The Minnesota Unemployment Assistance office lets you file for unemployment benefits by either phone or online. You must file on a specific day, based on the last digit of your Social Security number. Prepare to provide your Social Security number, driver's license or state ID number, and work history, including wages. Once your unemployment benefits are approved, you must log in every week to claim them.
To qualify for unemployment benefits in Minnesota, you must have worked in covered employment at some point in the last eighteen months, and you must have been laid off, furloughed, or lost your job through no fault of your own. Unemployment benefits are also offered to veterans who have recently left the military.
You can still file if you quit your last job for certain reasons, or if you're still working but your hours have been significantly reduced.
Due to an unprecedented number of unemployment claims, you are currently advised to file claims on a specific weekday, between 6:00 a.m and 8:00 p.m, based on the last digit of your Social Security number. If the last digit is 0, 1, or 2, file on Mondays. If it's 3, 4, or 5, file on Tuesdays. And if it's 6, 7, 8, or 9, file on Wednesdays. If you miss your day, you can file on Thursdays and Fridays.
You should still file as soon as you can. This is because by applying, you create a 'benefit account', which tracks your unemployment and starts the Sunday of the week you apply. You cannot claim unemployment benefits for any week before your account opened, even if you were not working during that week.
The Minnesota Unemployment Assistance office lets you file for unemployment benefits either by phone or using their online portal.
You should budget about a half hour of time to complete the online application. When you reach the website, click on 'Applicants' and then 'Apply for Benefits'. Create an account using your Social Security number and a unique password, then fill out the form with the requested information.
If you require language services, the phone system offers English, Hmong, Somali, and Spanish. Choose a phone number based on where you live. either Here is the phone number for Twin Cities customer service, and here's how you can reach customer service for Greater Minnesota by phone. If you need TTY services, call (866) 814-1252
To ensure your application is completed on time, start your call before 4:00 p.m.
To obtain benefits, you will need to provide the following:
To ensure your claim processes quickly, you should gather this information before you begin the application. When entering your data, double-check to ensure it's correct. You should also have a pen and paper handy in case you need to take notes.
Be advised that as part of processing your application, the unemployment office will contact your most recent employer to verify the information you have given them.
If everything is order, you should receive several pieces of mail within the next few days with your account information, including when and how to claim your benefits. Otherwise, you'll receive a request for information if some part of your application was incomplete. You must log in to your account every week you are unemployed or under-employed in order to receive your benefits.
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