Frequently Asked Questions
Unemployment insurance is paid to workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and either looking for full time work, in approved training, or awaiting recall to employment.
No. Utah employers contribute to an unemployment insurance trust fund.
A department representative will obtain necessary information from you and your employer to determine eligibility.
You will need the following information:
- Your Social Security number.
- A valid drivers license or state issued identification card.
- If you are not a citizen of the United States, your Alien Registration number and card.
- The business names, complete addresses including zip codes, and phone numbers of all employers for whom you worked during the last two years.
- The dates your work started and ended for those employers.
- An estimate of your total gross earnings from those employers.
- The reason you are no longer working for those employers.
- If you have worked active military duty for at least one day in the last two years, you will need your DD214, Member 4, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
Claims for unemployment insurance benefits must be filed online. To file a new claim, click here.
To be eligible:
- You must be partially or totally unemployed through no fault of your own.
- You must be a US citizen or allowed to work in the US.
- You must have sufficient earnings in the base period to establish eligibility.
- You must have paid wages for employment in at least two base period quarters. A base period is the first four of the last five completed quarters.
You must have earned at least $5100 in total wages in the base period and earned 1 1/2 times the high quarter.
If you have less than 1 1/2 times your high quarter wages in your current base period, you may qualify by using your Alternate Base Period, which would be the most recent four completed calendar quarters.
- You must file a weekly claim.
- You must be able and available for full-time work.
- You must pursue full-time work in the US.
- You must live in the United States.
In Utah, the first four of the last five completed quarters of wages are used to determine your weekly benefit amount. Only covered wages in those quarters will be used. Wages from self-employment are excluded.
If you filed a claim between January - March your base period would be October 1 to September 30.
If you filed a claim between April - June your base period would be January 1 through December 31.
If you filed a claim between July - September your base period would be April 1 through March 31.
If you filed a claim between October - December your base period would be July 1 through June 30.
If you do not qualify by the formula previously explained, you may still qualify for benefits using an alternate base period, which would be the most recent four completed calendar quarters.To get an estimate of your benefits click here.
Instructions for filing a weekly claim can be found in the Claimant Guide or by clicking here.
File your claim on or after your last day worked. Generally, an unemployment claim is effective on the Sunday of the week you file, provided you did not work full-time.
It is the Sunday of the week you filed.
Ex: If you filed the claim on Wednesday (01/06/2016) then the effective date would be Sunday (01/03/2016).
Ex: If you filed the claim on Sunday (01/03/2016) then your effective date would be Sunday (01/03/2016).
It is the last day of the claim. It is 52 weeks from the effective date of the claim.
Divide the highest quarter of your base period by 26 and subtract $5.00 to determine the amount of unemployment benefits you will receive each week, up to $746 for new claims effective on or after January 1, 2024.
A formula is used to determine the number of weeks. Multiply your total wages for insured work paid during the base period by 27%, disregarding any fractions of $1 and divide by your weekly benefit amount, disregarding any fractions. The result will be an estimate of the number of weeks you are entitled to receive benefits. Utah has a minimum of 10 weeks and a maximum of 26 weeks of regular benefits.
To get an estimate of your benefits click here.
Note: After your claim is filed, you will receive a letter stating your weekly benefit amount and the number of weeks you may be entitled to receive.
You must report any gross earnings for the week the work is performed, not when you are paid. You can earn up to 30% of your weekly benefit amount and still receive a full payment. If you earn over 30% of your weekly benefit amount then a dollar for dollar deduction will be taken. If you earn an amount equal to or more than your weekly benefit amount, or work 40 hours or more, you will not be eligible for payment that week.
Receiving retirement income, including disability retirement, may result in a reduction of your weekly benefit amount.
It is the end of an employment relationship. Common job separation types include:
- Voluntary Quit: The worker ended the employment relationship.
- Discharge: The employer ended the employment relationship.
- Reduction of Force (Layoff): The employer has no work.
- Part-time: When employer reduced work to less than 40 hours.
Unemployment benefits are only paid to those who have become unemployed through no fault of their own, and are willing and able to accept full time work. Eligibility can only be determined once the claim is filed and facts are obtained from you and your former employer. Please refer to unemployment insurance rules and regulations.
The preferred method is Direct Deposit into your personal checking or savings account. You may also choose to receive payments on a Utah Debit Card, which works like a standard debit card. Payments by paper checks are no longer issued.
It can take up to four weeks to resolve any open issues and determine your eligibility. You will receive notification or payment once those issues have been resolved. The first eligible week of your claim is a non-payable waiting week.
If you have a current claim with issues, click here to login and view the status of the issue(s). Choose "Issues Preventing Payment".
You can expect to receive payment for an eligible week on your claim within two business days of filing your weekly claim.
You can receive your UI correspondence by mail or our website's Electronic Correspondence Center. Electronic correspondence is faster than mail.
When electronic correspondence is sent, UI will also send a notification to your e-mail address.
You may stop receiving your UI correspondence electronically by opting out at any time.
You will be required to make at least four new contacts for full-time work each week. This includes the non-payable waiting week. These contacts must be with employers not previously contacted. Employer contacts can include those made in person, by telephone, online, or by resumes that are faxed or emailed.
If you do not make at least four new contacts during a given week, you can be denied benefits. The department may evaluate your overall work search efforts before making an eligibility determination.
Note: You are required to keep a written record of all work search efforts. The department may request that record at any time.
You can close your claim by calling the Claims Center. You can also close your claim by not filing once you begin working. After three weeks of not filing claims, the system will close your claim.
Note: You must reopen your claim to receive benefits if your claim is closed.
- Four consecutive weeks of earnings equal to or more than your weekly benefit amount.
- No weekly claim filed within 27 days of the last week filed.
School attendance that limits your availability for full-time work may affect your eligibility.
No. Department required workshops are not considered attending school on your weekly claim.
You can continue to file against Utah, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
- You must change your address/phone number immediately by logging in at jobs.utah.gov/ui/home and selecting "This is you and the above information is NOT correct". Or you can contact the Unemployment Insurance Claims Center. Payments may be delayed if you do not report your current address.
- You must register for work in your new state within three business days. They will assist you in your work search.
- You are required to keep an accurate record of all employer contacts. This can be requested at any time.
- You are required to notify the Claims Center if you travel or move to a location outside the United States.
If you do not select Direct Deposit as your payment method you will be mailed a Utah Debit Card. The Utah Debit Card will be valid for any new claim you file for the next three years, so keep it in a safe place since you will be able to use it again if you file during that time. If you require a new card during that three-year time frame, you may be charged a replacement fee. For more information on your Utah Debit Card, click here.
You must contact US Bank at 1-855-279-1274 if you have not yet received your Utah Debit Card or to report a lost or stolen card.
Yes. You may choose to have taxes withheld from your benefits. Ten percent will be withheld for federal taxes. Five percent will be withheld for state taxes.
Incorrect information may cause delays or overpayments.
Knowingly or carelessly reporting incorrect information may be fraud.
Fraud penalties include:
- Repayment of twice the amount overpaid
- Loss of future benefits
- Fines
- Possible prosecution
All gross earnings not limited to:
- Wages
- Tips or Gratuities
- Piece Rate
- Commissions
- Paid Training
- Holiday Pay
- Vacation Pay
- Sick Pay
- Self-Employment
- Military Reserve or National Guard Wages
To protect all claimants and reduce the risk of fraud.
When filing a new claim or reopening a claim.
You will be asked questions from public records to verify your identity. We do not retain responses to questions asked during this process.
No. Benefits cannot be paid until your identity has been verified.
You must provide two forms of government issued ID. Fax this information to (801)526-4402, or mail a copy to P.O. Box 45266, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145.
Acceptable ID includes a Social Security card, a current driver’s license or passport.
You can click on this link to see a complete list of acceptable documentation https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents.