Unemployment Resource
Phone: (202) 724-7000
Eligibility
To be eligible for unemployment compensation, you must meet the following wage requirements:
- You must have wages in at least two quarters of the base period.
- You must have at least $1,300 in wages in one quarter of the base period.
- You must have at least $1,950 in wages for the entire base period.
- Your total base period wages must be at least one-and-a-half times the wages in your highest quarter, or be within $70 of that amount.
In addition to wage requirements, you must also meet the following requirements:
- You must be unemployed through no fault of your own.
- You must be available for work. This means that you must be ready and willing to accept work considered suitable for you because of your past training, education, or experience.
- You must be physically able to work. You cannot collect benefits while you are sick, injured, or disabled.
- You must make at least two job contacts each week.
- You must make a personal and continuing effort each week to attain gainful employment, using methods that are customary for your occupation. (You may be asked by your Employment Services Center to demonstrate your work search activities, so you should keep a record of such efforts.)
Reasons for Disqualification
You may be disqualified from receiving benefits for any of the following reasons:
- Voluntary departure from your last employer without good cause connected with the work
- Discharge by your last employer for gross misconduct
- Discharge by your last employer for misconduct other than gross misconduct
- Refusal to apply for, or accept, suitable work without good cause
- Participation in a labor dispute other than a lockout
- Inability to work or unavailability for work
- Failure to register as directed with the Job Service
- Failure to report as directed
- Failure to participate in reemployment services
- Failure to attend a training course recommended by the Department of Employment Services
- Not being authorized to work, if you are an alien
- A reasonable assurance of continuing employment*
Leaving the Military
If you are unemployed after leaving the US military, you must provide the "Member Requests Copy 4" of your form DD-214, "Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty."
File a claim:
The District of Columbia's Unemployment Compensation Program pays benefits to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, and who are ready, willing, and able to work. The program is administered by the Department of Employment Services (DOES) and financed by taxes paid by employers doing business in the District. No deductions are taken from workers' paychecks.
Any worker who is unemployed or working less than full-time may file a claim. Claim applications may be filed at selected One-Stop Career Centers in the District of Columbia. Please call the One-Stop Career Center first to make an appointment. When you report for your appointment, please bring your social security card or an official form of identification along with your most recent W-2 Form(s) and your last earnings statement, if they are available.
Dislocated workers may file for unemployment compensation insurance at the Franklin Street One-Stop Career Center, Naylor Road One-Stop Career Center or South Capitol Street One-Stop Career Center. Satellite centers will not offer unemployment insurance processing. Customers interested in additional services should go to one of the full service one-stop centers listed below. For additional information call (202) 724-7000.
One-Stop Career Center Location Hours of Operation Contact Information
South Capitol One-Stop Career Center/CVS Pharmacy
(202) 645-4000
TTY: (202) 645-0022
Judiciary Square Satellite One-Stop Career Center
(202) 727-9726
TTY: (202) 727-6714
Franklin Street One-Stop Career Center
(202) 724-7000
TTY: (202) 576-8128
Naylor Road One-Stop Career Center
(202) 724-7000
TTY: (202) 645-0019
A. Philip Randolph Worker Center/Satellite One-Stop Career Center
(202) 576-6515
Business Improvement District (BID) Satellite One-Stop Career Center
Main: (202) 724-4541
TTY: (202) 645-0019
US Veterans Assistance Center, Veterans Affairs Regional Office
(202) 576-6515
Euclid Street Satellite One-Stop Career Center
(202) 724-7000
Project Empowerment (Welfare-to-Work Participants Only)
(202) 724-7000
In March of 2002 the US Congress passed and President Bush signed legislation establishing the Temporary Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program (TEUC). This program provides as many as 13 weeks of additional benefits to individuals who have exhausted their regular unemployment compensation benefits.
The TEUC Program was originally scheduled to end on December 28, 2002. However, legislation passed by the Congress and signed by the President on January 7, 2003, has extended the TEUC Program. New TEUC claims can now be filed through the week ending May 31, 2003, and TEUC payments can now be made through the week ending August 30, 2003.
Any worker who is unemployed or working less than full-time may file a claim. Claim applications may be filed at any of the One-Stop Career Centers in the District of Columbia. Please call the One-Stop Career Center first to make an appointment. When you report for your appointment, please bring your social security card or an official form of identification along with your most recent W-2 Form(s) and your last earnings statement, if they are available.
When applying for unemployment benefits, you must first determine the base period of your claim. Use the following table:
If your claim is filed in the first full week of the month of: Your base period is the 12-month period ending the previous:
- January/February/March — September 30
- April/May/June — December 31
- July/August/September — March 31
- October/November/December — June 30
Base period wages may be from DC employers, the DC Government, the Federal Government, and the US Military, or from employers in other states. ce: Washington D.C. Department of Employment Services
