Before Filing a Claim

Gather your personal information

You will need to gather the following information and documents:

• Contact information (complete home mailing address, phone number, and email address)
• Social Security Number
• Driver's License or State ID card number
• Bank account and routing number (if you prefer to receive benefits via direct deposit)
• If a non-citizen: Documentation issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• If self-employed, your most recent employment

Prepare your employment history

We will ask you to provide information about your recent employment:

• The name and contact information for all your employers in the last 18 months.
• The wages you earned from each of those employers in the last 18 months.
• The reason you are no longer employed by your most recent employer.

We may ask you to submit copies of documents to help us verify the information in your application. You will get a notice from us letting you know what information or documents you need to provide and deadline for providing those documents. Please note that documents you provide cannot be expired or void. Keep track of the documents you submit. We submit them again AFTER you start getting benefits. 

Be prepared for us to ask whether you want to...

1. Get notices and correspondence by email or mail.
2. Receive benefit payments by direct deposit or prepaid credit card.
   • If you choose direct deposit, we will send an electronic payment to your bank account. You will need to provide the bank routing and accounting numbers, which can be found at the bottom of your paper checks or by contacting your bank.
   • If you choose a prepaid debit card, you will get a US Bank ReliaCard in the mail. You do not need a credit check or bank account. The payment will be deposited on the card. This card can be used to make purchases, get cash, and pay bills anywhere that accepts visas. 
3. Withhold federal and state taxes from your weekly benefit payments.

Your unemployment benefits are taxable by the federal and state government.

• • If you decide to have taxes withheld, NDOL will deduct 10% from your weekly benefit payment for federal taxes and 5% for state taxes.
  • If you choose not to have taxes withheld, you will be responsible for the full taxable amount at the end of the year. 
  • You will get an IRS Form 1099-G from NDOL no later than January 31. The form will show the total benefits you received for the prior year, and the income taxes withheld. If you elect to receive your 1099-G by mail, we will send it to your last known address.