Do I qualify for unemployment benefits?

 You only qualify for unemployment benefits if you are unemployed through no

fault of your own. When filing your claim for benefits, be sure to give complete

and accurate information about why you are no longer working. You must also

be registered for work to be eligible for benefits.

You may register for work online at www.in.gov/dwd where you will be connected

with the information and resources you need to find a job. If you are

without internet access, you may register for work at your local WorkOne Center.

Even if you are not eligible for benefits, you may register for work using DWD9s

many job search resources. Log on to www.in.gov/dwd or visit your local

WorkOne Center to see what DWD has to offer.

Three factors determine if you qualify for benefits.

1. How much money you earned in the base period,

2. Why you are unemployed, and

3. If you are able, available, and actively seeking full-time work.

These factors are addressed in more detail below

1. How much money did you earn in your base

period?

Your benefit amount depends on how much money you earned while working

during your base period. The base period divides the year into four quarters of

three months each.

Base Period:

Your base period includes the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters

before the week you file an initial claim application for a new benefit year. The

wages you earned during this period of time are used to determine if you qualify

for benefits and to calculate how much you can be paid. The last quarter

worked is called the lag quarter, and no wages from that quarter count in your

base period.

To establish a valid claim, you must have total wage credits during your base

period that are equal to at least one and one-fourth (1.25) multiplied by your

highest quarter wages. You must also have base period wages totaling at least

$2,750, with $1,650 of those wages earned in the last six (6) months of the

base period.

Why are you unemployed?

You only qualify for UI benefits if you are unemployed through no fault of your

own. Following your separation, our online resources (www.in.gov/dwd) and

our call center staff can help you understand your rights regarding employment

separation. Please have all related information handy when using either of

these resources.

If you quit or were fired:

A claims deputy within the agency\u2019s administrative office will need to make a

determination of whether or not you are eligible for benefits. You must provide

fact finding information as part of your online application or submit the fact

finding sheet in addition to your paper application.

Your benefit eligibility determination will be based on the fact finding information

you provide. Please fill out this information as completely as you can.

Your most recent employer and your base period employer(s) may be contacted

for information regarding your claim. When this process is complete, you

will be sent a Determination of Eligibility (see page 9).

If you were fired for just cause:

If you were fired for just cause you may not qualify for benefits. Just cause

includes, but is not limited to:

Giving false information on a job application,

Knowingly breaking an employer\u2019s rules,

Unexcused absence or tardiness,

Purposely damaging the employer\u2019s property,

Refusal to obey employer instructions,

Reporting to work under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol,

Consuming drugs and/or alcohol on the job,

Conduct that threatens the safety of others,

Conviction and imprisonment for a serious crime, and

Breach of a duty you owed your employer.

If you quit voluntarily:

If you quit voluntarily without good, work-related reasons, you may not qualify

for benefits. Good, work related reasons include, but are not limited to:

Your employer arbitrarily (unreasonably) changes the terms or conditions

of your work,

Safety violations at your work site,

Harassment, and

Domestic or family violence.

Some exceptions are made for those who voluntarily leave work for other reasons.

Please visit www.in.gov/dwd for more information on these special conditions,

or contact DWD at 1-800-891-6499.Are you able, available, and actively seeking full-time work?

Your benefits could be denied or reduced if you:

Refuse a suitable offer of work,

Fail to go to a job referral made by your local WorkOne Center,

Cannot show proof that you are actively searching for work according to work

search requirements (Explained on page 16-17), or

You are temporarily not available for work due to illness, injury, leave of absence,

or you are on suspension due to work-related misconduct.

Even if you have a work search waiver, you must be mentally and physically able

and available to work.

Your benefits can be reduced by an amount of your weekly benefit amount for each day

you are unavailable.

http://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Claimant_Handbook_Final_2009-Jan-20.pdf

How do I file for unemployment benefits?

Flie online at:

https://uplink.in.gov/CSS/CSSLogon.htm

§                  STEP 1: Click here to access Uplink CSS (Uplink Claimant Self Service) or report to your nearest WorkOne Center to access Uplink CSS. 

§                  STEP 2: Before logging into Uplink CSS or visiting a WorkOne Center to access Uplink CSS, you will need the following information.

1.                Complete name and address

2.                Social Security number

3.                Personal identification (if reporting to a WorkOne Center)

4.                Your most recent employer's name and address

5.                The dates you worked for your most recent employer

6.                The reason you are unemployed. 

§                  STEP 3: IDWD processes your claim.

§                  STEP 4:  You may also be required by Indiana law to register for work through our job match system, IndianaCAREERConnect.com. Click here or report to your nearest WorkOne Center.

Unemployment Office Contact Information

Phone:

Email:  http://www.in.gov/dwd/2456.htm

Mail:

Indianapolis, IN 46204