File for Unemployment Benefits  

To file for unemployment insurance benefits in North Dakota, you can file by phone or online. The week begins on Sunday and ends the following Saturday at midnight. Job Service North Dakota cannot backdate claims for benefits. You should file a claim for unemployment insurance benefits the same week you become separated from work. The effective date of your claim is the Sunday of the week you file it.

Online initial applications for benefits are submitted using the Job Service North Dakota UI ICE system. UI ICE is Job Service North Dakota’s Unemployment Insurance Internet Claims Entry system. Once you register on the UI ICE page, you will have access to numerous North Dakota online services using the same login and password information.

After you submit your initial application, you will continue to use the UI ICE application to:

•  File an unemployment insurance claim
•  Certify weekly eligibility
•  Select your payment option
•  Access unemployment insurance information
•  Complete orientation and eligibility reviews
•  Complete re-employment activities

Important: The UI ICE application and the automated phone system are not available from 10 p.m. to midnight CST daily for maintenance.   

Unemployment Application and Initial Claim  

File Your Unemployment Application and Initial Claim  

Filing for unemployment insurance with the Job Service North Dakota UI ICE online system will take about 25 to 30 minutes. It is important that you remember to save/continue as you move through the system at least every 30 minutes and before you log off so you don’t risk losing and of the data you’ve entered.

1.      Go to jobsnd.com
2.      Click on the UI ICE icon under “Individuals” (the login registration page will open in a new window)
3.      Click “Register Now” - This is where you will create your North Dakota login and password information, enter your personal information, and create security questions (should you forget your login in the future).
4.      After entering all of the required information, agree to the Terms of Use, and click “create account” at the bottom of the page.
5.      Create your PIN (personal identification number) that you will need to access the UI ICE or automated phone systems.

Follow through the rest of the application using the buttons provided within the system—do NOT use your browser's back or forward buttons. Be sure to have all of the necessary information and documentation gathered. Missing or incomplete information could delay or cause you to be denied unemployment insurance benefits in North Dakota.

Documents and Information Needed During Filing  

• Your social security number
• You name, address, and email address
• Driver’s license or state ID
• Name and contact information for all employers you worked for in the last 18 months, or since last opening a claim
• Wage you are willing to accept on your Monetary Determination letter
• Union local name and number
• Ex-Military DD214 member copy 4 to show proof of military service and wages
• Forms SF-8 and SF-50 to show proof of federal civilian service and wages
• Your alien identification number for non-U.S. citizens authorized to work in the U.S.

Claim Weekly Benefits  

Job Service North Dakota requires that you file weekly certifications for your unemployment insurance benefits in order to remain eligible. Although you submitted an initial application with relevant information, it is necessary to show each week that your circumstances remain relatively the same. It is also for you to show proof that you have met your weekly job search activities.

Weekly certification is the process used to verify that you were unemployed during the week and are eligible to receive a benefit payment.

How to Claim Weekly Benefits  

Whether you certify online or by phone, you will be asked to answer a series of questions that will help Job Service determine your continued eligibility to collect unemployment insurance benefits. The questions include:

• Were you able and available for work?
• Did you refuse or miss work of any kind?
• Did you perform work for any employer during the week you are claiming?
• Were you self-employed?
• Did you make your required job contacts?
• Do you remain separated from employment?

 

When you file using the UI ICE system, you can click on the “My To-Do List” on the main UI ICE menu. Keep in mind that the first week you file for unemployment insurance benefits is a waiting week, for which you will not receive any benefit payment. You must claim every week, without skipping, if you wish to continue to collect benefits. Skipping a week might cause you to have to reopen your claim.

During your waiting week, you must continue to meet all other eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for continued benefits. You will serve only one waiting week during your Benefit Year. So, if you reopen your claim within that period, you will not have a waiting week before you can collect a benefit payment.

After the waiting week, your weekly certification generates your benefit payment if you meet all of the eligibility requirements. Be sure to follow the following guidelines to be sure you won’t miss certification deadlines.

• Certify your unemployment insurance benefits after the week has ended.
• Certify within 13 days of the Saturday of the week you made your initial application, or
• Within 13 days of the Saturday of the last week you last certified.
• You must certify your unemployment insurance benefits by 10 p.m. on the 13th day.
• Consider certifying to claim your benefits on the same day each week to keep from missing the cutoff day.

Claim Denials or Discrepancies

When you submit an application to Job Service North Dakota to collect unemployment insurance benefits, a Monetary Determination is generated and mailed to you via postal mail. The Monetary Determination outlines:

• Whether your monetary earnings are sufficient and meet eligibility requirements during your Base Period
• The exact amount of wages reported by employers during the Base Period you will be claiming
• Your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)
• The Maximum Benefit Amount you can collect during your Benefit Year
• Any wages earned in other states, if applicable

It is very important that you read over your Monetary Determination carefully to make sure everything is true and accurate. If you disagree with anything in your monetary determination, you can file an appeal in writing. The appeal process instructions are listed on page two of your determination.

Appeals Process for Denied Claims  

If you wish to appeal a denial of your unemployment benefits, you must do so in writing before the deadline listed on your Monetary Determination. Any appeals filed late will not be considered unless there is due cause. A written request for appeal may be delivered in person to any Job Service Office, faxed or mailed within the appropriate time.

After submitting your appeal, you will receive an appointment time for your scheduled hearing. You will also receive a Guide to Unemployment Insurance Appeals to help you prepare for your hearing.

Hearings are generally conducted over the phone Monday through Friday before 3 p.m. Most hearings last between 30 and 45 minutes. It is important that you are fully prepared to submit documents and present evidence that supports your claim for an appeal.

After the hearing is concluded, you will receive written notification of the decision. If you disagree with the decision, you may appeal it and seek further review by the Executive Director of Job Service North Dakota within 12 days of the date on your appeal decision. Directions for requesting a review are included in your written appeal decision.

Office of Appeals Contact Information  

Mail: Appeals Section, P.O. Box 5507, Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5507

Fax: 701-328-2728