If you live in Missouri and find yourself between jobs, you might be wondering if you might be eligible for unemployment benefits to help you pay your bills while you look for work.
The information in this guide will provide you with all the information you require about unemployment insurance benefits in Missouri. You’ll find out if you’re eligible, what benefits you can expect, how to apply, and a lot more information about the program.
Table of contents
Who Is Eligible For Unemployment Benefits In Missouri?
To be eligible for unemployment benefit in Missouri, you must have recently worked and been currently unemployed due to no fault of your own. Let’s take a look at the specific requirements, which we’ll explain further below.
- Have been fired from your job for no fault of your own, or have resigned from your job for a good reason related to your work or your employer.
- To qualify, you must earn a minimum of $2,250 over the course of your base period, with at least $1,500 of that total earned during one quarter and at least $750 earned during the remainder of the base period. In this case, “base period” refers to the first four quarters of your most recent five quarters of employment.
- Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times the sum of your highest quarter wages in order to qualify.
- Instead, you must have earned at least 1.5 times the taxable wage base during two of the four quarters in order to be eligible. For the year 2020, the taxable wage base is $11,500.
- Jobs can be found at jobs.mo.gov.
Let’s take a closer look at the requirements for claiming unemployment benefits.
READ ALSO: How To Apply For Unemployment In California
Can I Apply For Unemployment Benefits In Missouri Online?
Online is the quickest and most convenient way to apply for Missouri unemployment benefits. You may want to avoid calling the toll-free number (800) 320-2519 due to long wait times. However, prepare to provide the following:
- Identification of individuals
- The last day of work
- When do you plan to return to work (if applicable)
- The amount of vacation or holiday pay earned at the time of termination
- Information on pensions
If you received a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) letter, you must include it with your claim.
How Much Will I Recieve As Missouri Unemployment Benefits?
In Missouri, the maximum weekly benefit is $320. If you are eligible for unemployment benefits, you will receive 4% of your average quarterly wages for the two highest-paid quarters of your base period. Your benefit check can be deposited into your bank account or loaded onto a prepaid debit card.
What Happens If My Unemployment Claim Is Rejected?
If your claim is denied, you can appeal the decision via UInteract, mail, or fax. To file an appeal, you have 30 days from the date printed on the Letter of Determination. A hearing will be held before an Appeals Tribunal referee, where you can present evidence and argue your case.
This period of job loss will pass, just as the current pandemic has. Meanwhile, your unemployment benefits can help you get by. These savings accounts are FDIC-insured and can earn you up to 8 times your bank’s interest rate.
Many people are missing out on guaranteed returns because their money is sitting in a large bank savings account, earning nothing. The best online savings accounts recommended by The Ascent can earn you more than 8 times the national average savings account rate.
READ ALSO: How To File For Unemployment Benefits In NC In 2023
For How Long Do I Need To Be Unemployed in Missouri To Apply For Unemployment Benefit?
Assuming you are eligible, your weekly unemployment benefit would equal 4% of your average quarterly income for the two most lucrative quarters in the base period. For example, if you earned $4,000 in the first quarter, $5,000 in the second, $6,000 in the third, and $3,000 in the fourth, your two best quarters would be the second and third.
It’s also estimated that the median household income is $5,500. As a result, your weekly benefit would be $220, or 4% of $5,500. In 2021, the highest weekly benefit will be $320.
However, just as with eligibility, you may be eligible for additional assistance in unique circumstances like COVID-19. If you’re eligible for Missouri unemployment benefits and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), you’ll receive an extra $300 per week starting January 2 and continuing until September 4, 2023.
How to Apply for Unemployment benefit in Missouri?
Unemployment benefits in Missouri can be obtained by completing an application. This step-by-step guide provides comprehensive instructions on how to file a Missouri unemployment claim.
For the time being, let’s focus on the three steps that comprise the process.
- Step 1: A new claimant must first register with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Create an account on the UInteract homepage. Your login and password will be created once you have entered all of your personal information (such as your name, social security number, etc.).
- Step 2: Submit your initial application for unemployment benefits.
Your first claim for weekly unemployment benefits will be filed after you’ve registered and the system has collected all of your personal data (such as employment history, banking information,.).
- Step 3: File a weekly unemployment claim with the Social Security Administration.
In order to maintain your eligibility for unemployment benefits, you must file for benefits each week you are unemployed. To make weekly payment requests, log in each week and follow the on-screen instructions.
After you successfully file a claim, you will receive an email every week with a confirmation.
What Should I Do When My Unemployment Benefit Request Is Denied?
Any denial of your jobless compensation benefits can be appealed within a 30-day window after the date of denial was reached. You can file an appeal by filling out this form or by going to interact and doing so.
A claimant’s appeal must include the following details:
- Name
- Personal Identification Number (SSN) (SSN)
- Name and address of your employer
- information on when and what you’re appealing to.
- Write a brief statement explaining your decision to appeal.
- Mail, fax, or an online appeal form is required. An appeal cannot be filed over the phone or via email.
SEE ALSO: How To File For Unemployment In Oklahoma And Receive Benefits
How To Ensure Consistency of Eligibility
You will be eligible for weekly benefits in Missouri if you meet the eligibility criteria relating to monetary conditions and conditions relating to job separation. If you have any problems during the benefits weeks, this isn’t going to guarantee them.
Every time you apply for benefits, you must meet job-search criteria and promptly disclose your income. If there are any problems with maintaining eligibility during the benefit period, the payments of benefits may be halted.
If any of the following situations apply to you, your weekly payments will be halted:
- There was an extended health issue that prevented you from working during the benefit period.
- When the benefit period ended, you weren’t available to work.
- There is something wrong with you that prevents you from working, such as a physical or mental disability.
- Your refusal to accept job offers made available to you during the benefits weeks irritates me.
What You Should Know After Submitting Your Application
Following filing a claim for unemployment benefits in Missouri, your roles and responsibilities do not end there. When applying for unemployment benefits in Missouri, you must follow the rules and regulations set forth by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) throughout the benefits period.
The government also provides numerous services with the goal of increasing your level of competence. To take advantage of such opportunities, you must know the training programs available and the eligibility requirements for participating in them.
What Does It Mean To Be Out Of Work Due To Circumstances Beyond My Control?
To be out of work through no fault of your own means that you were forced to stop working for reasons beyond your control.
During an economic downturn, for example, businesses may be forced to lay off a portion of their workforce, even if those employees were performing satisfactorily.
Let’s say you were laid off because the plant or factory where you worked had to close. Another scenario is that your company has implemented a new work system and you do not currently have the skills to operate within that new system.
These are some scenarios in which you might be eligible for unemployment benefits.
However, this does not necessarily imply that you are automatically disqualified if you resigned or were fired.
FAQs On How To File For Unemployment In Missouri
If you were fired, it would be determined by the circumstances of your dismissal. If you were fired because you lacked the necessary job skills or for other reasons that were not your fault, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. However, if you were fired for workplace misconduct or knowingly violated company policies, you would most likely not qualify.
To actively seek work, you must be available for work each week you claim unemployment benefits. If you refuse a job offer, your unemployment claim may be denied. You must not have any medical conditions or circumstances that would make it impossible for you to work. You must also not turn down an offer for suitable work for which you are qualified.
In Missouri, recipients can receive benefits for up to 20 weeks. On the other hand, the CARES Act extends that period by 13 weeks, allowing you to receive unemployment benefits for up to 33 weeks.
Conclusion
The unemployment insurance program in Missouri can assist you in navigating the temporary financial hardship that results from a job loss. Before submitting your claim for unemployment benefits in Missouri, review all the eligibility requirements carefully.
References
- fileunemployment.org/missouri – Missouri Unemployment Benefits
- freedomcaremo.com – Who is eligible for unemployment benefits in Missouri?
- fool.com – How to Apply for Unemployment in Missouri
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