In the State of Colorado losing your job means several things. One of the important things that is necessary, as soon as you get over the shock of not having a job, is to apply for Unemployment Benefits.
First, the technical stuff: Unemployment Insurance is not a welfare program. It is a program designed to provide temporary income to help people who through no fault of their own, do not have a job any longer. Seasonal work does not apply ,like a tax season worker, unless they worked other jobs during the remainder of the year.
However you file, you have to have your basic information such as SSN, ID and Employer Info.
If you were fired, you have to state that fact, then answer why you disagree with that decision. If you were laid off, you just have to provide that info and no explanation is really necessary. You automatically qualify if laid off.
When you have your application completely filled out, it is processed through the Colorado Workforce. They pull records through your SSN and obtain everything you have done as far as working for the last 1 1/2 yrs or so. If you were fired, they will review the information, contact the Employer or obtain a copy of the termination paperwork and then send you an approval or denial letter.
In the meantime, they will send you a handbook, a debit card to have your money sent to, a PIN number and tons of stuff to decipher. When you get the debit card through Chase Bank, you should activate and set up the basics on the account. You can also have your UI benefits directly deposited into your own bank account.
Don’t be fooled by this. This doesn’t mean you are going to GET the Unemployment any time soon. This just means you are in the system and it is being processed to determine the outcome. It takes about 6 weeks to go through this process. That can seem like years when you have lost your job.
While you are waiting for a decision, there are several other things that you need to be doing. You must register for work. You can do that through the website or in person. You also have to continue to file each pay period, which is every two weeks, so you are in the schedule to receive payment, after they decide on your case. You do this by using the CUBline on line or over the phone to tell them you have or have not worked or collected any money.
This is available 7 days a week. You have to be looking for work as well. It is best to keep a record of resumes sent out or contacts made in the pursuit of work. You do not have to do this if you are a Union worker.
There is a mandatory one week waiting period that you automatically do not get paid for. However, you must qualify as though you were going to get paid. All requirements that are needed for a paid week apply here as well.
If you qualify for Unemployment Benefits, you will get a letter stating that. It will give you the amount you will get and all the dates you qualify for. Once you get this letter, your money should follow quickly.
If you get a letter saying you do not qualify for Unemployment, it will give you the reasons. If you were fired from the job, you can be denied benefits based on the reasons and whether or not you are responsible for the firing. Your benefits can be denied, reduced or postponed if you are found at fault for the job loss.
If you are not happy with the decision in these cases, you have the right to appeal the decision. Either party can actually appeal for up to 20 days. If you appeal, this has to be sent to the Colorado Workforce within that time frame to obtain a chance at a hearing, to state your case. If you do have to appeal the decision made, don’t settle for a phone hearing.
Go in person to the hearing. Before you go, make sure you have all of your facts. If you were fired unjustly, you can obtain a subpoena to request information, statements, records and other pertinent facts from your employer or witnesses to your case.
You have to be diligent in Colorado when applying for Unemployment. Keep good records and follow through on everything. It is not impossible to get through the Unemployment maze in Colorado. It does require a clear head and maintaining a steady pace of following up on job searches, educational possibilities and the rules of the process.
