Idaho Unemployment Eligibility

Idaho Unemployment Benefits

Idaho Unemployment Eligibility Calculator

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Unemployed workers in Idaho who have lost their job through no fault of their own may be able to receive Idaho unemployment insurance while they search for a new job. To qualify for these benefits, however, you must meet the rules and regulations outlined by the Idaho Department of Labor.

How to qualify for Idaho unemployment benefits

In order to receive Idaho unemployment compensation, you must meet the basic eligibility requirements. This includes:

  • Losing your job through no fault of your own
  • Earning enough money during your base period
  • Being able, available, and actively seeking new work
  • Registering for work with IdahoWorks
  • Keeping a record of your weekly work search activity
  • Filing weekly certifications on time

Monetary eligibility requirements

Your weekly benefit amount is based on how much money you earned during your base period. This base period is typically the first four out of the last five calendar quarters before you applied for benefits, though if you do not qualify under this base period, the Idaho Department of Labor may use an alternate base period to help you meet the eligibility requirements. The alternate base period uses the last four calendar quarters.

During your base period, you must have earned at least $1,872 in one quarter. Your wages in the other three quarters must also be at least 25% of the wages in your highest earning quarter.

You can estimate your weekly benefit amount by using our Idaho Unemployment Calculator.

Wage credits

A wage credit is any income earned by an employer who pays an unemployment insurance tax. This is the only income that will be included in your base period to determine whether you meet the eligibility requirements.

Non-monetary UI benefit eligibility requirements

Idaho unemployment insurance benefits are intended for workers who have lost their job due to circumstances outside of their control and are able and willing to find a new full time job. This means you must be able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work.

Able to work

You need to be physically capable of working full-time. If you have a sickness, injury, or some other physical or mental condition that prevents you from working, you need to tell the Idaho Department of Labor. Most health problems won’t prevent you from getting unemployment benefits as long as you are actively searching for work that you can do. However, you may not be able to receive unemployment benefits if you refuse work due to illness.

Available for Work

When you’re looking for a job, it’s important to be flexible and open to different options. You can’t have strict personal requirements, such as the hours you want to work, the amount of pay you expect, the locations you prefer, or the types of jobs you’re willing to take. To receive unemployment benefits, you must be ready and able to work both full-time and part-time jobs during normal work hours and days. If you have limited availability due to shifts, days, or distance to work, you may not be eligible for benefits.

Having availability for work is critical. For instance, you must have a plan for childcare, a mode of transportation to work, and no other personal commitments that will prevent you from accepting a job offer.

Actively seeking work

You also must satisfy the state’s work search requirements by contacting two employers each week. You also need to register for job placement services through IdahoWorks, the Department of Labor’s job search database.

When you are actively seeking work, you need to reach out to employers who are hiring people with skills similar to yours. If you are unable to find work in your usual field, you need to search for any type of job that you are capable of doing.

It’s important to broaden your job search and not keep contacting the same employer every week. As the length of your unemployment continues, you may be asked to look for work in a different field, accept lower pay, or look for job opportunities in other locations.

How many weeks of Idaho unemployment do I qualify for?

Unemployed Idaho workers are eligible for 10 to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits based on how much they previously earned and Idaho’s current unemployment rate. Benefits last one year from the week you initially apply.

Maintaining Eligibility

Once you file your initial application for benefits, you will need to file weekly certifications to maintain your eligibility. This will require you to report any income you earned throughout the week, as well as the steps you took to find new employment

You will also need to provide information about the employers you contacted, including the company name, address, and method of contact you used to get in touch.

If you do not file your weekly certifications on time, it could result in a delay of payment or denial of benefits.

What is considered “suitable work?”

Suitable work, as it relates to Idaho unemployment, refers to any job that you are capable of performing based on your skills, education, and work experience.

To be eligible for UI benefits in Idaho, you must be able to accept any job offer that is considered suitable work. This means that you can’t refuse a job offer just because it’s not your preferred type of work or because the pay is lower than what you’re used to.

In general, suitable work should be comparable to the type of work you have previously performed, and it should offer similar pay and work conditions.

Can I quit my job and collect benefits?

To be eligible for benefits, a person who leaves a job on their own must have a good cause that is related to the job’s pay, hours, or working conditions. If you quit your job for a reason not related to your employment, you will not be eligible for benefits.

If your employer creates a significant change to your working conditions or breaches your employment agreement, that may be a good reason to quit. Additionally, if your job is causing health problems or making an existing condition worse, that could also be a good reason to quit. You will need to provide medical proof.

In most cases, you can only quit for good cause if you first let your employer know about the problem and tried to fix it before leaving. If you do end up quitting, you must be able to prove that you had a good cause for leaving your job.

Can I get unemployment benefits if I was fired?

If you are fired from your job, you may not be eligible for benefits if your employer can show that you were let go because of something you did wrong while working. However, if you are fired, your employer will need to provide evidence that you did something wrong to justify firing you. This is called “work-related misconduct.”

Will pregnancy affect my unemployment eligibility?

If you are pregnant and meet the same requirements as other people who are applying for benefits, you can still receive benefits. This means that if you are able and willing to work and are actively looking for a full time job, your pregnancy will not affect your ability to receive benefits.

Can I attend school while receiving unemployment benefits?

You can receive benefits as long as your education or training doesn’t stop you from being available for full time work. You may also qualify if you are participating in certain training programs, such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or Trade Adjustment Assistance program.

What would disqualify me from the Idaho UI benefit program?

Sometimes the Idaho Department of Labor may have to stop paying unemployment benefits and deny your claim for different reasons. A few examples of why your claim may be denied include:

  • You quit your job without a good reason that’s related to your job
  • You were fired because you did something wrong at work
  • You turn down a job that you are qualified for and that pays the normal salary for that type of job in your area
  • You’re not able to work because of a physical or mental condition
  • You’re not available to work immediately because you’re not in the local job market
  • You’re going to school, and it stops you from finding or accepting work
  • You’re in jail or prison
  • You don’t actively search for work
  • You don’t give the information that’s asked of you
  • You lie or hide information to get benefits
  • You become self-employed or can’t work because of it

What can affect my claim for benefits?

If you encounter a situation that makes it hard for you to work or take a full time job, it might impact your request for benefits. This could include losing your child care, going to school, getting sick, traveling, or starting your own business. If any of these situations happen to you, it’s important to let the claims office know immediately.

Your weekly payment amount could also be decreased if you have earnings from other sources, like wages from part time work, severance pay, or retirement income.

When do I no longer qualify for Idaho unemployment benefits?

If you find a full time job or start earning 1.5 times the amount you receive in unemployment compensation, you no longer qualify for benefits in Idaho. When this happens, you can stop filing your weekly claims for benefits, and the Idaho Department of Labor will assume you have returned to work full time. You do not need to contact them to stop getting benefits.

Additionally, you won’t be eligible for Idaho unemployment once you have maxed out our weekly benefits unless Extended Benefits programs are available.

  1. So I’m a collage student… or will be coming this next semester and because I am taking 16 credits, i can’t work a job. Am I able to apply or is that considered voluntary unemployment? I plan to go straight back to my previous place of work, in fact I’ve applied for student leave. But a student needs every penny, you know?

    • Dear Christina,

      You need to be actively seeking work, so it’s a bit of a contradiction if you can’t accept the work due to being a full-time student. However, If you do not qualify for a “work-search exemption,” you might still qualify while attending school. School attendance can affect eligibility for Unemployment Insurance Benefits, but there are several factors at play. The most important factor is availability for work.

      Check with the ID office on this by giving them a call.

      Best,

      Jean

  2. I am a key employee at a company that was just sold. The new owner is trying to make me sign a very strict noncompete. If I get fired for being unwilling to sign the noncompete can I collect unemployment benefits?
    Thank you!

  3. if I was late for work because there was a change made to my schedule that I wasn’t made aware of then on that day I was an hour late because I didn’t know the schedule had been changed after being posted. I was fired for tardiness but I was there on time, would that still be no fault of my own?

  4. I am not working due to having surgery on my foot.I work in a retail store where we are on our feet all day.Presently unable to walkAre benefits available to me.

    • My husband worked at a company for nearly 3 months in Idaho, he came home Tuesday and said theyd fired him for being to slow went to get his paycheck today and the lady who does payroll told my husband to apply for unemployment and that she wouldn’t fight it, because they didn’t give him a chance to get any better just wrote him up three times as quickly as possible and then said see ya.
      Is he eligible for unemployment.

      • Nicki,

        Unemployment Insurance benefits are only extended to claimants who lose employment due to involuntary reasons. Please ask your husband to consider applying and go through the course of the application.

    • Greg,

      You may not be eligible since unemployment insurance is only extended to those who become unemployed due to involuntary reasons. Please check with the Unemployment Office in your state.

  5. hi, my husband has been working at his job for over 12 years, I have end stage kidney disease. and we need to relocate to another state closer to salt lake for the medical care and transplant.we live in a very small town where yes there are doctors. but not the medical attention I need,,we want to move where the medical is good..would my husband be able to collect unemployment until he found a new job?

    • Lori,

      Hope things get better soon. Unfortunately, personal reasons such as health issues are not considered. Your husband may not be eligible. Please call the Unemployment Office for further details.

  6. I was put on suspension over 3 wks ago pending investigation I have no income.and still unsure why suspend.can i apply

    • Bonnie,

      I am not sure if you can claim during active employment. Please call the Unemployment Office for clarification.

  7. I was a sent a letter about over payment from a year and a half ago. It says my benefit eligible amount was $0.00? So why was I receiving money in the first place if I was never eligible for any money?

    • Karla,

      Please note this is a private forum. To know the reason and how you can work it out, please call the authorities on the phone numbers provided.

  8. I live in Idaho and have been teaching at a private college full-time since December 2014. I was recently moved from full-time to a adjunct (part-time) position, this was done as the student population has declined and due to financial concerns most of the teaching faculty was moved to adjunct. Since I am now under-employed and also seeking full time employment, can I qualify for UI?

    • Well, if it’s a temporary arrangement, you can be eligible for partial unemployment benefits.

      Please call the Unemployment Office for further details.

  9. I honorably retired from the United States Navy in 2012, after twenty years of service. Since then I have attended college as a full-time student, utilizing my post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. I am a resident of California, but I am moving to Idaho later this summer. In short, am I eligible to apply for unemployment monetary benefits in the state of Idaho. If so, when can I begin the application process?

    • If you’re looking for a job, please speak to the Unemployment Office in the new state and apply accordingly.

      UI benefits are only offered to those actively looking for employment.

  10. I have to have back surgery and will be off work for 3 months. I cannot continue working as I am a cook and must be on my feet moving and bending and the nuro surgeon says it is not something I can do without the surgery. I cannot have surgery without some financial help so is it possible to draw unemployment for the time I am off work. It is my intension to go back to my job upon release of my doctor.

    • Well, UI benefits are only extended to those who’re able and available to work. If the health condition is work related, please explore the provisions under the workers comp scheme.

  11. I have been on short term disability for a little over 4 months. My disability ended on 7/21 and on 7/22 I recieved a little by fed ex stating my position had been filled. At this time my doctor has not released me to go back to work due to me still attending treatment. I spoke with an HR rep for my employer and they stated the letter does not mean I am unemployed I am just on unpaid leave until my DR releases me and then it turns into Job search leave. I spoke to a representative at the unemployment office and I was told the letter was basically considered a discharge and for me to file my unemployment claim and send the letter from my employer along with a letter from my Doctor for them for review. Today I recieved a call asking for a letter of resignation but to me that would look like I just quit and the HR rep stated that if I don’t write the letter they would still tell the unemployment office that I was still employed there. They also indicated that the job search leave does not start until the doctor releases me. I have all the medical documentation that I need to support why my Dr has kept me out of work.I am looking for advise from you to see what my options are in order to collect unemployment but I dont want to write the resignation letter until I hear back from you. It seems a little shady to me. I also have read the requirements of collecting unemployment due to medical reasons but I just want to get a clear understanding of what steps I need to take. This employer is taking steps I think to not have to pay me unemployment if I decide to leave the company due to having no job to return and due to the fact my doctor has not released me as of now. Can you please advise me on if I would still qualify for unemployment if I leave the job due to medical reasons? And what would I need to send to you to verify this? I would appreciate it. Thank you

    • Thanks for writing in detail. First of all, we are not a govt. organisation but a advisory community on unemployment.

      Your condition is tricky.Generally,they do not consider medical and other personal reasons.If you’re now actively looking for jobs as your doctor has released you for work, consider applying for UI benefits. There is no harm in applying.

  12. if i was fired from my job. got another job but that job is only a few hours a week would i be eligible for unemployment benefits

    • Yes.You will be eligible to receive unemployment insurance for the hours lost in a week.Please go ahead and apply.

  13. Question: I recently resigned from my job, based on that my wife and children still lived in San Antonio, Texas. I left for reason that my wife needed me back in Texas to handle my son that was just recently released from rehab. The company knew I was having family issues, and after 6 months of this, I had decided to leave the employment to be with my family. Can I still apply and collect unemployment beneifits?

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