States

How To Apply For Unemployment In North Dakota

To file an online unemployment insurance claim in North Dakota, have your social security number and state ID ready, then visit the North Dakota Job Service website. You can also file your initial claim over the phone by calling (701) 328-4995. If you’d like to avoid long wait times, it’s recommended you use the online option. Here are some resources to help you:

• North Dakota Job Service Website
• Unemployment Insurance Claimant Handbook
• Frequently Asked Questions and Resources

Unemployment insurance is meant to be a temporary aid to get through a period of joblessness, not a permanent economic solution. Unemployment insurance is paid for by employers. There is no cost to you to collect UI weekly benefits.

Qualification Criteria for Filing a Claim

You can set up your initial unemployment insurance claim by logging on to the North Dakota Job Service website and submitting your social security number, name, address, phone number, and email address. You’ll also need to provide your employment and wage history for the past eighteen months. In addition to standard claims, you can also file:

• Combined Wage Claims (If you’ve worked in multiple states)
• Ex-Military Personnel Claims (need Form DD-214)
• Federal Employee Claims (need Standard Form 50 or Standard Form 8)

Federal law prohibits discrimination. You cannot be denied unemployment insurance benefits based on race, creed, color, or religious preference. You are required to meet monetary eligibility guidelines and show a willingness to work. You’ll also need to search for a new job while collecting unemployment insurance benefits.

Weekly Certifications and Resume Submissions

Two of the requirements to continually receive unemployment insurance benefits are that you file weekly certifications and submit a new resume online every ninety days. Your weekly certifications must include the following:

• Verification that you are still fully unemployed
• Documentation of your job search activity
• Report of any wages you may have received (part-time work)
• Confirmation of your willingness and ability to work

Job search documentation in the State of North Dakota is classified as “Reemployment Activities” on your weekly certification form. This is a mandatory requirement and could lead to disqualification of unemployment weekly benefits if you fail to fulfill it. You can also be disqualified if you are offered a job and refuse it while collecting.

Monetary Requirements and Weekly Benefits Amount

Your weekly unemployment insurance benefits payment will be calculated by taking the total wages from the highest paying two and half quarters of your base period and dividing that number by sixty-five. Your base period is a twelve-month period covering the first four of the last five quarters you received insured wages in the State of North Dakota. To view the maximum benefits allowed by law, reference the Unemployment Benefit Chart. 

The base period wage calculation will also be used to determine how many weeks you can collect weekly unemployment insurance benefits payments. This ranges from twelve to twenty-six weeks and there are no extensions available in the State of North Dakota. You can receive your weekly benefits payment by direct deposit or via Way2Go Debit Card issued by NDJS.