Who qualifies for unemployment benefits in Georgia?
The basic requirements that determine who qualifies for unemployment in Georgia are the work and the wage criteria. According to the former, only employees who were not at fault for their job separation meet the eligibility for EDD benefits. Whereas, according to the second requirement, only workers who have earned a sufficient amount of wages in insured employment during a one-year base period qualify for the UI program.
Based on the work requirement, dismissed employees may meet eligibility for unemployment in Georgia in the following cases:
• They were let go for reasons other than misconduct.
• They voluntarily left work because of a good, work-related cause.
• They were laid off due to a work shortage.
• Their working hours were reduced due to a work shortage.
To meet the program’s monetary qualifications for unemployment, on the other hand, UI claimants must have earned wages in at least six months of their base period. The standard base year consists of the first four completed calendar quarters in the 15 months leading up to your filing for benefits in GA. In your two highest-paying quarters, you must have earned wages equal to at least $1,134, and the total amount of your base period earnings must be equal to or greater than 1.5 times the wages you earned in your highest-paying quarter.
As the amount of UI weekly payments depends on the applicant’s average salary, he or she must provide correct information during the application process. The department’s examining officer will review all facts and create the Benefit Determination, which will inform the claimant of the amount of benefits for which he or she is eligible.
Note: Petitioners who do not meet the unemployment insurance eligibility criteria for wages can request an assessment of their alternate base period, which consists of the last 12 months prior to their filing for UI benefits.
What are the requirements to get unemployment payments in Georgia on a regular basis?
After meeting the basic qualifications for unemployment in GA, state workers will be able to file for a UI claim. However, to be granted your first and any subsequent payments, you will be required to fulfill additional eligibility for EDD requirements on a weekly basis.
The regular recertification procedure requires applicants to:
- Be able to work.
- Actively seek work.
- Be available for a position that suits their skills.
- Report all weekly earnings, including severance pays, vacation payments and pensions.
- Accept all job referrals from the GDOL.
- Attend any mandatory reemployment activities.
State employees can undergo the weekly certification procedure to reaffirm their eligibility for unemployment benefits via the internet, by phone or in person through a local GDOL center. Note that UI beneficiaries who are unable to claim a certain week of benefits can file for that week during the next recertification procedure. However, failure to claim benefits for two consecutive weeks will lead to temporary closure of the applicant’s UI claim.
Note: Providing false statements during the weekly reaffirmation process will lead to the denial of benefits. Also, UI claimants will have to reimburse the GDOL for any overpayment of benefits during this denial period.
