File for Unemployment Benefits

You can file an unemployment claim in Nebraska at American Job Centers in the state or online via the NeWorks website.  Filing at American Job Centers can provide numerous benefits over filing online, including the fact that there are experts there who can help guide you through the application process to ensure you make no mistakes. The centers also host a variety of job fairs to help you find appropriate work. The location of these centers, including various contact information, is included in the Nebraska Unemployment Office section of this page.

Unemployment Application And Initial Claim

File Your Unemployment Application and Initial Claim Process

When you are ready to file a new claim with the NeWorks system, you need to login to their website. Start by clicking on the "Unemployment" tab under the "Job Seekers" window. From there, you can get more information about unemployment benefits, file or manage your claim, or report unemployment fraud or discrepancies.

To start the process of filing your employment, you will need to first click on “File Or Manage A Claim” to go to a new site. Click on “Individual” under “Create New Account Type” to create your own login information. Create a username and password after agreeing to the privacy statement.

After you create your NeWorks login information, you must create a personal profile, an online resume, and make a claim. Make sure to provide accurate information, including how you lost your job, proper employment dates, your current address, and any other relevant information.

There are a limited number of options. Answer as accurately as possible.

After you complete your application, it is automatically checked for any missing or inaccurate information. If you cannot complete your profile for whatever reason, you have the option to save its current progress and come back to it later with your  login information created to continue.

Once you are finished, click “Submit” and you're finished with the application. Print out any relevant information, such as your login information, the receipt for finishing the application, and anything else that the office may need. The next step will then be creating a work resume via thet NeWorks site.

This requires clicking on “Create A Resume” at the NeWorks main page and filling out your personal contact information, your career history, and any relevant training and education. As a part of your work registration, you'll receive emails when appropriate job positions are open for you in the state.

When your claim has been filed, you can login to your NeWorks account to check the progress of the claim, track your Weekly Maximum Amount, gauge the weeks left in your payment period, and track messages and notices that are relevant to your account. Beyond this, you can also use NeWorks for multiple job-related tasks, including:

 

• Attending job fairs

• Finishing workshops that educate you on finding work

• Look for jobs through various job seeking services

• Build a strong resume with guided help

• Track market statistics to gauge where the work is in Nebraska

• Educate and train yourself for a more appropriate position

Documents and Information Needed During Filing

Before submitting your initial application for unemployment insurance benefits, it is important to have the following information available:

• Home mailing address (including zip code)
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Social security number or alien registration number
• Drivers license number
• Current county of residence
• Bank account information for direct deposit (routing and account numbers)
• The company names, mailing addresses, start dates, and reasons for leaving all employers over the last 18 months
• Employment authorization number (only applicable to non-citizen workers)

Even if you don't have all of this information directly at hand, much of it will already be on the NeWorks system. For example, your company name and address should be included, though you do need to indicate the precise start and end dates for each position. If uncertain, call human resources at your former employer and they can help sort out any confusion.

In specific employment circumstances, it may be necessary to file other forms. For example, if you worked in a state besides Nebraska and also earned wages in Nebraska over the last 18 months, you need to file a combined wage form. Contact the Nebraska Claims Center.

If you were a member of the military over the last 18 months, you need to file the DD 214 Member 4 Form and call the Nebraska Claims Center. Lastly, if you were a federal employee over the last 18 months, you need to fill out Form 8 or Standard Form 50, indicating in what method you were paid. Call the Nebraska Claims Center for more help.

Claim Weekly Benefits

Unemployment in Nebraska goes on a week-by-week basis, which means it is important for you to understand weekly benefits. You can’t simply sit around and expect to get your payment. It is important to consistently show that you are looking for work and to give unemployment an idea of how your search is proceeding.

How to Claim Weekly Benefits

Your weekly job search must be reported regularly (at least once a month) to ensure that you are actively looking for work. Sign onto your unemployment account and find the section devoted to searching for work. Input your information here, including where you looked for work and the contact information, in order to continue to qualify for weekly benefits.

Claim Denials or Discrepancies

There is a chance that discrepancies could occur in your unemployment claim. Excessive payments or confusion regarding your employment status could delay your application. To sort through these discrepancies, it is possible to adjudicate the problem. An adjudicator will gauge why you left your employer, why the separation occurred, talk to witnesses about it, check written warnings, verify payment (including severance, holiday, and bonus pay), and sort through the concern.

The appeal process is designed to protect you from an employer who is attempting to deny your claim or decrease your payment. However, it is also a way to gauge if a claimant is committing fraud, whether purposeful or accidental.

Make sure to accurately report all your information when filing, or the adjudicator may assess a fine, including paying back the money you were given and assessing a $500 fee. If more serious fraud was committed, you may be criminally prosecuted.

Appeals Process for Denied Claims

There is a chance that your claim may be denied, even if you qualify for benefits. This is typically due to either a mistake on your part when filing, or a misunderstanding in the computer system, or even with the people processing your claims. The Nebraska Department of Labor has set up the Tribunal to help people in your position.

You can either file an appeal on the Nebraska Department of Labor's appeal site, or print out and fill out one of the various appeal forms. There are a variety of form types, including:

• Notice of Appeal Form
• Telephone Information Return Form
• Request for Continuance
• Request for Witness Subpoena
• Request for Document Subpoena
• Request to Reconsider
• Request for Interpreter (Hearing Impaired)
• Response to Order for More Definite Statement

The main form you need to concern yourself with is the “Notice Of Appeal” form. It must be printed, filled out, and mailed to the Tribunal within 20 days of your denial. If you do not turn your appeal in before 20 days has passed, your appeal will be dismissed.

Information necessary for completing an appeals form includes the following:

• Personal contact information (street address, telephone number, fax number, and email address – the latter two are not required, but helpful)
• Social security number
• Brief explanation of your appeal – be precise, informative, and emotionally detached
• The name and title of the attorney representing you, including their street address and telephone number – do not fill out if you are representing yourself
• Signature and date – without this information, your appeal will be denied

Mail this form to the Nebraska Appeal Tribunal, P.O. Box 98941, Lincoln, NE 68509-8491.Other forms, such as the telephone information return form, are only necessary if you lost the original form sent to you in the mail or if you did not receive it. Only use forms like the witness subpoena form if you absolutely need them.

Once you  mail  in your form, you should hear from the tribunal within 7 to 10 days by mail. Most hearings are conducted by phone.   

However, if they denied your appeal, you need to print out the “Request To Reconsider” form and send it to the Tribunal within 10 days of the date the order was mailed to you. This is typically only possible if a mistake in law was made, if you did not receive notice that the hearing occurred, or if there is new evidence in your case.

If you are concerned about your appeals case, it is a good idea to check out past Nebraska unemployment appeal cases. This can give you an idea of the precedent set by other judges in the past and help guide you towards a more effective case.

Office of Appeals Contact Information

Nebraska Appeal Tribunal

P.O. Box 98941

Fax: (402) 471-1734