File Your Weekly Claim

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Topics:

Unemployment
Claims

HOW TO FILE A WEEKLY CLAIM

Most claimants can receive unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for up to 16 weeks (in some cases, 26 weeks).  To continue receiving payments for each week that a claimant files for UI benefits, the claimant must confirm eligibility every week using the claims reporting system.

Note: Before submitting your weekly claim, claimants should first certify their weekly work search activities in the IowaWORKS system (Visit our Reemployment Activities page if you haven't yet registered for work.)

Each week that the weekly claim is filed, the claimant will be asked to certify that they:

  • Are unemployed or working only reduced hours.
  • Are able and available to work.
  • Have not refused any job offers or referrals.
  • Are actively looking for work (unless search requirement is waived).
  • Are reporting any pension income they may be receiving.
  • Are reporting any gross wages, vacation (PTO), severance and/or holiday pay they may be receiving.

The weekly claim can be filed online or by mobile devices.

QUESTIONS?

  • Review these Frequently Asked Questions about Unemployment Insurance and weekly claim filing.
  • The payment information page has details about debit card and direct deposit benefit payment options. (This page has an updated Notice for Bank of America Cardholders - Sept 2021).
  • This helpful document also describes the Unemployment Insurance claim process. 

FILE YOUR WEEKLY CLAIM

 File Weekly Claim Now

  • Note: Please ensure that you complete your weekly job certifications in IowaWORKS before submitting your weekly claim. Visit our Reemployment Activities page for more information.
     

HOURS TO SUBMIT A WEEKLY CLAIM

  • Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Sunday:  8:00 AM - 11:30 PM
Unemployment Insurance

File a Weekly Claim

File your weekly claim during the following times:

Monday through Friday: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

Sunday: 8:00 am to 11:30 pm

File Your Claim Now
Individual Files for Unemployment on a Laptop

Again, we highly recommend that you submit your weekly job certifications electronically through IowaWORKS.gov first before submitting your weekly claim.

Benefits of this include:
  • Creating an electronic job search log to follow up on job leads.
  • Reducing the chance of experiencing interruptions in your benefits.
  • Expanding your reemployment activities, including access to virtual workshops that build your job skills.
  • Making certification of your activities easier, as IowaWORKS will automatically record job searches and re-employment activities done within the system.
  • Saving time and preventing overpayments of unemployment insurance benefits.
    • If you are paid for a week of benefits where the reemployment activities have not been certified, you will be required to either call in for a scheduled fact finding or appear at a local office to validate your reemployment activities for that week. If you are unable to validate your reemployment activities for any weeks you received benefits, you will be required to repay those weeks.

HOW TO CHECK THE STATUS OF A UI CLAIM (BENEFIT INQUIRY)

The 'status of claim' option allows online claimants to verify:

  • The last week UI benefits were claimed.
  • The date and amount of the last UI benefit payment. 
  • The remaining balance of UI benefits available to receive.

Check UI Claim Status

HOURS TO CHECK STATUS OF A UI CLAIM

Tuesday through Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM

If Monday is a holiday, the 'status of claim' option is not available until Wednesday of that week.

PLEASE NOTE: IDENTITY VERIFICATION

IWD is modernizing its identity verification process with ID.me, a trusted technology partner that specializes in digital identity protection. 

  • Effective April 1, 2024, all individuals who file a claim or weekly claim with IWD will be required to complete identity verification through ID.me. Learn more about how to prepare for ID.me at this link: Identity Verification