Unemployment benefits eligibility decisions FAQ

Q. Waiting for a decision on your claim for benefits?
A. Most unemployment-insurance applicants receive benefit checks or a decision explaining why they are not eligible within three weeks of their initial application.  A small percentage of claims requires additional fact-finding, or "adjudication," to determine if the individual is eligible for benefits.

Q. How long will it take to make a decision?
A. For those claims that have questions, or “open issues” as we call them, it can take more time than usual to work through the specific circumstances of each case and determine whether a claimant qualifies for benefits. Because of this, and also due to the unprecedented number of claims we are working with due to the COVID-19 crisis, timelines for when claims with issues will be resolved vary depending on the individual circumstances. You will be paid retroactively for all weeks for which you were eligible and filed a claim.

Q. What types of issues delay eligibility decisions?
A. The issues vary, but many relate to whether the claimant quit or was fired or whether the claimant is immediately available for work. Our adjudicator communicates with the employers and the claimants before making a decision. Working through the specific facts of each case takes time.

Q. How are claimants notified that a decision has been made?
A. Employment Security mails eligibility decisions to claimants and their employers.  When a claimant is allowed benefits, payment is issued at the same time for all the previous eligible weeks that were claimed.