1. How do I apply for benefits?

You may apply for unemployment insurance benefits by completing an application using the Applicant Self-Service System, either online or by phone. The automated phone system allows you to choose English, Spanish, Hmong, or Somali. Filing online is the fastest!

NOTE: Applications and information are available in Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

The application process will be easier if you know the name and address of your last employer, the dates of your employment (especially the date you last worked), why your last job ended and your Social Security number before submitting an application. You will also be asked for the names and dates worked for any previous employers (including out-of-state employers) in the last 18 months. To make sure your account is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.

2. What happens after I apply for unemployment benefits?

About 7 days after you apply, you will be mailed:

• Password Notification letter, instruction on how to Request Benefit Payments, and information about electronic payments.
• Determination of Benefit Account. This notice shows your weekly benefit amount and total amount of benefits in your account.

An unemployment insurance customer service representative may contact you by phone or by mail for additional information about your job separation. If you receive a written request for information, you can respond online by logging in to your account at www.uimn.org, by mail, or by fax. Going online gets your information to a representative faster.

3. What do I do if my Social Security number is incorrect?

No change can be made unless an unemployment benefit account has been established. Once an account has been established, you can correct an incorrect Social Security number by mailing a copy of your Social Security card with a copy of a government issued ID (driver's license or state ID) to:

MN Dept of Employment and Economic Development
Box 75576
St Paul, MN 55175-0576

1. How do I change my benefit year start date?

To see if your benefit year start date can be changed, contact a customer service representative at 651-296-3644 or 1-877-898-9090 (toll free)

2. How does attending school affect my ability to collect unemployment benefits and how do I report it?

If you are a high school (secondary) student, by law you are not eligible for unemployment benefits while in school or on break from school.

If you are a post high school (post secondary) student you are eligible to receive benefits if you are available for employment for the hours and days normal for your occupation, and are willing to quit school to accept suitable employment. An exception is if you are in training with the approval of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development because you are a dislocated worker who needs training to find suitable employment.

If you are not available for employment as described above, you must inform the Unemployment Insurance Program of your school attendance by answering "NO" to the question "Were you able, available and actively seeking full time work?" when you request benefit payments through your online account or by calling the automated phone system. A customer service representative will then obtain specific details from you regarding your situation and determine if you are eligible for benefits.

3. What does "available for work" mean?

To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must be available for suitable employment. You must be ready to accept work immediately if suitable employment is offered to you. You are not eligible if you are out of the area for a reason other than to seek work, or if you are incarcerated. You must be willing to accept employment for all shifts and days that are customary for your occupation. You must be willing to accept the wage most employers pay in your occupation for your qualifications and experience. Being available includes having transportation (personal vehicle, public transit, car pool, etc.) and making necessary family care arrangements.

You must be ready and willing to accept full-time work in your usual occupation or any other suitable employment. You will lose benefits if personal reasons cause you to unreasonably restrict the hours you will work, the wage you will accept, the type of work you will do or the distance you are willing to travel to work.

4. Do I have to look for work?

You may restrict your work search to part-time only if your account is based upon part-time work. If your account is based upon full-time work you must seek full-time work. If you are seasonally employed you must look for work during your off season. Whether your account is based on full-time or part-time work, refusing suitable full-time work may make you ineligible for benefits.

5. When should I apply for benefits?

You should apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you are unemployed or your hours are greatly reduced. (32 hours is considered to be full-time) This will establish a benefit year during which time you can receive unemployment benefits as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements and there is a balance in your account.

Applications are effective the Sunday of the week in which the completed Unemployment Benefit application is submitted.

Refer to question #6 of the View Wage Information section, for more information on how to establish another benefit account after your benefit year ends.

6. Is an extension of benefits available?

There is no extension available at this time.

7. What is a waiting week?

By law, the waiting week is the first week of an eligible unemployment benefit account that is not paid. Once you apply for and become eligible to receive unemployment benefits, you must request benefit payment by logging in to your account online or calling the automated phone system. A week you earn wages or receive severance pay cannot be your waiting week, unless the pay was less than your weekly benefit amount. Every applicant must serve one waiting week per benefit account.

8. How do I close my account?

If you return to work full-time, or want to stop requesting benefit payments for any reason, you can just stop requesting. No other notification is needed. Keep your Password and unemployment debit card (if you have one), in case you need to reactivate your account within the benefit year.

1. I'm ineligible, is there anything I can do?

If you are ineligible for unemployment benefits because of a job separation, you will be mailed a determination explaining the reason for the ineligibility. You will be ineligible for benefit payment during your benefit year until you find new work and earn gross wages of at least eight times your weekly benefit amount. If you become unemployed again through no fault of your own, you can reactivate your account. This work must have been for an employer(s) who pays into the unemployment insurance trust fund or for a railroad that pays into the railroad unemployment fund. The exception is if you are ineligible due to a strike; you remain ineligible for as long as the strike lasts.

2. Do I have a choice which employer(s) I use to establish my benefit account?

No, you must provide information about all your employment in the past 18 months. Your benefits will be based on wages from all the employers. Usually, employers who did not cause you to be unemployed will not be affected by your receiving benefits.

3. What if I disagree with my determination?

You have the right to appeal any determination of ineligibility. The appeal must be made within 20 days of the date the determination notice was mailed to your address of record. You may file an appeal electronically, by mailing a personal letter, or by FAX machine. If a hearing is held, you need to be willing to attend, by phone or in person. The hearing will give you and other interested parties the opportunity to present evidence and explain what happened. You may choose to hire an attorney, although the vast majority of applicants represent themselves. The Unemployment Law Judge will later issue a written decision.

If you disagree with your earnings shown on the 'Determination of Benefit Account', (i.e., if all of your employers are not listed and/or all of your earnings are not reported), follow the instructions on the Determination to request a correction. If you do not have check stubs to show your correct earnings contact Customer Service.

4. How long does it take to receive a determination?

We make every effort to issue a determination as quickly as possible. Depending on the complexity of the issue, a determination could take as long as three weeks.

5. I won my appeal. When do I get paid?

If the appeal decision goes in your favor, you will be paid for weeks that you have requested benefit payment, provided all the other eligibility requirements are met. Payment should occur within several days. NOTE: It is important for you to request benefit payments every week or every two weeks during the appeal process.

6. I received a determination stating I was ineligible, so I stopped requesting benefit payments. However, I won my appeal so how do I get paid for the weeks I didn't request payments?

You must continue requesting benefit payments every week or every two weeks during the appeal process. You are not eligible for benefits for any weeks you failed to request payments. You should immediately reactivate your benefit account online at www.uimn.org or by calling the automated phone system. You are allowed to backdate your reactivation two weeks.

7. I appealed my determination. Do I need to continue to request benefit payments?

If you are waiting for an appeal hearing or decision, continue to request benefit payments as long as you are unemployed. If you win the appeal, you will be paid for weeks you have requested, provided all the other eligibility requirements are met. If you do not request benefit payments for weeks of unemployment while you are waiting for the appeal hearing and decision, you cannot be paid benefits for those unclaimed weeks.

8. How much time do I have to file an appeal?

If you disagree with any determination made by the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program, you have the right to appeal that determination within 20 calendar days of the mailing date of the determination.

9. After an appeal hearing, when can I expect a decision?

In most cases, the judge will mail a written decision within 20 days of the hearing.

10. Do I need an attorney to represent me during the appeal process?

No, this type of hearing does not require one. You may present your own case before the judge. If you decide to have someone represent you, you must arrange for this person. REMEMBER: Any costs for a representative are yours. If you are an applicant, persons who are not lawyers may not charge you a fee for representing you. The Minnesota Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program does not provide or recommend names of lawyers or other representatives.

11. How do I request a subpoena?

You request a subpoena during your hearing. If the judge decides to issue a subpoena for evidence or a witness, your hearing will be rescheduled.

12. While my determination is under appeal, do I have to pay my overpayment back?

You are responsible for repaying any overpaid amount, even if you filed an appeal of the determination that caused the overpayment. Collection activity continues unless the judge issues an appeal decision stating you were eligible for the benefits paid to you. Repayment is accepted during the appeal process. The overpayment will be cancelled and you will receive a refund without interest if the Unemployment Law Judge decides you were eligible for the benefits paid.

13. Why am I overpaid the money you withheld for taxes?

Once income taxes are withheld from your unemployment benefits, the IRS regulations prohibit the UI Program from refunding them. Overpayment Determinations must include portions withheld for taxes in the overpayment amount.

14. How do I set up a payment plan?

If you cannot repay an overpayment amount in full, you can set up a payment plan yourself by logging in to your account online at www.uimn.org and clicking on the Repay a Benefit Overpayment link. You can also contact Overpayment Assistance at 651-296-3658, to propose a monthly repayment amount. If the amount is sufficient, the payment plan will be accepted. A repayment plan does not prevent future unemployment benefits from being reduced or intercepted to recover the overpayment .

15. Do I need to report earnings from a temporary or part-time job?

When you work for an employer (full-time, part-time or temporary), or in any self-employment, you must report your gross earnings in the week you performed the work, whether or not you have been paid. Self-employment earnings may be computed by deducting some expenses from the gross, but not all expenses are allowed deductions. Contact Customer Service for more information.

16. How do I pay back my overpayment?

You will receive monthly statements reflecting your current outstanding overpayment balance, which includes any monetary penalty and interest. Repay the amount in full whenever possible by following the instructions on your monthly statement, or by logging in to your account online at www.uimn.org and clicking on the Repay a Benefit Overpayment link.

17. Can't you take care of the overpayment by taking that amount right off the top of my account balance?

No. The account balance is only a potential. It can be paid to you only on a week by week basis as you meet the eligibility requirements for each week. If you return to work or become unavailable for work, you become ineligible for benefits.

18. What happens if I don't pay back my overpayment?

If you do not repay your overpayment or you don’t keep up with your payment plan, the plan will be inactivated and other collection options will be used: seizure of your Minnesota tax refund and lottery winnings, garnishment of your wages, levy on your bank account, lien on personal property, or referral to a collection agency.

1. What do I do if wages are missing or wrong on my account?

If you had base period earnings that are not shown or are wrong, print and complete the "Wage and Employer Correction Sheet". Be sure to include the employer's name and full address, and copies of pay stubs or other evidence of those earnings in your base period. Also fill in what you think your gross earnings were with that employer in each of the quarters in your base period. Mail or fax the information to the number or address shown on the form. If wages from more than one employer are missing, complete one form for each employer.

If the missing wages were earned with a federal agency, also provide a copy of form SF-50 "Notice of Personnel Action" if you have one.

If you were paid as an independent contractor or received a 1099 earnings statement at the end of the year instead of a W-2 statement, see question 10.

2. Why aren't my most recent wages on my account?

Depending on the date you apply for benefits, your earnings in the last 3-6 months before applying cannot be used. See question # 5 (Base Period) for the explanation.

3. What is the difference between earned and paid wages?

Only wages that have been paid or should have been paid in the base period can be used in determining your benefit amount. For example, if your base period ends on March 31, and your next normal payday was April 1, the payment you received on April 1 is not in the base period. If your normal payday was March 31, but your employer was late in paying you, the wages due to be paid on March 31 are in the base period.

4. Can wages I earned in a military reserve or National Guard unit be used in determining my benefits?

Yes, but only wages earned in 90 or more days of continuous active duty (no break).

5. What is a base period?

The base period is a one-year period that determines how much money you may qualify for. It is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the effective date of your application. A calendar quarter is a three-month period. Below are examples of base periods in any year:

TO QUALIFY FOR BENEFITS YOU MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING IN YOUR BASE PERIOD:

• Wages of at least $1,000 in one calendar quarter, and
• Wage of at least $250 in other than the high quarter.

6. Can I apply for another benefit account when my current benefit year ends?

You may qualify for another benefit account, but only if you have performed services in covered employment since submitting your first benefit account. Your total gross earnings in that new employment must be at least eight times the weekly benefit amount of your first account. You may have to provide check stubs proving that you worked since the prior account was submitted. If you do not have check stubs to show your earnings, contact your employer to obtain proof . The purpose of this requirement is to prevent two benefit accounts based on one layoff or loss of employment.

7. What does it mean when it says, "No account can be established because you have not been paid wages equal to eight times the weekly benefit amount of your most recent account"?

It means you are filing a second benefit account and our records do not show that you have earned eight times your weekly benefit amount in covered employment since submitting the first benefit account. If you believe you have earned the required amount, provide copies of check stubs or other proof of the earnings. Include a note that you believe these earnings qualify you for a second account. Within 1-2 weeks you should receive a "Redetermination of Benefit Account" or a letter explaining why you are ineligible.

8. What if I was disabled from working during all or part of my base period?

Your unemployment benefits are computed only from wages paid to you in your four-quarter base period. If you do not qualify because you were disabled for more than six weeks in the base period AND you received disability wage loss payments from Workers' Compensation or some other insurance or fund, the base period may be changed to an earlier or later four-quarter period.

9. How do you compute the amount of my benefits?

Your weekly benefit amount is the HIGHER of 1 or 2:

1. Your highest quarter of wages in the base period divided by 26, up to a maximum of $351, OR
2. Your total base period wages divided by 104 up to a maximum of $538.

The maximum amount of benefits available is the LOWER of:

1. Your weekly benefit amount multiplied by 26, OR
2. Your total base period wages divided by 3.

10. What if I was paid as an independent contractor or received a 1099-MISC earnings statement at the end of the year instead of a W-2 statement?

These are indications that your employer considered you self-employed and not covered by unemployment insurance. If you were indeed self-employed, those earnings cannot be used in computing your unemployment benefits. However, an employer is not the authority that determines whether your work for them was as a covered employee or self employed individual.

If you believe your working relationship and responsibilities were those of an employee, or are not sure, follow the directions in question 1, "What do I do if wages are missing or wrong on my account?". Write a brief description of your job situation with this employer, include a note regarding the type of work you did and how you were paid. A customer service representative will contact you for more information.

11. What is "covered" employment?

"Covered employment" and "non-covered" employment are defined in unemployment insurance law. Wages earned in "covered employment" can be used to establish an unemployment benefit account. "Non-covered employment" cannot be used. Most employment is covered.

Below is a partial list of some common types of "non-covered" employment:

1) employment by a church;
2) as a "sheltered" worker in a rehabilitation facility;
3) in a government work relief or training program;
4) employment by a school, college or university if one is regularly attending classes;
5) academic and hospital internships, and student nursing;
6) commission insurance and real estate sales, and employment as a direct seller; and
7) agricultural employment if performed for someone who did not pay $20,000 in wages in a calendar quarter in the current or prior calendar year AND who did not employ four or more employees and provide employment in 20 weeks in the current or prior calendar year.

1. I have a "pending issue" on my account. What does that mean?

It means the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program is gathering facts to determine if you are eligible for benefits.

In your application, you answered questions about other income and why you are unemployed. If you left your last job for any reason other than a layoff, you and your employer are asked for specific information about what happened. You should receive a written decision within three weeks after your application that tells you if you will receive benefits or not.

If you indicated on your application that you have other income such as severance pay or a pension, a similar process and timeframe applies. You will receive a determination informing you if the income reduces or delays the start of your unemployment benefits.

2. How are benefit payments made?

Unemployment benefit payments are made by either a:

• deposit made to a U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Visa® (unemployment debit card), or a;
• direct deposit to your personal bank account.

An unemployment debit card will be mailed to you unless you have requested direct deposit.

If you want your benefit payments to be directly deposited in to your bank account, you must request it by logging in to your benefit account, either online at www.uimn.org, select View and Maintain Your Account, then Payment Method Options, or by calling the automated phone system. You may also complete the Direct Deposit form and mailing it as instructed with a voided check attached.

3. How does the unemployment debit card work?

If you are determined eligible to receive unemployment benefits, and you did not apply for direct deposit into your bank account, you will be sent a ReliaCard® Visa® from U.S. Bank, to which your benefit payment will be made after you request payment using the Applicant Self-Service system for each week or two week period of unemployment. For more information about the debit card, go to Frequently Asked Questions about the Unemployment Debit Card.

4. When will my payment be available on my unemployment debit card or directly deposited in my bank account?

UI Debit Card: The first time a payment is made to your unemployment debit card it will take about 8 days to receive your card and payment. Once you have the debit card, and you are due a payment, it will take about 5 days after requesting benefit payment for payment to be available. To view the balance on your debit card, go to www.reliacard.com

Direct Deposit: Once your direct deposit has been set up, any payment due should reach your account within 5 business days after you request payment using the Applicant Self-Service system, either online or by calling the automated phone system.

5. How do I correct weekly earnings I previously reported?

Call the automated phone system and choose the option to talk to a representative. Tell the representative that you need to correct earnings you reported. Be ready with the total gross amount you earned in each calendar week that needs correcting. If you previously reported too much, you will be issued a separate payment for the amount of benefits you were underpaid. If you reported too little, you will receive a determination of overpayment with instructions on how to repay the amount. If you are unsure of the amount of your earnings, we will contact the employer to get the information.