If you have recently become unemployed and submitted an application for unemployment, you may be awaiting your weekly payments. Applying for unemployment does not start unemployment compensation arriving in your mailbox or bank account. In fact, you have to re-certify each week that you are still unemployed by filing a weekly unemployment claim. Questions on the form ask about your job search efforts. Typically, you must file for two weeks at a time. You will only receive an unemployment benefits check after filing your weekly claim. There are three different ways you can claim your weekly benefits.

Complete your paper weekly claims form, if you received one, and mail it to your state unemployment office using the envelope enclosed with the form. Make sure the address appears through the window.

Visit the website for your state's unemployment office to file your weekly benefits claim online, if your state offers online filing. The Employee Issues website (see Resources) has a list of all state unemployment office websites.

Call your state unemployment office weekly claims line to file your weekly claim. Usually this is an automated self-service phone line.