedication to customer satisfaction has made him a top Jacksonville unemployment lawyer.

Our offices offer free initial consultations, so if you have any questions or concern, schedule your appointment with a skilled Jacksonville unemployment compensation lawyer today to help file for an unemployment claim.