How do I apply for a week of benefits?
You can file your weekly certification online on the Claimant Portal. The Claimant Portal is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, including holidays.
For help, follow this step-by-step Guide to Filing Weekly Certifications.
If you don’t have a computer at home, you can use one of our lobby computers at a Labor Office near you.
You may change your answers to questions on the Claimant Portal any time before you submit your weekly certification. After you submit, you can’t change your responses. If you need to change an answer or have questions, call us at (208) 332-8942.
When does my claim begin?
Your claim will start with the Sunday of the week in which you first file your claim.
When do I file for a week of benefits?
You must file for a week of benefits during the following benefit week. A benefit week begins at 12:01 a.m. Sunday and ends at midnight the following Saturday. You have 7 full days to file your weekly certification.
Example: Let’s say you first applied for benefits in the week of 6-12 of a month. You may file your first weekly certification during the week of 13-19. You may file a weekly certification for the week of 13-19 between 20 and 26 of that month.
| MONTH | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| You applied for unemployment this week → | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| You file your claim this week → | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
Your certification will be processed sooner if you file earlier in the week. You must file before 6 p.m. Mountain Time to have your certification processed on the same business day. Certifications filed on weekends are processed the first working day of the following week.
What is a waiting week?
A waiting week is an unpaid benefit week every claimant must serve each benefit year. You must serve a waiting week before you can get unemployment benefits.
The first week you are eligible for credit and file a weekly certification will be your waiting week. You must file a weekly certification and meet eligibility requirements to get credit for the waiting week.
For example, if you earn more than 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount in the week you file, then that week won’t qualify as a waiting week. You can work a partial week and still get waiting week credit if your earnings were less than 1.5 times your weekly benefit amount.
What if I forget to file my weekly certification one week?
You won’t get a benefit payment for that week. Idaho doesn’t allow backdating to any past week.
You can skip one week of filing and your claim will stay open. If you skip 2 weeks of filing, your claim will go inactive. You will have to reopen your claim to get benefits again.
Should I submit weekly certifications if I haven’t received a determination?
Yes. You must file weekly certifications even if you are waiting. If you are found eligible, you will be paid for the weeks you claimed.
If you don’t submit weekly certifications, you can’t get benefits for those weeks even if you are eligible.
How do I report my earnings?
You must report all your earnings for the week you worked, not the week you were paid. Work can be time spent in any service. This includes work for:
- An employer.
- Commission.
- Self-employment.
- Tips.
- Voluntary service.
If you have questions about reporting earnings, call us at (208) 332-8942.
Regular earnings:
You must report all earnings from all employers before any deductions. This includes cash and non-cash payments such as room and board.
If you don’t know the exact amount you earned, estimate your weekly earnings as closely as possible. You might do this by multiplying your hourly wage rate by the hours you work in the week.
If you estimate your earnings, you must contact us with the correct information at (208) 332-8942.
Reporting less than you earned is fraud or willful misrepresentation. Idaho Labor will find fraud in an audit. Even if the difference you report is small, you may be penalized with fines and criminal charges.
Self-employment:
Reporting less than you earned is fraud or willful misrepresentation. Idaho Labor will find fraud in an audit. Even if the difference you report is small, you may be penalized with fines and criminal charges.
Holiday, severance or bonus:
You must report any holiday, severance, bonus and vacation pay.
- Holiday: Report in the week of the holiday.
- Bonus or severance: Report in the week it is paid if paid in a lump sum. Report for the week it is issued if paid on a schedule.
- Vacation: Report for the week it is issued.
Pension, annuity or retirement:
You need to report pension, annuity and retirement pay if you didn’t contribute toward your plan. Retirement income will reduce your weekly benefit payment if:
- The retirement payment is from an employer in your base period.
- Your employer made 100% of the contributions to your plan.
If this is the case, every dollar of your pension amount will reduce your weekly unemployment benefit by a dollar. Pension payments are divided into weeks.
Social Security retirement benefits won’t reduce your unemployment insurance benefits because you paid into that fund.
How do earnings and other income affect my payment?
Your weekly benefit amount is based on your earnings. Earnings must be reported in the week they are earned, not the week they are paid. Your earnings affect your payment in the following ways:
-
If you make less than half of your benefit amount, you will receive your full weekly benefit.
Example: Your weekly benefit amount is $100, and you earn $47. You will receive a payment for $100.
-
If you make more than half of your benefit amount, your benefit will be reduced dollar for dollar.
Example: Your weekly benefit amount is $100, and you earn $85. You have earned $35 over one-half of your weekly benefit. You will receive a payment for $65 ($100-$35).
-
If you make more than 1.5 times your benefit amount, you won’t receive any benefit payment.
Example: You earned $150, and your weekly benefit amount is $100. You won’t receive a payment for the week.
To qualify for benefits while working, you must report all your income. You must also be willing to accept available work. You may not limit your availability for work to get your full weekly benefit amount.
Money reduced from your weekly payment stays in your account. You may collect these funds later with an eligible claim.
Do I have to provide my work-search contacts?
Yes. Each weekly certification you file will ask you to add your work-search contacts.
You must report work-search contacts honestly. Idaho Labor will check these contacts with the employers. Lying about your work search is fraud and will result in penalties and denied benefits.
You can use this Work Search Log to keep track of contact information.
You may also be required to speak with a workforce consultant. This interview is meant to help you get back to work as soon as possible. The consultant can help you improve your resume and look for work.
If you don’t complete a required interview, your benefits will stop.
What questions are on the weekly certification?
The questions on the weekly certification will decide your eligibility. You must answer them honestly and completely. These questions include:
Were you physically and mentally able to work each day?
If you couldn’t work this week, you must answer “No” to this question. If you answer “No,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
Were you available for work each day?
If you weren’t available for work this week, you must answer “No” to this question. If you answer “No,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
If you are employer- or union-attached, your work-seeking question will be:
Did you maintain contact as required with your employer or union?
As a job- or union-attached claimant, you must remain in contact with your employer or union. You must also be available for suitable work each week that you file.
If you are no longer employer- or union-attached, you must call us at (208) 332-8942.
Were you away from the area where you normally look for work?
You must remain fully available for work to get benefits. This means being around the job market in which you live and look for work.
If you were away from this area during the week you are filing, you must answer “Yes” to this question. If you answer “Yes,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
Did you refuse or miss available work?
You refused work if you were offered a job and turned it down. You missed available work if you were scheduled and did not show up.
If either is true in the week you file, you must answer “Yes” to this question. If you answer “Yes,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
Did you attend school or training?
Any week that you attend schooling or training, you must answer “Yes” to this question. After the first week you answer “Yes,” we will call you for more information. Your weekly certification will let you know if more information is needed.
Did you work for any employers during the week claimed, including National Guard or Reserve?
Answer “Yes” if you worked at all in the week you are claiming. Work can include services you perform for:
- Cash payment.
- Commission sales.
- Tips and gratuities.
- Paying off bills.
- National Guard or Reserve drill pay.
- Reasonable cash value of room and board.
- Groceries.
- Clothes.
If you worked, you will be asked to:
Enter the total amount you earned from all employers, plus tips, before any deductions were made:
Report all gross wages (before taxes) for any work you do during the week you claim benefits. Income must be reported in the week it is earned, not the week it is paid.
If you don’t know the exact amount you earned, estimate your weekly earnings as closely as possible. If you estimate your earnings, you must contact us with the correct information at (208) 332-8942.
Reporting less than you earned is fraud or willful misrepresentation. Idaho Labor will find fraud in an audit. Even if the difference you report is small, you may be penalized with fines and criminal charges.
If you are working and not being paid for hours worked, call us for help. You must report all hours you work, even if you don’t expect payment.
» For more information, see How do I report my earnings?
Did you work full-time hours for the entire week?
Answer “Yes” to this question if you worked 40 hours or more in the week. Usually, 40 hours is full time, but this may vary by industry. You won’t qualify for benefits if you work full time during the week.
Call us with questions about whether your work was full time at (208) 332-8942.
Did you quit a job during the week?
Answer “Yes” to this question if you chose to stop working for an employer during the week. If you answer “Yes,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
Were you fired from a job during the week?
Answer “Yes” to this question if your employer ended your employment during the week. If you answer “Yes,” we will call you for more information to decide your benefit eligibility.
Were you self-employed during any part of the week?
You are self-employed if you work in a trade or job not controlled by another employer.
If you were self-employed, you will be asked to:
Enter the total amount you earned from self-employment, plus tips, before any deductions were made.
Report all gross earnings from your self-employment for the week. If you have expenses that are required for your work, you must prove them. If you have no earnings, enter a zero.
If you were self-employed, you will be asked:
Did you work 40 hours or more in self-employment?
Answer “Yes” to this question if you worked more than 40 hours in the week through self-employment. You are fully employed and not eligible for benefits that week.
Did you receive any holiday, bonus, severance or vacation pay?
You must report any holiday, severance, bonus and vacation pay.
- Holiday: Report in the week of the holiday.
- Bonus or severance: Report in the week it is paid if paid in a lump sum. Report for the week it is issued if paid on a schedule.
- Vacation: Report for the week it is issued.
If you answer “Yes” to receiving holiday, bonus, severance or vacation pay:
Enter the total amount you received before any deductions were made.
Enter your total earnings for the week.
If you are required to look for work your question will be:
Enter your work search contact information.
Mistakes: If you make a mistake, correct it as soon as possible by calling us at (208) 332-8942.