Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits?
Individuals who are considered out of work through no fault of their own may be eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits.
Minimum qualifications for eligibility include, but are not limited to:
- Sufficient earnings within the base period of a claim to qualify monetarily for benefits;
- Must be wholly unemployed or employed less than full-time and have earnings less than their weekly entitlement;
- Must be found to be out of work through no fault of their own;
- Must be available to seek and accept work customary to their normal occupation;
- Must be physically and mentally able to work at the time they initiate a claim for benefits; and,
- Must not refuse suitable work when offered.
How Do I File For Unemployment Benefits?
Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits is temporary income for workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and who are either looking for another job, have definite recall to their jobs within 6 weeks of the last day worked, or are in approved training. The funding for unemployment insurance benefits comes from taxes paid by employers. Workers do not pay any costs. Eligibility for benefits is determined based on past wages, reason for job separation, and availability and job search requirements. Claims for unemployment insurance may be filed at any Georgia Department of Labor Career Center.
When filing a claim, you should bring:
- Your social security number. A claim cannot be filed without a social security number.
- Employer-issued separation letter or notice, if one was provided.
- Names and addresses of all employers for the last 18 months and the dates worked for each.
- Proof of immigration status if not a U.S. citizen.
- Personal check with account number and bank routing number if you want benefits deposited directly into to a checking or savings account.
File By Phone
Customers in the Metro Atlanta Area: 404-232-4290
Customers outside the Metro Atlanta Area: 1-866-873-5676 (toll free)
Official Georgia Unemployment Handbook, called Unemployment Insurance Claimant Handbook:
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/pdf/forms/dol414.pdf
Claims are effective on the date they are filed and are not retroactive to the last day worked.
Use the GDOL automated telephone system, OLIVoR, to access additional information.
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/js/unemployment_benefits_individuals.htm
File Online:
http://www.dol.state.ga.us/js/unemployment_benefits_individuals.htm
Contact Information
- Commissioner’s Office phone: (404) 232-7300
- Career Center Administration phone: (404) 232-3540
- Employment Programs/Services phone: (404) 232-3515
- Agricultural Job Postings (including H2A) phone: (404) 232-3500
- Child Labor Laws and Regulations phone: (404) 232-3260
- Federal Bonding Assistance phone: (404) 232-3540
- Foreign Labor Certification phone: (404) 232-3500
- GoodWorks! phone: (404) 232-3775
- Mass Layoff and Plant Closure Assistance (inc. WARN) phone: (404) 232-3505
- Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Advocate phone: (404) 232-3548
- Trade Act Program (jobs lost to foreign imports) phone: (404) 232-3505
- Veteran Services phone: (404) 232-3530
- Workforce Investment Act (Job Training Programs) phone: (404) 232-3775
- WIA Grants and Contracts phone: (404) 232-3590
- Youth Work Permits phone: (404) 232-3260
- Human Resources phone: (404) 232-3620
- Rehabilitation Services phone: (404) 232-3910
- TTY: (404) 232-3911
- Five integrated and interdependent programs that share a primary goal — to help people with disabilities become fully productive members of society by achieving independence and meaningful employment.
- Vocational Rehabilitation phone: (404) 486-6331
- Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation (RWSIR) phone: (706) 655-5000
- Business Enterprise Program (visually-impaired vendors) phone: (770) 724-6590
- Georgia Industries for the Blind phone: (229) 248-2666
- Disability Adjudication Services phone: (678) 639-2100
- Unemployment Insurance (UI) phone: (404) 232-3990
- Program which provides temporary income to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own (financed by employer unemployment taxes).
- Appeals to the Board of Review phone: (404) 232-3325
- Appeals to Hearing Officers phone: (770) 909-2828
- Electronic Wage Reporting phone: (404) 232-3265
- Employer Claim Charges phone: (404) 232-3030
- Employer Tax Liability phone: (404) 232-3301
- Employer Tax Rates phone: (404) 232-3300
- Employer Tax Reports/Filing phone: (404) 232-3220
- General Tax Information phone: (404) 232-3320
- Interstate Claims phone: (404) 232-3090
- New Employer Accounts phone: (404) 232-3301
- Partial Claims Filing for Employers phone: (404) 232-3050
- UI Customer Service phone: (404) 232-3001
- UI Policy and Procedures phone: (404) 232-3180
- Tax Administration phone: (404) 232-3320
- Labor Market Information phone: (404) 232-3875
- Atlanta Wage and Hour Office phone: (404) 893-4600
- Savannah Wage and Hour Office phone: (912) 652-4221
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) phone: (404) 562-2300
- Regional VETS Staff phone: (404) 656-3127
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