In recent years the request for subif God Unemployment reached historic figures, in countries like the United States, due to the pandemic.
In March 2020 the work Department of this country reported that more than three million people had signed petitions for government help to deal with the crisis.
However, it is important to clarify that these government supports are not only granted due to fortuitous causes, but also due to socioeconomic conditions that reduce the applicants’ quality of life.
What is an unemployment benefit in the USA?
You have probably heard these terms many times, but do you really know what they mean?
In essence, unemployment benefits are payments that unemployed people receive from authorized agencies.
For example, in the United States these benefits are financed by a mandatory government insurance system.
In other words, the subsidies are not tied to taxes on individual citizens. In addition, they are stipulated based on the state of the applicant and his jurisdiction.
Therefore, they can receive contributions low that will only allow them to satisfy their most basic needs, or can be compensatory for lost time (in proportion to the salary they previously earned).
These benefits are usually granted to those who register as unemployed due to involuntary or external causes.
Additionally, applicants must agree to certain conditions, such as those that guarantee a prompt job search, to be eligible.
Unemployment benefits and how to apply
Currently you can apply for unemployment benefits in every state in the United States. That is, each of them provides resources to eligible candidates within their jurisdiction.
The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program offers payments to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own (through no fault of their own).
Each state in the country has its own program, and therefore, the requirements and conditions vary.
Many of them contemplate 26 weeks of extended unemployment benefits; especially if the nation is going through a strong crisis of layoffs or job losses.
But you must be clear that you can only sign up for this program if you have exhausted the rest of the available benefits.
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Operation of the subsidy program
Payments made have a clear purpose: offer financial assistance, on a temporary basis, to workers who are unemployed.
This means that they follow the legal requirements of the state where they last worked.
It is important to emphasize that each state in the United States administers its own unemployment benefits or programs.
However, they all fall within the guidelines of federal law. In other words, they have a very close relationship.
If you are eligible you will receive weekly payments for a certain time. In addition, you are required to report the payments of these unemployment benefits on your tax return. Both federal and state.
On the other hand, if you receive or reject a job offer during the week, you must also notify it during your continuous claim.
You can do it over the phone or online, depending on the filing guidelines provided by your state.
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Requirements to request this aid from the government
It must be emphasized that the requirements are inherent to each state. But in an illustrative way we will share the most common ones:
- Being unemployed, either partially or totally.
- Having lost your job through no fault of your own.
- Being able to work (physically).
- Be available to accept employment immediately.
- Be available to work.
- Have earned enough wages during your base period.
The base period refers to the time worked. Generally, the first four of the last five completed quarters (at the time of filing the unemployment claim) are taken.
Additionally, you must meet the continued eligibility requirements on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to continue receiving payments for the established period of time.
In addition, on some occasions you will have to present yourself in a Local Unemployment Insurance Claims Office.
If you miss the appointment, you could be exempt from the program, since you would be failing to meet one of its eligibility requirements.
How to apply for these benefits in the USA?
These are the steps to follow to apply for the benefits of this federal-state unemployment program:
- Contact your state unemployment insurance agency of the state where you live after becoming unemployed. You can do it by phone or from the web.
- Provide detailed information about your last jobsuch as your address or the dates you were active as a worker.
- Be patient. If you qualify, you could receive your first benefit check within two to three weeks after you have made your claim for benefits.
The procedure is quite fast and simple; taking into consideration that in many states the unemployment rate has suffered historic increases since 2020.
Benefits of these unemployment programs for Hispanics
- Benefits are generally based on a percentage of a worker’s earnings over a 52-week period.
- You can receive unemployment benefits or payments for 26 weeks (maximum), in almost every state in the country.
- During periods when the unemployment rate rises significantly it is possible to receive payments for more than 26 weeks.
- You have the option of asking the Unemployment Insurance Agency to withhold the taxes derived from these incomes.
- Applications can be made online. To do this you must access the official pages of the state employment departments (click to see the list), create an account and fill out the claim.
Do you have to register to work?
People cannot apply for unemployment benefits and then sit idly by.
Unlike, one of the requirements to be eligible is that they register to work. For this reason, they should contact the Unemployment Service of their state so that their job search can begin as soon as possible.
Specifically, the staff of this state agency can send you job offers in your area, or even in other cities or states (in case you are willing to move).
You can also receive special offers if you are suffering from a physical disability and cannot accept any type of employment.
It is important that you keep this information in mind before you fill out an application for unemployment benefits, or else you could face a lot of problems.
Current unemployment rate in the USA
According to figures from StatistaIn October, the unemployment rate stood at 3.7%. This means that it remained below the annual maximum registered in February.
The labor market is showing recovery progress in many states of the country, which is encouraging for millions of people.
In the month of September alone, more than 200,000 new sources of employment were generated. Especially in the sectors hardest hit by the economic crisis, such as:
- Leisure and hospitality
- Health care.
- Transport
- Construction (among others)
That caused jobless benefits to fall to the lowest level since June.
Although not everything is rosy in terms of employability in the United States, it is undeniable that the scenario has improved somewhat compared to the records of the last two years.
Request federal-state financial support
If you received a dismissal for reasons beyond your control, you have the option to apply for unemployment benefits.
But first, make sure you know each state’s eligibility requirements, as these vary widely.
If you meet the criteria established at the state level, follow the steps we shared with you a moment ago and complete your unemployment claim online or through a phone call.
If your application is approved, you could receive payments for 26 weeks to cover certain expenses, or satisfy some basic needs.
Help programs are literally one click away. Take advantage of them!
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