How to Claim Benefits for Unemployment in North Dakota
After the applicant has filed his or her federal unemployment benefits claim, the claimant and his or her former employer will be asked questions concerning the condition under which he or she is no longer employed. The sooner each party responds to the questions, the sooner a decision on an unemployment insurance claim can be made. However, the claimant needs to continue completing his or her weekly certifications for unemployment during this time, even if he or she is not receiving payments.
Following the former worker’s unemployment benefits claim in ND, Job Service North Dakota will make a determination regarding the claim. The determinations fall into two categories: monetary and non-monetary. The unemployment insurance coverage petitioner claimant should receive a letter from them within five days from that date of the application send date. This letter, which is a monetary determination, outlines the claimant’s wages reported by the employer during the “base period.” Wages earned in another state may be included. Should the applicant not receive a monetary determination letter within two weeks of claiming benefits for unemployment, he or she should contact the Job Service North Dakota Claims Center. If the former worker has earned enough wages, he or she is considered “monetarily eligible.” This determination will also show the “weekly benefit amount” and how many weeks he or she is eligible to receive payment. If the candidate’s wages include military wages, federal civilian wages, or wages earned in another state, he or she will receive another monetary determination when his or her wages are received. If the information on the monetary determination is incorrect, the unemployment insurance beneficiary can appeal the decision in writing.
The applicant may also receive a letter entitled non-monetary determination. This determination will state whether federal unemployment benefits are to be granted or denied on the claim. Even though the claimant may have earned enough money in their base period to qualify for unemployment insurance, they can be disqualified for other reasons.
How to Calculate Unemployment Benefits in North Dakota
For the applicant’s unemployment benefits claim in ND, his or her weekly benefit amount (WBA) is based upon wages earned from applicable employment during the base period of the claim. The base period is defined as the 12-month period made up of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the date that the petitioner filed the claim. For example, if the candidate filed his or her claim in July, the base period is the previous April 1 through March 31.
The former employee’s approximate unemployment claim amount will be the total of thei highest two and one-half quarters of base period earnings divided by 65. The maximum and minimum unemployment insurance benefits amounts are governed by law and are subject to change each July. A benefit chart can be found online.
When claiming benefits for unemployment, the UI petitioner’s wages are also used to help determine the duration of his or her claim and the maximum benefit amount he or she can receive. The duration ratio for unemployment registration, determined by law, establishes the number of weeks that a candidate will receive benefits, and ranges from 12 to 26 weeks. This duration is calculated by dividing the total wages in the base period by the highest quarter. If the former worker reports earnings or has other reductions to the benefits paid each week, he or she may actually receive benefits for more weeks than the number calculated by the ratio. However, he or she will not receive more benefits than the original maximum benefit amount. An unemployment benefits extension, granted by the federal government, would increase the original maximum benefit amount.
The first week applicants claim unemployment benefits is referred to as the “waiting week” and no benefits are paid for that week. The UI petitioner must still certify that week and meet all other unemployment insurance eligibility requirements in order to receive future benefits. The former worker has only one waiting week in a benefit year. To receive credit for the waiting week, the claimant must: certify the week either online or by telephone, work less than full-time, earn less than his or her weekly benefit amount and meet all requirements for the week.
In claiming benefits for unemployment in North Dakota, a claimant can opt for deductions to be made from the federal unemployment benefits he or she is receiving. One such example a claimant may elect a deduction is child support. Job Service North Dakota may be required by federal law to make deductions from unemployment insurance payments to satisfy an applicant’s child support obligation. Also, a pension, retirement, annuity, or other similar periodic payment will reduce the weekly payment of benefits if employers in the base period contributed to or maintained the pension pay. These pensions can include private employer and union pensions, state and local government pensions, federal civil service pensions including disability pensions, military retirement pensions, and railroad retirement annuities.
Federal unemployment benefits in ND are fully taxable. However, income tax is not withheld from the former employee’s benefits unless he or she requests withholding. If the unemployment insurance benefits claimant requests that federal taxes be withheld, Job Service North Dakota will withhold 10 percent of the gross amount for taxes. The claimant may also request North Dakota state tax be withheld at a rate of 2 percent of the gross amount. By January 31 of each year, Job Service North Dakota will mail the claimant’s a 1099 statement to the last known address.
How to File for the Weekly Unemployment Benefit in North Dakota
For how to claim unemployment benefits in North Dakota, once the applicant files his or her federal unemployment benefits claim, he or she must complete weekly certifications and meet all eligibility requirements to receive benefits for the week. This can be done online or by phone. During the certification process, the claimant will be asked a series of questions including questions regarding earnings for the week. Weekly certification is the process used to verify that a claimant meets all qualifications for unemployment during the week being claimed.
An applicant who qualifies for unemployment needs to certify within 13 days of the Saturday of the week in which he or she initiated a claim, or certify within 13 days of the Saturday of the last week previously certified. The applicant cannot skip a week of certification and then certify a week later. All weeks must be certified in order, without a break.
Certification for claiming unemployment insurance coverage cannot be completed until after the week has ended; each week ends on Saturday so that the applicant can complete the weekly certification beginning Sunday; the applicant must complete the weekly certification by 10 p.m. on the 13th day.
