* Help for the Unemployed: Apply for Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment benefit programs pay money to workers who:

• Become unemployed through no fault of their own.
• Meet certain other eligibility requirements as determined under state law.

You must apply for unemployment benefits through your state unemployment insurance office. Each state has different requirements to qualify for unemployment benefits.

Extended and Emergency Benefits

• Unemployment Insurance Extended Benefits are available to workers who have used up regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment.
• Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) offers up to 13 additional weeks of federally-funded unemployment benefits to unemployed individuals nationwide who have already collected all regular state benefits for which they were eligible and who meet other eligibility requirements.

Self-Employment Assistance
Self-employment assistance offers unemployed workers the opportunity to create their own jobs by starting their own small businesses. This is a voluntary program offered by individual states. Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Pennsylvania currently have self-employment assistance programs.

Unemployment Benefits and Taxes
Unemployment insurance benefits are taxable. Any unemployment benefits you receive must be reported as part of your gross income. For more information, visit the Unemployment Compensation website from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

General Contact Information
For additional information about unemployment benefits, contact the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) by phone or mail at:

Phone: 1.877.US.2JOBS (872.5627)
TTY: 1.877.889.5627
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington DC 20210

Additional contact information is available.

Need More Information? Try These Additional Resources:

• Tax Center to Assist Unemployed Taxpayers
• Collecting Unemployment Benefits and Social Security
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Looking for a Job
• Educational Opportunities for Unemployed Workers

The short link for this FAQ is http://1.usa.gov/nNQQuj