When and Where to Register for Unemployment Benefits in Oklahoma
For those wondering where to apply for unemployment in Oklahoma, the answer is online. Information regarding how to apply for unemployment online can be found with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. Applicants wondering when to file for an unemployment claim should file as soon as employment has been terminated or when the candidate’s employer has reduced his or her work hours. The start date, or effective date, of an unemployment insurance claim is not based on when the job ended or when the employer has cut back hours. Unemployment claims begin on the Sunday of the week an unemployment EDD application is submitted.
Once the online application for unemployment is submitted, the employer will be automatically mailed a notice when a person files a claim. The former employer is given the opportunity to respond as to the circumstances of the job separation. The unemployment insurance benefits petitioner will not be paid for the first week of the claim, as that week is considered to be a waiting period, by law. However, claimants must still file his or her weekly certification for that week (either by phone or the internet) in order to get credit for the waiting period week. After the second week of the applicant’s claim, he or she should receive a payment, unless issues with the claim that are still being investigated, or the claimant is not monetarily eligible. Federal unemployment benefits are not necessarily received on the same day of the week every week, and could be delayed by holidays, computer failures or the applicant’s failure to respond to a request from his or her unemployment claims center.
Once the UI petitioners file for unemployment, their claims are good for one year. This does not mean that they can collect unemployment benefits for one year if they remain unemployed. It means they have one year to collect the maximum benefit amount permitted. The maximum benefit amount may be consumed before the one-year period ends. When the benefit year ends, the applicant may file a new claim if he or she has been re-employed and earned 10 times the new weekly benefit amount since they previously filed a claim.
For more specific information about an unemployment claim, the claimant can go online or call the Interactive Voice Response Line.
What Is the Required Information for Unemployment Registration in Oklahoma?
Before an applicant attempts to file for unemployment in Oklahoma, he or she must meet eligibility for unemployment, in addition to providing the following personal information:
1)Social Security number
2)Name (including prior names such as married or maiden names), mailing address, telephone number, and email address (if applicable)
3)Alien registration number and expiration date if applicant is a non-citizen
4)DD Form 214 if they served in the military in the last 18 months
5)Form SF 8 or SF 50 if they were employed by the Federal Government in the last 18 months
6)Oklahoma Driver’s License or ID card number, if applicable
The last employer is considered the one the applicant worked for physically or could still be working for part-time. When claiming benefits for unemployment the applicant must provide: the name of the last employer as it appears on a paycheck stub or W-2 form (this could be a payroll agency or staffing agency); their mailing address including zip code; the company’s phone number and supervisor’s name and the reason why the applicant is no longer working for this employer or having his or her hours reduced.
The unemployment EDD application must also contain: the names of all employers as they appear on a paycheck stub or W-2 form; start and end dates of all employment and; wages earned and how they were paid (hourly, weekly, monthly).
Understanding the Unemployment Registration Process in Oklahoma
To file for unemployment in OK, the former worker needs to select a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). The PIN is the claimant’s personal identification number and electronic signature and must be kept private. The same PIN is also needed for the weekly benefit claim or any inquires about the claim. The PIN can be changed online or by contacting the Unemployment Service Center.
Additionally, when a candidate has filed for an unemployment claim in Oklahoma, the UI beneficiary has the option of enrolling in direct deposit or using a debit card for benefit payments. To enroll in direct deposit, the claimant must wait until the next business day after he or she has filed a claim and then sign up by telephone. If they do not do this, their payments will be made by debit card which will be mailed out once the applicant is found eligible for payment. It normally takes 7 to 10 days to receive the card once it is mailed.
