Apply for UI online, by phone (at 855-225-4440), or in person at your local DWS office. You should submit a copy of your most recent tax return when you apply or soon after in order to be considered for more than the minimum benefit amount.
While waiting to hear back, get paperwork together that shows why you lost your job or lost hours in case you need it later. Answer any follow-up questions from DWS. Keep copies (or take pictures) of all the paperwork you give to DWS. Keep track of any contact you have with DWS, including over the phone.
File a weekly claim for UI every week, even if you have not yet been approved or have been denied and are awaiting appeal. You can file weekly claims online, by phone (at 501-907-2590), or by mailing in a physical application, available in English, Spanish, and Marshallese.
Important Note: A claim is different from an application. An application tells DWS you want to get qualified for unemployment benefits. A claim tells DWS that you were unemployed in a particular week. If you don’t file a claim, you cannot get paid for that week.
If you get denied or get less than you should, you can appeal. You can also now apply for PUA if you are eligible. See "How to Appeal" or "How to Apply for PUA".
