This guide explains how to apply for unemployment in Arizona. Follow step by step instructions that will help you claim benefits through AZ state unemployment office.
First and foremost, apply as soon as you lose the job. State unemployment offices generally take 1-3 weeks to process your application, especially for the initial claim. The compensation will be paid from the week you applied and if you delay, you will lose the benefits prior to the week of filing. You won't be allowed to back-date your claims or claim the benefits for prior weeks.
Arizona Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Requirements
There are some basic rules for eligibility. Even if you meet some of these rules partially, you should still apply for unemployment because state offices make a reasonable attempt to process your claim, as long as you provide a good justification.
- You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. That means if you have quit job voluntarily you may not qualify for unemployment insurance. However, there are exceptions - such as working in hazardous or inhuman working conditions etc. to this rule.
- You must be willing and able to work. If you are physically disabled, you do not qualify.
- You must have worked minimum number of weeks specified by the State. Arizona State minimum weeks of covered employment requirement (employer must have paid unemployment taxes on your behalf):
- You must have earned minimum amount of wages specified by State during this period. This amount may change every year. You can get get complete eligibility criteria and the benefits calculator from state website mentioned in the next section. Minimum wages earned during the base period:
Prepare documents required to apply for unemployment in AZ
- Your name, address, social security number and other personal details such as telephone number, email address etc.
- Dependents name, date of birth and their social security number.
- Details of your previous employer. For each employer, you need to provide
- Name and address
- Telephone number
- Start and end dates of employment
- If you had out-of-state employment in the past 18 months, you also need to provide the employment details.
- Reason you lost the job – it has to be involuntary to be eligible to receive benefits.
- Your job skills summary
- If you are not an US citizen, keep your alien registration number and work authorization. However if you are on a work visa such as H1-B, immigration experts do not advise claiming unemployment insurance.
Apply for Benefits or Claim Extension
You can submit your application for unemployment compensation online, off-line (by mail or by visiting local employment office) or through telephone. Online application is the quickest and most efficient option which will also be available 24x7, 7 days a week.
Prepare and submit your application online here
If you choose to file over phone, call the unemployment compensation services toll-free number at 1-877-600-2722. Phoenix #: 602-364-2722. Tucson #: 520-791-2722. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf: 1-877-877-6226
If you are applying for unemployment extension in Arizona, make sure you check the latest rules. Many states are in the process of revising the rules to extend the benefits beyond the initial period. Also, remember that you need to report unemployment benefits as an income when you file taxes with IRS at the end of the year.
All the major cities in Arizona including Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, and Peoria have an unemployment office location to process unemployment claims. You can visit the local office for consultation or to file for unemployment in person
Arizona Unemployment Rate (Trend)
The graph below shows the current and historical unemployment rate in the state
Video guide to file for unemployment benefits in Arizona
Working in multiple states
If you have Arizona wages and also worked in another state, or currently reside in Arizona and have earnings from employers in two or more other states (within the base period), you may choose to combine these wages to establish monetary eligibility. If you were employed in more than one state at any time during the current base period, you may have the option of:
- Filing a claim against any state in which you were employed using only the wages from that state, or
- Filing a claim against any state in which you were employed, using the wages from all states in which you earned wages.
State unemployment laws, weekly benefit amounts and eligibility requirements vary between states. Which option is best for you will depend upon the laws in each state that you worked.
If all of your employment during the base period has been in a state other than Arizona, you must file a claim for benefits against that state
Additional Eligibility Creteria
To qualify for benefits, you must have been paid wages in insured employment of:
- At least $1,500 in one of the four quarters of the base period and your total base period wages must be at least 1-1/2 times your high quarter, or
- At least $7,000 in total wages in at least two quarters of the base period, with wages in one quarter equal to $5,987.50 or more.
Filing weekly claims
You must file regular weekly claims:
- while you are waiting to see if you are eligible,
- after you have been determined eligible, and
- after you have begun receiving payments.
If you miss filing your weekly claim, the system will no longer recognize you. Failing to file a weekly can result in a delay in having your benefits approved and/or in receiving your weekly benefit payments.
Even if you know that you were not eligible during a specific week, as long as you are still unemployed and wish to continue receiving benefit payments, you should file for that week.
Next steps
After you have submitted your application, you should actively look out for work because the benefits you receive will not be enough to cover your living expenses. The best thing to do is to take a look at your job skills and determine if you want to improve or learn new skills so that you can use this opportunity to revive your career. There are plenty of online opportunities to earn a living while working from home.
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