njsuccess.dol.state.nj.us - Claim Unemployment Insurance in New Jersey

New Jersey unemployment insurance provides help to citizens who have lost their jobs or whose employment has been affected by a natural disaster. Unemployment payments provide temporary partial wage replacement to support workers while they are seeking employment. To receive unemployment insurance payments, you must file a claim only when you become unemployed or partially unemployed. You can apply for unemployment insurance online or over the telephone in New Jersey.

Have available a paper and pencil, your Social Security number and--for direct deposit--your banking information. List employer information for all jobs in the last 18 months, supplying name, address, telephone number, beginning and end dates of employment, and reason you are no longer working there.

Filing online is encouraged if, in the past 18 months, you have not worked outside of New Jersey, worked for the federal government, served in the military, worked as a maritime employee or resided outside the United States. If any of these are true, you must file on the telephone.

File online go to lwd.dol.state.nj.us Fill out the entire form and click "Apply" on the unemployment claim form online. When filling out your form, make sure that your computer is not idle for 30 minutes or more, or your session will "time out" and all of your information will be lost.

File on the phone. Call the Reemployment Call Center if you are not eligible to file online or would prefer to apply by telephone. Call centers are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call during the week that you want your claim to begin so that your claim is dated correctly. There are three different claims offices and instructions for calling located on the state unemployment insurance website.