When Can I File for Unemployment?

Eligibility

In order to qualify for unemployment, you need to have received a reduction in your work hours or been laid off while being ready, willing and able to work. You also need a certain amount of employment compensation called a "base period"; basically, you need to have worked for some prior period of time before you can get unemployment. The time frame for your "base period" is two calendar quarters, or six months.

If you think or know you will be laid off -- for example, if your company is planning a reduction in workforce and you've been notified you will be let go -- you must wait to file until the layoff actually happens. During your first week of unemployment or partial unemployment, you become eligible to file. This means if you get laid off in the middle of the week, you can file that same week.

In order to qualify for unemployment, you need to have lost your job through no fault of your own. If you were fired, you may not quality. According to Nolo, fired workers may get unemployment if they were fired for financial reasons or the job was a poor fit, but not for misconduct. If you quit your job, you cannot get unemployment unless any reasonable person in your position would have quit, says Nolo.

The unemployment filing method varies by state. New York state residents may apply either online or over the telephone, with multilingual services offered. Texas residents can also apply either online or via telephone. Once you file your claim, unemployment department workers will investigate it, which includes checking with your former employer. If your claim is valid, you will receive benefits once the employees finish processing your application.