Unemployment Resource
Phone: (800) 822-5246
File a claim
Filing an initial claim application is the first thing you must do when you want to begin or reopen a claim to receive unemployment benefits. An initial claim application does one of the following:
Starts a new 52-week benefit year if you have never filed for unemployment benefits before.
Starts a new 52-week benefit year if your benefit year from an earlier claim has ended.
"Reactivates" or "reopens" a benefit year that has not ended.
You have one year (52 weeks) to collect the total amount of benefits you have coming. This 52-week period is called your "benefit year". (Refer to Part 8 for a more complete definition of "benefit year".)
You must file an initial claim application in the first week for which you want to receive an unemployment check. If you wait to file your claim, you could lose benefits. Your claim does not start until the week that you apply, and benefits will not be paid for earlier weeks. Initial claim applications are filed in the following situations:
You become totally unemployed.
You become partially unemployed. You are partially unemployed when your weekly gross wages are reduced to an amount equal to or less than your "maximum weekly earnings" amount. The reduction in weekly earnings can be the result of reduced hours or a reduced wage rate. If you are not sure if your wages have been reduced enough to qualify for unemployment benefits, refer to Part 8 of this handbook for instructions about computing your maximum weekly earnings amount.
You want to start receiving unemployment benefits again. You must reapply each time you stopped filing weekly claim certifications and want to begin again. You also must reapply when the system does not let you file a weekly claim because the last week you claimed ended more than 14 days earlier. Remember, your claim does not start again until the week that you reapply. To avoid any loss of benefits, reapply the first week you want your claim to begin. Do not wait until the week is over.
You want to start a benefit year because you expect to be unemployed within 13 weeks. In some cases you could receive a higher benefit rate or a higher maximum benefit amount if you file your initial claim application to start a benefit year before you are actually unemployed. If you do start your claim early, you will have to reactivate/reopen it by filing another initial claim application once you are actually laid off. You will not receive any benefits until you reactivate your claim and start filing for weekly benefits again.
To complete your application you will need the following information:
Your social security number.
Your Personal Identification Number (PIN). (See Part 3 for more information about choosing and using your PIN)
Your WI driver's license number, if you have one.
The names of everyone for whom you worked in the past 18 months. For each employer you will also need a full address (including zip code), a telephone number, the reason you are no longer working there and your first and last dates of work.
Your alien registration number, if you are not a U.S. citizen.
The name and local number of your union hall, if you are a union member.
Your initial claim application can be filed online at http://www.ucclaim-wi.org.
Follow instructions on the web pages to complete your application. Your claim will not be complete until you submit your application and we assign a tracking number to indicate that your claim has been accepted. If you do not receive a tracking number, your claim is incomplete. You can finish an incomplete claim on the Internet or by calling one of the initial claim application telephone numbers and pressing 1 to file an initial claim application. An incomplete claim must be completed within seven days.
Not all claims can be completed online due to certain types of employment or answers that require more information from you. However, you can complete most of the application process on the Internet. If you are unable to finish your claim on the Internet, you will be given instructions on how to complete your claim with a Claims Specialist.
Answer all questions completely and correctly. You could be penalized if you give false information to get benefits.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
