States

How To Apply For Unemployment In Louisiana

The Louisiana Workforce Commission views unemployment insurance benefits as a temporary measure to provide you some income while you’re searching for your next job. To be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits payments, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own or have had your hours cut significantly. Review the sites below to learn more:

• Louisiana Workforce Commission Main Website
• LWC Job Search Registration Page
• File by Phone: (866) 783-5567

To file your unemployment insurance claim online, you must have a valid email address. You’ll also need your social security number and contact information for any employers you’ve worked for in the past eighteen months. The amount of your weekly benefit payment will be determined by the wages you earned during that time frame.

Work Search Requirement in Louisiana

Applicants for unemployment insurance benefits are required to register with LWC Job Search. The Louisiana Workforce Commission is a division of the Department of Labor and has a certain criterion you must match in order to claim and receive weekly benefits. You must have:

• US Citizenship with SSN Number or Registered Alien Certification
• Eighteen Months Legal Insured Employment history in Louisiana
• A No-Fault Reason for Separating from Your Former Employer
• Willingness and Physical Ability to be Re-Employed

If you do not meet these requirements but feel you should still be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, contact the Louisiana Workforce Commission at (866) 783-5567.

Payment Amounts and Delivery Mechanisms

If possible, it is recommended that you choose the “direct deposit” option when you file your initial unemployment insurance benefits claim. Receiving direct deposit is easy. Enter the routing number for your bank and your account number in the appropriate fields when you apply. Your weekly payments will be deposited directly into your account every week.

If you don’t have a personal checking or savings account, you can request a U.S. Bank ReliaCard debit card from the Louisiana Department of Labor. These cards provide a convenient mechanism for depositing unemployment benefits, but delivery of the card can take up to ten days after you file your claim, so your benefit payments will be delayed.

Direct deposit and U.S. Bank ReliaCards are the only two methods used by the Louisiana Department of Labor to distribute unemployment insurance benefits payments. Disregard any offers you receive in the mail or by email to use anything else.

Education and Job Training Programs

The Louisiana Workforce Commission provides an online dashboard and resource portal for all recipients of unemployment insurance benefits payments. When registering with LWC you’ll be asked to upload or build a resume. That resume can then be used to apply for jobs on the website. You’ll also be able to review job market trends and evaluate potential employers.

In addition to job opportunities, the LWC portal also has links to job training programs, online certifications, colleges, and universities. If you’d like your next job to be a higher paying position than your last job, it is recommended that you take advantage of these programs. There are also programs built specifically for veterans, seniors, and those with disabilities.