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District Of Columbia Unemployment Information PDF Print E-mail

Do I qualify for unemployment benefits?

 
 

To be eligible for unemployment compensation, you must meet the following wage requirements:

You must have wages in at least two quarters of the base period.

You must have at least $1,300 in wages in one quarter of the base period.

You must have at least $1,950 in wages for the entire base period.

Your total base period wages must be at least one-and-a-half times the wages in your highest quarter, or be within $70 of that amount.

In addition to wage requirements, you must also meet the following requirements:

            You must be unemployed through no fault of your own.

            You must be available for work. This means that you must be ready and willing to accept work considered suitable for you because of your past training, education, or experience.

            You must be physically able to work. You cannot collect benefits while you are sick, injured, or disabled.

            You must make at least two job contacts each week.

            You must make a personal and continuing effort each week to attain gainful employment, using methods that are customary for your occupation. (You may be asked by your Employment Services Center to demonstrate your work search activities, so you should keep a record of such efforts.)

Reasons for Disqualification

You may be disqualified from receiving benefits for any of the following reasons:

            Voluntary departure from your last employer without good cause connected with the work

            Discharge by your last employer for gross misconduct

            Discharge by your last employer for misconduct other than gross misconduct

            Refusal to apply for, or accept, suitable work without good cause

            Participation in a labor dispute other than a lockout

            Inability to work or unavailability for work

            Failure to register as directed with the Job Service

            Failure to report as directed

            Failure to participate in reemployment services

            Failure to attend a training course recommended by the Department of Employment Services

            Not being authorized to work, if you are an alien

            A reasonable assurance of continuing employment*

Leaving the Military

If you are unemployed after leaving the US military, you must provide the "Member Requests Copy 4" of your form DD-214, "Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty."

http://www.does.dc.gov/does/cwp/view,a,1232,q,537869.asp

How do I file for unemployment benefits?

When applying for unemployment benefits, you must first determine the base period of your claim. Use the following table:

If your claim is filed in the first full week of the month of:      Your base period is the 12-month period ending the previous: 

January/February/March  September 30

April/May/June December 31

July/August/September March 31

October/November/December June 30

Base period wages may be from DC employers, the DC Government, the Federal Government, and the US Military, or from employers in other states.

Determining Eligibility

To be eligible for unemployment compensation, you must meet the following wage requirements:

You must have wages in at least two quarters of the base period.

You must have at least $1,300 in wages in one quarter of the base period.

You must have at least $1,950 in wages for the entire base period.

Your total base period wages must be at least one-and-a-half times the wages in your highest quarter, or be within $70 of that amount.

In addition to wage requirements, you must also meet the following requirements:

You must be unemployed through no fault of your own.

You must be available for work. This means that you must be ready and willing to accept work considered suitable for you because of your past training, education, or experience.

You must be physically able to work. You cannot collect benefits while you are sick, injured, or disabled.

You must make at least two job contacts each week.

You must make a personal and continuing effort each week to attain gainful employment, using methods that are customary for your occupation. (You may be asked by your Employment Services Center to demonstrate your work search activities, so you should keep a record of such efforts.)

Reasons for Disqualification

You may be disqualified from receiving benefits for any of the following reasons:

Voluntary departure from your last employer without good cause connected with the work

Discharge by your last employer for gross misconduct

Discharge by your last employer for misconduct other than gross misconduct

Refusal to apply for, or accept, suitable work without good cause

Participation in a labor dispute other than a lockout

Inability to work or unavailability for work

Failure to register as directed with the Job Service

Failure to report as directed

Failure to participate in reemployment services

Failure to attend a training course recommended by the Department of Employment Services

Not being authorized to work, if you are an alien

A reasonable assurance of continuing employment*

Leaving the Military

If you are unemployed after leaving the US military, you must provide the "Member Requests Copy 4" of your form DD-214, "Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty."

http://does.dc.gov/does/cwp/view,a,1232,q,537869.asp#1

Unemployment Office Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Dept. of Employment Services

Government of the District of Columbia

64 New York Avenue NE

Suite 3000

Washington, DC 20002

By Web

Email:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website:

http://does.dc.gov

 

 

By Phone 

Phone: (202) 724-7000

Fax: (202) 673-6993

TDD/TYY: (202) 673-6994

 

Office Hours

8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except District holidays

 

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