Fill Your Unemployment Insurance Oklahoma Form

Frequently Asked

Questions about

Unemployment Insurance

1WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME?

When you file for unemployment benefits you will be responsible for filing your weekly claims, attending all required groups and appointments that you may be scheduled for and keeping a log of your work searches. Please read all information included in this book for additional information regarding your claim.

2HOW DO I FIND A JOB?

You are required to register for employment services within seven (7) days of initially filing your claim. This can be accomplished by registering at OKJobMatch.com. This interactive job search tool is designed to help you connect with employers and their job openings.

You may also wish to access our services in one of the local Oklahoma Works Centers conveniently located throughout the state: http://www.ok.gov/ oesc_web/Services/Workforce_Services/ index.html.

3WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY PAYMENT?

By law, the first payable (or allowable) week of the claim is considered to be a waiting period. Although you must still file your weekly claim (either by phone or internet), you will not be paid for the waiting period week.

Once you file for your waiting period, that triggers the mailing of the debit card, UNLESS you have selected direct deposit as your payment method. If there are issues on your claim that are being investigated or you are not monetarily eligible, please allow 7-10 days to receive the debit card. If you already have a debit card, then the payment should be issued within two days from filing your second weekly claim.

4THERE IS AN “ISSUE” ON MY CLAIM. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

An “issue” on your claim (sometimes called a “stop”), means that based on the way you answered a question, either on your initial claim, or on your weekly claim, further investigation is needed to determine if you are eligible for benefits.

An “issue” can also be added for failure to attend a

required reemployment service session or the failure to do something that we have asked you to do.

You will be contacted if additional information is needed. An “issue” on your claim will cause a delay in your claim, and a possible disqualification of benefits depending on the findings. In the meantime, you need to continue to file your weekly claims each week while the issue is pending.

5WHERE IS MY DEBIT CARD? WHAT IS THE BALANCE OF MY DEBIT CARD? HOW DO I SET UP DIRECT DEPOSIT?

If you wish to enroll for direct deposit, you must wait until the next business day after you have filed your claim and then call (866) 320- 8699. If you do not sign up for direct deposit, your payments will be made by debit card, which will be mailed out when you are found eligible for payment. It normally takes 7-10 days to receive the card after it is mailed.

For questions regarding your debit card call (866) 320-8699.

6

HOW DO I CHANGE MY PIN NUMBER?

Our customer service representatives do not have access to your PIN. If you forget your number or want to change, we can reset your PIN so you can establish a new PIN or you can change your PIN online. Contact your Unemployment Service Center or visit the website at unemployment.ok.gov and click on “Change your Pin.”

7WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO HAVE TAXES TAKEN OUT OF MY CHECK?

Unemployment Insurance benefits are subject to federal and state income tax. You must report unemployment benefits you receive when you file your income taxes. By January 31 of each year, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission will send you a form 1099-G with the amount of benefits you received the prior year. You may elect to have federal and state taxes withheld from your weekly unemployment benefits. If you choose to have taxes withheld, federal taxes of 10% and state taxes of 3% will be deducted from the gross amount of your payment each week.

8HOW AND WHEN DO I FILE MY WEEKLY CLAIM?

After you have filed your application for benefits, you must file weekly claims in order to receive benefits. The filing week begins on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and end on Saturday at midnight. You cannot file a

weekly claim until after the week is over. If you attempt to file before the week has ended, your claim will not be accepted.

Weekly claims can be filed by:

Internet - Oklahoma Network Initial Claims (ONIC) unemployment.ok.gov

OR

Telephone – Interactive Voice Response (IVR

Inside the OKC calling area use: (405) 525-1500

Outside the OKC calling area use: (800) 555-1554

9WHAT IF I CAN’T FILE MY WEEKLY CLAIM?

Contact your local Service Center during normal business hours if you encounter any problems when filing your weekly claim:

Inside the Oklahoma City calling area—(405) 525-1500

Outside the Oklahoma City calling area—(800) 555-1554

TTY/TDD Calls—(866) 284-6695

10CAN I WORK PART-TIME AND STILL RECEIVE BENEFITS?

Yes. However, you must report the amount of money you earned, before any deductions were made, for each week, whether or not you were paid during the week. Earnings must be reported during the week you earn them, not when you actually receive the payment. Work is anything you do for wages, including self-employment, during the seven days of the week you are claiming Unemployment Insurance benefits.

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HOW DO I CHANGE MY ADDRESS?

If you plan to change your address, you must report the change to your Unemployment Service Center prior to filing your weekly claim. Information required to change an address includes your name, social security number, old address, new address and the employer from whom you were separated when you filed your claim.

HOW DO I FILE AN APPEAL?

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You can file an appeal in person, by mail, fax, telephone or email. Include your name, social security number, phone number, date of determination, section of law you are appealing and a detailed explanation of why you disagree with the decision. The mailing address, fax number, telephone number and email address will be listed on your determination.

REMEMBER!

Any questions regarding your Unemployment Insurance Claim can be answered by calling one of the numbers listed on the Quick Reference page of this document or by visiting our website.

Orientation to the information and services available

Initial assessment of your needs and abilities

Veteran Services

Labor market information and statistics

Follow-up services to help you obtain or maintain employment

Federal bonding for certain job seekers

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Career Counseling

Basic skills training, such as resume preparation, interviewing skills, math and computer skills

Pre-Employment Assessments

Job Search and Placement Assistance

Job Referrals

Job Readiness Workshops

Job Search Workshops

Career Consultation

Career Exploration - Information & Activities

Job Seeker Networking and Support

Resume Software

Skills Upgrade / Training

High-Speed Internet Access

Assistance in establishing eligibility for other federal, state or local programs

Typing, 10-Key and Microsoft Office Tutorials

Phones, Fax Machines and Copiers

OKLAHOMA WORKS CENTER

ORIENTATION

Claimants will get an overview of all available Reemployment Services provided through the Oklahoma Works Centers and develop an employment plan to become reemployed.

REGISTRATION FOR WORK

Claimants are required to register for work at OKJobMatch.com. This will allow claimants to complete a resume and automatically connect with employers. This technology matches knowledge, skills and abilities against the employer’s requirements and qualifications for job openings.

Failure to register for work will result in denial of unemployment benefits.

JOB REFERRALS AND JOB PLACEMENT

Claimants will be given job referrals based upon their skills, knowledge and abilities. Staff will match the claimants qualifications with the employers requirements for the job opening. Staff may also contact employers on behalf of the claimants to develop job opportunities.

WORK SEARCH AUDITS

Each week that you file for benefits you must look for work and keep a list of all your work search contacts. If you do not look for work, apply for work, or accept suitable work, you may not be eligible to receive benefits. OESC will randomly check your work search activities and ask for a copy of your work search list. Your efforts to find a job for each week in which you claim UI benefits will be reviewed. If you do not provide your work searches when asked, or if an employer disputes that you applied, you may be denied benefits. If you have already received benefits for one or more of the ineligible weeks, you will be required to pay back the money received.

REEMPLOYMENT NEEDS INVENTORY

Designed to quickly determine the claimant’s readiness to return to work. The inventory evaluates job search activity, job search skills and confidence, and any barriers that may impact the claimant’s chance of getting a job.

EMPLOYMENT GOAL DETERMINATION AND LABOR MARKET INFORMATION

Staff will review claimant’s work history and collaborate to determine an employment goal and discuss customized labor market information.

JOB SEARCH/JOB SKILLS WORKSHOPS

Job search workshops include information on topics such as online job applications and resume writing as well as soft skills instruction including: interviewing techniques, work habits, communication skills, workplace effectiveness, business etiquette, and job search.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

After claimants receive the above services, staff will schedule a thirty (30) day follow up meeting to review the claimants progress and discuss any barriers to employment and provide additional job referrals.

WHAT IS APPROVED TRAINING?

Approved training is a program that allows affected individuals to attend training or school while drawing unemployment benefits. The requirement to perform work search efforts is replaced with a requirement to attend scheduled classes and make expected progress in those classes. You should contact your local Oklahoma Works Centers for more information regarding approved training.

Training is considered “approved” only if the individual’s prior work is no longer a demand occupation, and the training program is for a demand occupation. With the exception of TAA/TRA training (explained below), enrolling in an approved training program will not provide additional unemployment benefits.

Individuals attending school who are not in an approved training program must still search for work and be available to begin work when a job is offered.

Different types of approved training include:

Regular approved training: No monetary assistance is given to defray school costs but work search requirements will be replaced with satisfactory attendance and progress in training.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) approved training: In some instances state agencies may be able to offset portions of tuition.

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) approved training: TAA is a federally funded program designed to provide additional training or schooling for individuals who lost their jobs due to imports from, or shifts in production to, foreign countries. TRA provides monetary assistance after normal state unemployment insurance benefits have expired. In order to receive TAA and TRA benefits, a group of workers must file a petition with the U.S. Department of Labor.

WHAT IS A TAA/TRA CLAIM?

Federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) pays benefits to workers who lose their jobs or their working hours are reduced as a result of increased imports. If you worked for an employer that has been impacted by TAA, you will receive notification of potential eligibility for the program. See oesc.ok.gov for more information.

TRA

Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) is essentially an extension of your weekly unemployment benefits. You must be enrolled in TAA approved training; have completed a TAA approved or TAA approvable training program or have received written certification waiving training requirements to be eligible for TRA. You must exhaust all rights to any state unemployment in order to be eligible for TRA. Once you have exhausted your basic TRA benefits you may request additional TRA weeks if you are still in TAA approved training. Once you have filed a TRA claim, if you are selected for a random audit of your claim, you will be required to submit weekly attendance and progress reports or work search forms for the particular week of your audit. If your claim is selected for audit, you will need to go to the unemployment website unemployment.ok.gov and select the link “Attendance and Progress in Training Form (Form OES-752),” which you will then need to take to the school to complete, for the particular week in question.

You must inform the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission of all official school breaks. If you are on an official school break of 30 or less school days you may still be paid for TRA. You will need to continue to call in each week.