How To Know If You Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.

Many different circumstances can lead to a job loss — but do all of them entitle you to receive unemployment compensation?

Read on for some actionable steps that job seekers can take to verify whether they are qualified for unemployment benefits.

Step 1: Review the Reason for Your Unemployment

If you’ve voluntarily left your employer by giving your notice and quitting, you won’t be eligible to receive unemployment assistance.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) states on its website that while “[e]ach state sets its own unemployment insurance benefits [and] eligibility guidelines … you usually qualify if you are unemployed through no fault of your own.”

“When you leave your job voluntarily, it generally voids your eligibility for unemployment benefits,” explains David Fisch, CEO of Ladders. And Boston-based Career Coach Amy Feind Reeves adds that in most states, unemployment assistance must be triggered by undesired loss of employment.

“In other words, you can’t quit a job but must be asked to leave or have the position end in some way,” Reeves said.

Step 2: Determine Any Exceptions

Fisch points out that when you quit voluntarily, it is rare to qualify for unemployment benefits. However, there are exceptions to the rule.

“If you quit your job for a good reason, you might be eligible to collect unemployment benefits,” Fisch said.

This involves determining whether you qualify after quitting for “good cause.”

And Fisch says, “Good cause relates to unsolvable issues you have brought to the employer’s attention, and they have done nothing to rectify them.”

Step 3: Check Online for Your State’s Eligibility Guidelines

The DOL points out that in addition to having not wanted to become unemployed, you also have to meet “any additional state requirements.”

Since unemployment benefits are administered state by state, the DOL’s website provides this link to CareerOneStop to search by state and learn more about state-specific eligibility and benefits.

Reeves notes that eligibility requirements “usually involve a length of time employed or a minimum aggregate salary accrued.”

Elizabeth Lintelman, director of career services at American Public Education, Inc. (APEI), explains that one state-specific criterion for becoming eligible for unemployment benefits is for dislocated workers to meet their state’s work and wage requirements, also referred to as the “base period.”

“There are typically stipulations around wages earned and/or time worked,” Lintelman said. “Contact your state’s unemployment insurance program to determine the appropriate base period requirements.”

Step 4: Be Prepared That Your Claim May Not Be Approved

Simply filing a claim to receive unemployment assistance is no guarantee that you’ll actually receive the benefit. Lintelman emphasized that not all unemployment claims will be approved.

Even if your application does get a green light from the government, you should be prepared to wait a while for your initial payout.

“It can take several weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check,” Lintelman said.

To streamline the process, she recommends ensuring you have all the required information—such as addresses and dates of former employment—before you go to file your claim.

Step 5: Consider Timing

If your goal is to count on unemployment benefits between jobs, Fisch stresses the importance of researching your state’s eligibility requirements before quitting your current position.

“If you leave and end up being denied unemployment benefits, you could find yourself in a financial bind until you land your next gig,” he points out.

The bottom line is, be sure to do your due diligence to determine if you’re truly qualified for unemployment assistance.

While each state’s requirements vary and you may be able to get these benefits if you can prove you quit for good cause, it’s better to look before you leap to avoid assuming that you’ll have unemployment benefits that may not be legally available to you.