North Carolina Unemployment Benefits Guide

This guide explains how to apply for unemployment in North Carolina. Follow step by step instructions that will help you claim benefits through NC 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.

North Carolina 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.

1. 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.
2. You must be willing and able to work. If you are physically disabled, you do not qualify.
3. You must have worked minimum number of weeks specified by the State. North Carolina State minimum weeks of covered employment requirement (employer must have paid unemployment taxes on your behalf):
4. 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 NC

• 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
  1. Name and address
  2. Telephone number
  3. 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 1-877-841-9617. To file a weekly certification, odd number SSNs on Monday & Wednesday through Saturday, even number SSNs on Tuesday through Saturday, call: 1-888-372-3453

If you are applying for unemployment extension in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina including Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Cary, High Point, and Wilmington have an unemployment office location to process unemployment claims. You can visit the local office for consultation or to file for unemployment in person

North Carolina Unemployment Rate (Trend)

The graph below shows the current and historical unemployment rate in the state

Reporting Job Offers, changes in Pension Status, or School Attendance.
Claimants must notify the Employment Security Commission of any job offers they have received, and if there have been changes in any retirement pension. Also, it is the claimant's responsibility to inform the Employment Security Commission of any changes in school attendance that may affect availability for work.

Denial of Benefits
Any individual who quits a job, is fired from a job, refuses a referral to a job, refuses a job, refuses to enter Approved Commission Training, or fails to complete Approved Commission Training may be denied unemployment benefits.

Eligibility Requirements
Potentially eligible claimants must have become unemployed through no fault of their own. All claimants, except those who are still attached to an employer's payroll, must (a) register for work with the Employment Security Commission; (b) file a claim for each calendar week of benefits they request, and (c) actively seek work during any week for which unemployment benefits are claimed. Actively seeking work means doing those things that an unemployed person who wants to work would normally do. Unless otherwise instructed, a claimant must seek work in person on two different days with at least two different employers and must keep a written record of all work search contacts for periodic review by Commission staff.

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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