Glossary of Terms Relating to UI Benefits
Appeal: A formal request to have a decision about your unemployment benefits claim reviewed and reconsidered when you or your former employer disagree with the decision.
Base Period: The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you apply for unemployment benefits. (For example, if you applied on January 1, 2024, the base period would be October 2022- September 2023.)
Benefit Year: The 12-month period during which your UI claim is active.
Determination: A decision made about your claim.
Earnings: any income paid, or payable, to you while you are unemployed. This includes pay from worker’s compensation, severance, vacation, or a pension, as well as wages, tips, commission, or allowances from part-time employment.
Fraud: A crime that occurs when an individual knowingly provides false, incomplete, or inaccurate information to get unemployment benefits.
Gross Wages: Total wages before taxes and other deductions are taken out.
Hearing: an official meeting where testimony and evidence are given about an appeal in front of a hearing officer.
Insured Employment: Services performed by an employee for an employer that is subject to unemployment tax.
Overpayment: A benefit payment that you received but were not eligible for.
Reemployment Activity: Any activity or service that will help you find suitable work AND fall into the following categories: attending relevant reemployment events, identifying areas of interest, identifying jobs, applying for jobs, or taking job placement exams. Activities or services may be offered directly through NDOL or another organization (e.g., a job club offered by another state agency or nonprofit).
Suitable Work: Work that aligns with your prior training or job experience, skill level, and previous wages.
Total Benefit Amount: The highest amount of benefits you can get in a benefit year if you remain unemployed and eligible for benefits.
Waiting Week: The first week that you are eligible for unemployment benefits after applying. You must still file a weekly claim for this week, but you will not get any benefit payment for it.
Weekly Benefit Amount: The amount of money you may receive for a week of unemployment.
Weekly Claim: A request that you must submit each week to get benefit payments and to certify that you are still unemployed and meet all eligibility requirements.