Claimant Handbook

UI benefits replace part of your lost income. It is not public assistance. Employers fund the UI program. UI taxes are not withheld from employee paychecks.​​​

You’re unemployed any week you work fewer than 40 hours and earn less than your weekly benefit amount.​​

You can file online using the Online Claims System and select the option “File your new claim.”​

OR

By phone (click for list of phone numbers). You will need to provide your complete work history for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of employment.​​​

There are two ways to qualify:

·           You’ve been paid at least $1,000 in subject wages in your base year, and

·           Your total base year wages are at least one and a half times the wages paid in the highest calendar quarter of the base year,

OR

You’ve worked at least 500 hours and were paid some subject wages in employment during the base year.

Subject wages are earnings on which your employer(s) paid UI taxes.

If you don’t qualify, you can file again at the beginning of the next quarter. You may qualify for benefits at that time.​

File your claim with the state where you worked. If you worked in more than one state, contact any state in which you recently worked to see if you have claim options.​​

The base year is a one-year period made up of the first four of the last five completed quarters. It’s based on the date you file your claim application, not the date you become unemployed. If you don’t qualify for a claim using a regular base year we will automatically review your claim to see if you qualify for an alternate base year.

A calendar quarter is a 3-month period ending March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31.​

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UI will mail a Wage and Potential Benefit Report at the time we process your claim application. This report includes the wages reported by your base year employer(s) and the weekly benefit amount you may receive if you’re eligible.

Carefully review the wages and employers reported on the Wage and Potential Benefit Report. If wages are missing or incorrect, follow the instructions on the form. If your benefit amount is based on any wages that are not yours, you will be responsible for repaying the money paid to you.

Some wages don’t automatically show on your Wage and Potential Benefit Report such as:

·           Work in another state

·           Work for the federal government

·           Active duty military service

The Employment Department must request these wages before they can be added to your claim.​

Your weekly benefit amount is 1.25% of your total base year gross earnings. Under Oregon law, it will not be less than the minimum or more than the maximum amounts you can receive.​

Your benefit year is a 52 week period that begins the first week you file. You may receive total benefits up to 26 times your weekly benefit amount. You can’t file a new Oregon claim until your benefit year is up, even if you’ve received all of your benefits.​

New claims are effective the week you submit your claim application. Once you’ve completed your application, start filing for weekly benefits the following Sunday.​​

Call your nearest UI Center (numbers on the right side of this page.) It may be possible to extend your base year to include additional quarters.​

If you move, change your address on your claim. Mail is NOT forwarded by the postal service. Continue claiming your weeks in Oregon and following the same rules, even if you move out of state. You will need to register for job placement services in that state.​​

Use the Online Claims System and select the option “Change your address” or by phone.​​