{"id":1693,"date":"2018-02-22T21:36:08","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T21:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/?page_id=1693"},"modified":"2024-07-31T17:27:46","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T17:27:46","slug":"qualifications-for-unemployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/blog\/qualifications-for-unemployment\/","title":{"rendered":"Qualifications For Unemployment in AZ"},"content":{"rendered":"

The unemployment insurance program is administered jointly by state and federal agencies. Its goal is to provide temporary financial assistance to individuals who become unemployed by no fault of their own. Businesses in each state pay taxes to a trust fund<\/a> that finances the program\u2019s insurance payments to unemployed individuals, so the burden of the program falls squarely on employers\u2019 shoulders.<\/p>\n

In the state of Arizona, the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES<\/a>) is the agency that administers unemployment insurance benefits<\/a> to Arizona residents. The DES is responsible for deciding unemployment eligibility<\/a>, administering benefit payments, and issuing regulations for the unemployment insurance program.<\/p>\n

Qualifications for unemployment insurance<\/h2>\n

Not everybody who applies for unemployment insurance qualifies for benefits. When a DES agent reviews your application for benefits, they\u2019ll consider the following qualifications:<\/p>\n

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  1. Working in Arizona<\/li>\n
  2. Terms of employment loss<\/li>\n
  3. Wage requirements<\/li>\n
  4. Other requirements<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Working in Arizona<\/h2>\n

    The state of Arizona\u2019s unemployment insurance program is intended for Arizona workers, so it makes sense that you need to have worked in the state to qualify for benefits. If you\u2019ve worked in multiple states during the previous year you can either apply for benefits with the DES for your total income, or you can choose to apply for benefits with the DES based on your Arizona wages and apply for benefits in the other states based on your income there. Either way, your work in the state of Arizona needs to be with an employer who paid unemployment taxes.<\/p>\n

    2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Terms of employment loss<\/h2>\n

    In order to qualify for unemployment insurance payments in Arizona, you cannot be at fault for your unemployment. A few commonly qualified situations include layoffs due to a business location closing, a reduction-in-force, or lack of work. If your separation from the company is due to a specific reason, the DES will assess who initiated the separation, and whether or not the reason for the separation qualifies for benefits. Generally speaking, quitting your job disqualifies you from receiving unemployment insurance benefits.<\/p>\n

    3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wage requirements<\/h2>\n

    Your previous wages will play a major role in whether or not you qualify for benefits and will determine the value of your benefits. Most states have similar wage requirements, though the exact income qualifications will vary from state to state. In Arizona, you\u2019ll need to qualify based on one of two income criteria:<\/p>\n