File online
To file your unemployment benefits claim online, visit the Oregon Employment Department.
You must be able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work each week you claim. You must be ready, willing and able to take any offer of suitable work. Suitable work is work that you did in the past or that you are physically able to do now. We consider where you live, the pay you earned, your experience and training, how long you have been out of work, and whether the work would be physically hazardous or morally offensive to you.
Each and every week you claim, you must be:
You can work part-time and receive benefits. You must take all available work and still earn less than your weekly benefit amount. Volunteer work may be OK under certain conditions; ask us. In either case, you must continue to look for a full-time job.
ABLE TO WORK - You must be able to do the kind of work you seek. If you cannot work full-time due to a permanent or long-term disability, you may still get benefits as long as you are able to do some work. Many health problems will not affect your claim if you look for and accept all the work you can do.
AVAILABLE FOR WORK - You must be ready to accept and go to work. You must be willing and able to work all the usual hours of the day and days of the week for the work you can do. If you have children who require care while you work, you must have child care lined up so you are ready to go to work. You must be willing and able to accept both full-time and part-time work, permanent as well as temporary.
You are not available for work if you turn down work in a week because you
ACTIVELY SEEKING WORK - You actively seek work when you contact employers who hire people with your job skills. How you look for work depends on the work you do. For most work, seeking work means contacting employers in person and applying for jobs; check with your employment office first if you usually get your jobs some other way. Look for work during each week you claim. Keep track of where you look for work.
If you cannot find your usual kind of work, look for other work you can do. The Employment Department can require you to look for other kinds of work, accept lower pay, or look in other areas for a job if you cannot find one on your own.
If you work part-time, you must still look for and be ready to take full-time work.
If you are on a temporary layoff and have a definite date to return to work in the near future or if you get all your work through a union hiring hall, actively seeking work means keeping in touch with your employer or union. Otherwise, you must try to find suitable full-time or part-time work each week, even if you only worked part-time in the past.
REMAIN IN THE AREA - If you leave the area where you usually look for work and still want to receive benefits, you must:
Unemployment insurance replaces part of the income you lose when you become unemployed. It is a benefit available to workers out of work through no fault of their own. Unemployment insurance softens the impact job losses have on communities by maintaining the purchasing power in the area where workers live. The money for benefits comes from employers. No contributions for unemployment insurance come from employee wages.
If you worked in Oregon but now live in another state (or Canada, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia), you can file an interstate claim against Oregon by telephone. Call the Oregon Interstate Unit directly to conduct all business on your claim. The toll free number is 1-877-877-9996. If you need to FAX documents, the FAX number is 1-503-375-3229.
Claims may be filed Monday through Friday (except holidays) between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, Pacific Time.
Your benefit amount depends upon the work that you performed. The minimum benefit is $94 a week. The maximum weekly benefit you can receive is $405 a week. The total benefits you can receive is set by law. If the wages during the qualifying period are at least $7,520, you will be eligible for 26 weeks of benefits. If your qualifying wages are less, then the most you could receive is one third of those wages, paid at $94 a week.
Your unemployment insurance claim will be based on your recent work record for the 12-month period known as the base year. The base year is four calendar quarters (January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December). For Oregon claims, the base year is the first four of the last five calendar quarters completed at the time you first file your claim. For example, if you file a new claim during May, your base year is all four quarters of the prior calendar year. To qualify, your work and wages during this base period must meet one of the following two tests:
After we receive your application, we send you a "Wage and Potential Benefit Report." This form shows:
Your benefit amount depends on how much money you made during your base year. The more wages employers paid you during the base year, the more your benefit amount will be. The amount is set by law as a percentage of the wages you received. Review this notice carefully. Make sure:
If your benefit amount is too high because of misreported wages, you will have to repay any overpayment. If wages are missing, tell us so you can receive all the benefits you should. If you find mistakes, contact your nearest employment office. Mistakes may include missing employers, or employers for whom you never worked. The form may say you do not qualify. If the work and wages are correct, it could be for one of these reasons:
If you received benefits on an earlier claim, you must have worked after starting the first claim. You must earn an amount at least six times the weekly benefit amount of your new claim for the new claim to be valid. When the base year changes (it shifts each January, April, July and October), check with us again. You may qualify for benefits at that time.
Some wages do not automatically show on your Wage and Potential Benefit Report. Tell us right away if you:
We have to ask for these wages to add them to your claim. If you did not tell us this on your application, tell us now. Continue claiming benefits if you are out of work while you wait for us to add wages to your claim. If you worked in another state or Canada, you may have a claim against that state or Canada. For assistance, please contact your employment office.
Your application sets up a benefit year during which you may receive benefits. Your benefit year starts with the week you file your application and lasts for 52 weeks.
During this benefit year, you may receive unemployment benefits if you are eligible, up to a maximum of 26 times your Weekly Benefit Amount. Even if you use all your benefits sooner, you cannot file another Oregon claim until after your benefit year ends. However, if you recently worked outside Oregon, you may be able to file a claim against another state before your Oregon benefit year ends; ask us for details.
Receiving benefits requires action on your part. Here is what you must do to receive benefits:
You will receive benefits provided you meet the eligibility requirements for each week you claim.
You must establish a valid claim before you can receive any benefits. If you worked for other employers during your base year, or your business was incorporated, you may have enough hours of work and wages for a claim. If you were not incorporated while self-employed, you may not be eligible. Call your nearest Oregon Employment Department office; ask to speak to a tax auditor. You may also call the Employment Department Employer Tax Status Unit in Salem at (503) 947-1524, if you have questions.
You may be eligible for benefits if you are self-employed. Your eligibility will depend on several things, such as:
If you are self-employed now or start a business while claiming benefits, contact your employment office about expenses that you can deduct from the earnings you report on your weekly claims. Failure to tell us that you are self-employed may cause a denial of benefits.
School attendance can affect your availability for work and your eligibility for benefits if you limit the hours and days you can look for or accept work. If you can attend class at other times, have made special arrangements with your instructors, or would drop school to work, you may receive benefits. While attending school, you must still keep looking for and be willing to accept full-time as well as part-time work. Tell your employment office the week before you start school, even if you take only one class. You can attend school and receive benefits if you are in an approved training program. Contact your employment office for more information.
Any UI benefits you receive are fully taxable income if you are required to file a tax return. At the time you file, you may elect to have state and/or federal withholding on benefits you are paid. You may change this withholding election at any time in the future. Contact your local Employment Department office for more information. At the end of January each year, we will mail you a Form 1099-G, Statement for Recipients of Unemployment Compensation. Form 1099-G tells you how much you received in benefits last year. We send a copy to the Internal Revenue Service. If you have received benefits against a state other than Oregon, the other state will also send you a Form 1099-G. If you choose to have taxes withheld, the amount of withholding will be reported on this form.
We send your 1099-G statement to the last address we have on file for you. Please notify us in writing of your address change even if you stopped reporting on your claim. If you do not receive your statement by the second week of February, notify your employment office. If you have questions about your taxes, contact the IRS or a tax consultant.
If your work was in Oregon, but you are living in a different state, refer to Oregon Interstate Claims below. You can apply for benefits and enroll for employment services at the same time. Following the instructions on the form, mail or bring your completed application to the Oregon Employment Department office nearest you.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, attach a copy of both sides of your document from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) that shows you can work in this country. We cannot pay benefits without proof that you can legally work here. We verify the information you give us with the INS.
If you worked in more than one state, show all of your jobs in the past two years including work you did in Oregon; attach an extra sheet of paper if needed. Working in more than one state may give you options about which state pays your benefits. Your employment office will help you determine what claim choices you may have.
If all your work was in another state, you will need to go in the nearest Oregon Employment Department office.
Do not delay; your claim starts with the date you mail or bring in your application.
If you are applying from outside Oregon, follow the instructions for Oregon Interstate Claims.
If you worked in Oregon but now live in another state (or Canada, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia), you can file an interstate claim against Oregon by telephone. Call the Oregon Interstate Unit directly to conduct all business on your claim. The toll free number is 1-877-877-9996. If you need to FAX documents, the FAX number is 1-503-375-3229. Claims may be filed Monday through Friday (except holidays) between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Pacific Time.
When you call to file a claim, be prepared to provide information on your past employment. You will be asked for the name(s), address(es), phone number(s) and dates of employment for all employers within the past two years.
Your claim will be effective the week in which you file it.
As an Oregon interstate claimant, the same rules/laws apply to you as to individuals claiming benefits in Oregon. You need to know your responsibilities to protect your benefit rights. If you have any general questions about your claim, call for clarification.
Everyone serves a waiting week. Every time you set up a new benefit year, you must serve a Waiting Week. This is generally the first week for which you claim benefits (using the Online Claim System, calling in on the Weekly Claim Line, or filling out a claim form for the week), telling us you were unemployed and able to work, available for work and actively seeking work. The Waiting Week cannot start until you file your new claim. To get credit for a Waiting Week, you must:
You will never receive payment for your Waiting Week. You serve only one Waiting Week in your benefit year.
We notify the last employer you worked for to verify why you are out of work. When you file a new claim, we also notify all employers you worked for during your base year.
You claim benefits one calendar week at a time. Our weeks start on Sunday and end on Saturday midnight. Unless you make other arrangements with us, you will claim weekly benefits using an online claim system or telephone claiming system. When the week you want to claim is over, call in on the Weekly Claim Line or access the Online Claim System. Both systems are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When you call, a recorded voice will ask you questions about your availability and employment status during the week just ended. The system will tell you the dates of the week you are claiming; you can claim only that week. If you are trying to claim any other week, contact your nearest employment office for assistance.
During periods of high unemployment, an extension of benefits may be available to individuals who exhaust all their regular benefits. Notice of potential eligibility for these extended benefits is generally mailed during the same week as the final regular check. An application form is included in this mailing.
Vacation pay that you receive for a temporary layoff. You do not need to report accrued vacation pay you receive if you are permanently separated from your employer.
Holiday and vacation pay reduce your benefit payment in the same way as regular earnings. Notify your employment office if you do not receive the vacation or holiday pay within 45 days of the holiday or vacation week. We may be able to adjust your benefits.
Do not report money from severance pay, jury duty, accrued leave from active military service, the sale of your house or personal belongings, lottery winnings, Social Security retirement benefits, tax refunds or weekend National Guard drill pay.
If you have questions about other money you receive, contact your employment office.
If you did any work during the week you are claiming, report the hours you worked and your earnings, even if you have not been paid. Report the total amount of money that you expect to be paid for this work before deductions.
You can work part-time and still receive unemployment insurance benefits. We do not deduct any of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount until your earnings reach the larger of:
One third of your Weekly Benefit Amount, or
$65.00.
Once your earnings reach the largest of these two figures, we deduct one dollar of benefits for each dollar you earned over that amount.
Canceling a claim means your benefit year no longer exists; you cannot use it again, but you can file another claim anytime afterward. Cancellation is a formal process that you must request in writing. You must sign your request. Contact your employment office for more information.
Your claim is not canceled if you stop calling the weekly claim line or if you are disqualified.
If you move, give us your new address at once to avoid benefit delays. Your address change can be submitted by calling or writing your local employment office. If mailed, please include your Social Security Number. Remember to fill out a change of address form with the US Postal Service also.
If you do not want to claim benefits any more, just stop reporting. Stop calling the Weekly Claim Line; if you have been using paper report forms, stop sending report forms to us. You do not need to keep claiming if you:
Restart your claim when you are available for work and ready to start claiming again.
If you earn over your weekly benefit amount, or if you stop claiming for any reason (even if you just skip one week to go on vacation), you must restart your claim before you can receive benefits again. Restart your claim by calling the nearest Oregon Employment Department office; we can take the information to restart your claim by phone. If you worked since last claiming, we will ask for:
If unable to call, send a note to your employment office. Include the information listed above, your Social Security Number, name, address and phone number. We will restart your claim as of the postmark date on your note.
If you are living outside Oregon, restart your claim by calling the Oregon Interstate Unit at 1-877-877-9996.
Reasons For DisqualificationYou are disqualified if:
DISQUALIFICATIONS have two parts:
OTHER DENIALS can be for one week only or continue until the conditions no longer exist. For these denials, your total benefits are not reduced, and you are not required to work and earn four times your weekly benefit amount. Some situations have special results:
Any time we reduce or deny your benefits, we notify you in writing. These written notices are called Administrative Decisions and have appeal rights. If you do not agree with the decision, you have the right to have the decision reviewed through the appeals process, which means you can have a hearing. Your employer has the same right if a written decision allows benefits.
With every Administrative Decision, you receive hearing information. Administrative Decisions become final twenty (20) days after the mailing date, so do not delay if you want a hearing. You may appeal in person at any state employment office or by letter mailed to the office address shown on the Administrative Decision. Your letter must specifically state, "I request a hearing." You must sign the letter and include your Social Security Number. To protect your rights, follow the instructions for requesting a hearing included with the decision.
AFTER YOU REQUEST A HEARING, CONTINUE TO REPORT BY CLAIMING BENEFITS FOR EACH WEEK YOU REMAIN UNEMPLOYED. If you win, you may be able to receive benefits for these weeks.
The Employment Department Hearings Section will schedule your hearing. Everyone involved will be notified by mail of the day and time of the hearing. You will also receive information about the hearing process . Our hearings are informal. You can but do not have to obtain legal representation.
Most hearings are held by telephone; it is very important for the Hearings Section to have your correct telephone number or message number. Please notify both the Hearings Section and your employment office if you change your address or phone number after you request a hearing.
We can make special arrangements if you are hearing impaired or need a special accommodation.
An Administrative Law Judge, a neutral judge of the facts in your case, conducts the hearing. Statements made at the hearing by you, your employer or any witnesses are taken under oath and tape recorded. The person conducting the hearing will issue a written decision based on what is said and presented in writing at the hearing.
If you disagree with the hearing decision, you can appeal it to the Employment Appeals Board. To protect your rights, follow the instructions for requesting a review included with the hearing decision. The Employment Appeals Board will consider only what was said and presented in writing at the hearing. The Employment Appeals Board will mail a written decision to the parties when they complete their review. If you disagree with this decision, you can appeal it to the Oregon Court of Appeals and further appellate courts.
To file an unemployment benefit claim, call the claim center nearest you:
| Albany | (541) 967-2171 |
| Ashland | (541) 552-6852 |
| Astoria | (503) 325-4821 |
| Baker City | (541) 523-6331 |
| Beaverton | (503) 644-1229 |
| Bend | (541) 388-6070 |
| Brookings/Harbor | (541) 469-9836 |
| Burns | (541) 573-7509 |
| Coos Bay Area | (541) 756-8459 |
| Corvallis | (541) 757-4261 |
| Dallas | (503) 831-1950 |
| Enterprise | (541) 426-4972 |
| Eugene | (541) 686-7601 |
| Florence | (541) 997-1913 |
| Gold Beach | (541) 247-7043 |
| Grants Pass | (541) 474-3161 |
| Hermiston | (541) 567-3045 |
| Hillsboro | (503) 681-0219 |
| Hood River | (541) 386-6020 |
| Interstate Claim Unit | (877) 877-9996 |
| John Day | (541) 575-2923 |
| Klamath Falls | (541) 883-5630 |
| La Grande | 1-800-982-8920 |
| Lakeview | (541) 947-3501 |
| Lebanon | (541) 259-5790 |
| Lincoln City | (541) 994-6992 |
| Madras | (541) 475-2382 |
| McMinnville | (503) 472-5118 |
| Medford | (541) 776-6081 |
| Milton-Freewater | (541) 938-3371 |
| Newberg | (503) 538-8970 |
| Newport | (541) 265-8891 |
| Ontario | (541) 889-5027 |
| Oregon City | (503) 657-2071 |
| Pendleton | (541) 276-9050 |
| Portland-Downtown | (503) 731-4139 |
| Portland-Gresham | (503) 669-7112 |
| Portland-North | (503) 280-6046 |
| Prineville | (541) 447-8076 |
| Redmond | (541) 548-8196 |
| Roseburg | (541) 440-3344 |
| Salem | (503) 378-4846 |
| Santiam Job & Career Center | (503) 767-2092 |
| Springfield | (541) 726-3525 |
| St. Helens | (503) 397-4995 |
| The Dalles | 1-800-982-8920 |
| Tillamook | (503) 842-4488 |
| Winema Career Center | (503) 399-2300 |
| Woodburn | (503) 982-2817 |
10 Hottest Careers — What industries are expected to have the fastest growing employment?
Tips for applying — There are a few universal things that you can do to make the process go smoothly.
National outlook — Learn what employment experts predict the job outlook to be between 2002 and 2012.
Alabama Unemployment Benefits Alaska Unemployment Benefits Arizona Unemployment Benefits Arkansas Unemployment Benefits California Unemployment Benefits Colorado Unemployment Benefits Connecticut Unemployment Benefits Delaware Unemployment Benefits District of Columbia Unemployment Florida Unemployment Benefits Georgia Unemployment Benefits Hawaii Unemployment Benefits Idaho Unemployment Benefits Illinios Unemployment Benefits Indiana Unemployment Benefits Iowa Unemployment Benefits Kansas Unemployment Benefits Kentucky Unemployment Benefits Louisiana Unemployment Benefits Maine Unemployment Benefits Maryland Unemployment Benefits Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits Michigan Unemployment Benefits Minnesota Unemployment Benefits Mississippi Unemployment Benefits Missouri Unemployment Benefits Montana Unemployment Benefits Nebraska Unemployment Benefits Nevada Unemployment Benefits New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits New Jersey Unemployment Benefits New Mexico Unemployment Benefits New York Unemployment Benefits North Carolina Unemployment Benefits North Dakota Unemployment Benefits Ohio Unemployment Benefits Oklahoma Unemployment Benefits Oregon Unemployment Benefits Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits Rhode Island Unemployment Benefits South Carolina Unemployment Benefits South Dakota Unemployment Benefits Tennessee Unemployment Benefits Texas Unemployment Benefits Utah Unemployment Benefits Vermont Unemployment Benefits Virginia Unemployment Benefits Washington Unemployment Benefits West Virginia Unemployment Benefits Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits Wyoming Unemployment Benefits
Free Money to Pay for College
The Workforce Investment Act is a government-funded program with the goal of providing adults with the education, skills and training they need to get and retain jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor works with states to provide money for workers, so they can afford career training for jobs that are in demand in local markets.
Learn more about the benefits of the Workforce Invesment Act.
