North Dakota Unemployment Eligibility

To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must meet the following requirements:

Non Monetary Eligibility

  • Have been separated from employment through no fault of your own or have had your hours reduced.
  • Be able to work.
  • Be available for work.
  • Be actively seeking employment.
  • Be fired or quit voluntarily for “good cause” connected with work
  • Must register for work by completing at least one online resume at jobsnd.com within 10 days of filing or reopening your claim if you are not returning to the employer that laid you off, and/or you are required to search for work and make job contacts

Monetary Eligibility

You can establish monetary eligibility based on work performed during a specific one-year period called the base period.

Your unemployment insurance benefit claim is good for one year based on the effective date of your claim. This 52-week period is called your benefit year. Once your benefits are exhausted for your benefit year, you must wait until the end of your benefit year before you can file a new claim in North Dakota. If you exhaust your North Dakota benefits and have earnings in another state, you may be eligible to file a claim in that state. If you have not used all the benefits in your benefit year and return to work, you can reopen your claim within the benefit year.

Base Period

The amount of unemployment insurance you can receive is based on the wages paid to you during your base period. Base period is defined as the 12-month period consisting of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the date that you filed your claim.

Eligibility Questions

What happens if I quit voluntarily?

You may be disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits if you quit work without good cause attributable to your employer. You will be ineligible for benefits until you return to work with another insured employer and earn eight times your weekly benefit amount.

Can I collect unemployment if I am fired?

You may be disqualified from receiving benefits if you are fired for misconduct connected with your work. You will be ineligible for benefits until you return to work with another insured employer and earn wages equal to or greater than ten times your weekly benefit amount.

Grounds for being disqualified for misconduct include, but are not limited to:

  1. the violation of a posted or known company rule
  2. insubordination
  3. theft
  4. destruction of company property
  5. unexcused absences

The law also provides that if you are discharged because of gross misconduct, you will be disqualified from receiving any benefits for a period of one year.

What happens if I am laid off from my job?

There is no penalty or reduction in UI benefits if you are laid off. Your employer will be sent a notice to verify that you were laid off.

Unemployment benefits are designed to help those who lost their jobs through reasons beyond their own control.

If you get laid off because the business can’t afford, you are usually eligible for unemployment benefits. If you were laid off because you weren’t right for the job, then also you may be eligible to collect unemployment.

When you get laid-off, it is not your fault. Getting laid-off doesn’t mean that you were fired or you did something wrong. Once you get laid-off from your job, you should immediately apply for unemployment benefits.

Can I receive benefits if I attend School/Training?

In general, you will be disqualified from receiving benefits if you are attending school or participating in a training program. In limited situations, however, Job Service North Dakota can approve unemployment insurance benefits for individuals attending full-time school or an approved training program.

In order to approve benefits while in training, the Request for Benefits While in Training form in the back of this guide (Page 35) must be submitted. Review the form and if you feel that you meet the requirements, work with a representative in a Job Service customer service office to complete the request. Claims center staff will review your request and determine if you are eligible for benefits while in training.

More Questions?? —-> Read Eligibility Q & A Section

Want to know about how much you will receive?? —–>Calculate your benefits here

    • Ryan,

      You’ll be expected to submit all the docs within the stipulated time. Else, the payment may be delayed. Please speak to the Unemployment Office for more.

  1. If I am a contract worker and the contract was not renewed, would I be able to collect unemployment benefits?

  2. Can someone get unemployment if they only worked in North Dakota a few months but came from another state that they worked the previous years?

    • I am guessing this should be fine.

      However, I suggest that you speak to the Unemployment Office in ND to confirm before applying.

  3. If I return from work related injury and am not medically fully able to do my job, am I eligible for benefits while I find different job?

    • You may not be eligible to draw Unemployment Compensation under such circumstances. Please call the Unemployment Office and also explore the benefits under Workers Comp. scheme since the injury is work related.

  4. I am a school secretary. I do not have a contract, I am only an hourly employee. I am not needed for 2-3 months over summer break so therefore do not get paid. Am I eligible for unemployment?

  5. I gave a 5 week notice to my employer that I was quitting and they terminated my employment on the spot. Am I eligible for unemployment?

    • Depends on the circumstances under which you were terminated. Even if you had served the notice, you would not have been eligible to collect UI since it is extended only to those who lose their job due to involuntary reasons.

    • To qualify for UI benefits, you would need active employment during the base period (last 4-5 calendar quarters).

      Please use the Eligibility Calculator available on this website to determine eligibility.

  6. My wife has accepted a transfer to a different job, same company, in Florida.
    Will I be eligible for benefits if I quit to go with here?

    • You will not be eligible since unemployment insurance is only extended to those who become unemployed due to involuntary reasons.

  7. I just started a job but not full time I get 255 a week in unemployment this week I will make 270 at job before taxes. I was told by unemployment that I could make 150 a week without it cutting into my unemployment but I am wondering if I would get this week?

    • Not sure of an appropriate response.

      Please call the Unemployment Office in your state for further information.

  8. I was a selfemployed consultant for a year and nine months got laid off got a job right away and worked for a company for three months and got laid off. Am I eligible for unemployment benefits?

  9. I’ve read that each state has their own formula on your weekly benefit amount received while working a part time job. For example: In Alaska you can earn $50 a week before it starts to cut in to your benefit amount. I can’t find this information on North Dakota from a reputable source. Any help is welcomed.

  10. Will I qualify for unemployment benefit if I quit my job because I do not feel well? What if my employer fires me because I am not performing the way they expect me to?

    • You will not be eligible since unemployment insurance is only extended to those who become unemployed due to involuntary reasons.

  11. I was based in ND for a couple years. A couple months ago, I was transferred to TX. I have been furloughed. Do I apply in ND, where I worked during my base period, or TX, where I work now?

  12. I was terminated with no explanation other than…”we have decided to end our relationship & terminate your employment.” Now when I try apply for unemployment, I was denied. No reason was given by my employer other than the above statement. ND is a right to work state, how does this affect my unemployment denied claim?

    • If you were not provided a proper reason, please contest. You can ask for an adjudicator to appeal.

      Call the claims center for further information.

  13. My company wants to cut my hours in half for slowdown in oilfield, can I get benefits? Do I have to look for job still even though if it picks up, I will go back to full time?

    • You can apply towards reduction in the standard hours.

      For further information, please check with the labor authorities in your state.

  14. I live in colorado but worked in tx for first part of the year, then nd from April until August. Pdo I qualify for benefits in nd?

  15. I was getting bennifits from north dakota found a job in florida wasn’t makings enough money there to live on quit job in Florida moved to Minnesota for a sales job there got let go but was 70 short of making the 8 times my unemployment will i still qaulify

    • Not sure if you will be eligible for UI as it has been voluntary reason for separation from the job.

      Please inquire further with the labor authorities in your state.

  16. fired for failing drug test —one time in 30 + years I had two puffs of marijuana and had drug test the next day —I had 3 drug tests in a row –3 months in a roow randomly

    • If you’re writing to us with regard to claiming UI benefits, you will not be eligible as you were terminated for failing a drug abuse test.

  17. can I get unexployment disability benefits if I was sent home due to the company did not have no Light Duty for me

  18. If I were to get laid off on Dec 21st of this year, and filed that week, my benefits would be based on what four quarters earnings. Would it be July to July, October to October?

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