UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
CLAIMANT HANDBOOK
dol.georgia.gov
How To Ensure Timely and Accurate Unemployment
Insurance (UI) Benet Payments
Be Honest
lntentionally withholding or providing misleading, inaccurate information on a claim for UI benets
is considered fraud, which is punishable by law. When ling a claim for UI benets, make sure all
the information you provide is accurate.
Register as a Job Seeker
AII individuals requesting unemployment benets must register for Employment Services with
WorkSource Georgia at worksourcegaportal.com to be eligible to collect UI benets. The services
offered are designed to help you get back to work as soon as possible.
Actively Search for Work
For each week you request benet payments,
you must actively seek work and maintain a
record of your work search activities. Work
search activities must be performed at least
three days a week.
Do Not Refuse Suitable Work
Refusing a suitable work offer could result in a
denial or delay of your benet payments.
Report All Earnings
You must report ALL your gross earnings (before tax and other deductions) for each week
you work when ling for UI benets, including part-time or temporary work and other required
reportable income, at dol.georgia.gov.
Read the Information Provided
You are responsible for knowing and following Georgia’s UI laws and rules when ling for UI
benets. To prevent errors that may result in an overpayment, you must carefully read all the
materials sent to you and respond to requests.
AVOIDING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR
UI CLAIM
If you have additional questions about your
claim, visit dol.georgia.gov.
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UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI) CUSTOMER SERVICE
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Call 1.877.709.8185
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
INTERPRETER SERVICES
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) will provide an interpreter for the hearing or voice
impaired and for those individuals with limited English prociency. Individuals with hearing or voice
impairment may contact the Georgia Relay Center at 1.866.694.5824 to access GDOL services.
Should you require assistance interpreting documents you received, you may take them to your
local career center for translation. These services are provided at no cost to you.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6
THE TOP 12 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW 7
HOW DO I QUALIFY? 8
Your Past Wages 8
Your Job Separation 11
Proof of Lawful Presence 12
Verication of Identifying Information 13
Your Availability to Work and Your Work Search 13
Suitable Work 14
Job Refusals 14
What Happens After I Apply For Benets? 14
CLAIM DETERMINATIONS 15
Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination 15
Claims Examiner’s Determination 17
APPEALS 17
What Happens After I File An Appeal? 18
CLAIMING YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS 19
When to Claim Your Weekly Benets 19
Methods For Requesting Weekly Payments 20
Responding to the Certication Questions 21
Claiming Your Weekly Benets Online 22
Claiming Your Weekly Benets By Telephone 23
REPORTING YOUR WORK SEARCH 24
Acceptable Work Search Activities Include But Are Not Limited To: 24
Submitting Your Work Search Online 25
Submitting Your Work Search By Fax 25
CHECKING THE STATUS OF YOUR PAYMENTS 25
Checking Your Payment Status Online 25
Checking Your Payment Status By Telephone 25
BENEFIT PAYMENTS 26
Direct Deposit 26
Way2go Debit Mastercard® 27
Changing Your Payment Method 28
Income Tax Withholdings 28
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Other Deductions 29
Payment Delays 30
REPORTING YOUR INCOME 31
Weekly Earnings 31
Vacation and Holiday Pay 31
Retirement Income 31
Severance, Separation Pay, Wages In Lieu Of Notice, and Dismissal Payments 31
Workers’ Compensation 31
OVERPAYMENTS 32
Non-Fraud Overpayments 32
Fraud Overpayments 33
Repayment of Overpayments 33
REPORTING UI FRAUD AND ABUSE 34
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 35
Employment Services Registration 35
Services in the Gdol Career Centers 36
Career Center Computer Resources 37
SPECIAL PROGRAMS 37
Claimant Trainee Program 37
Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (Resea) 37
Trade Adjustment Assistance 38
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS 39
Privacy 39
Disclosure of Private and Condential Information 39
Security Validation 39
Non-Discrimination 39
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 40
YOUR RECORDS 46
Work Search Conrmation Record 46
Conversations with Gdol Staff 46
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INTRODUCTION
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program provides short-term nancial assistance to eligible workers
who are unemployed or partially unemployed through no fault of their own. The purpose of the program
is to help bridge the gap between jobs by providing funds with which to purchase necessities. The intent
is to reduce the nancial burden of joblessness, while allowing individuals an opportunity to deliberately
search for employment that matches their skills, training, and prior earning capability.
In Georgia, unemployment benets are paid from a UI Trust Fund, which is fully funded by employers
who pay UI taxes. These taxes cannot be deducted from employees’ wages.
The information in this booklet is provided to help you understand the requirements of the UI program.
Please take time to read this booklet and make sure you understand its content. Do not risk
losing your benets because you do not know your rights and responsibilities.
If you worked in Georgia and now reside in another state, you may be eligible to collect Georgia
unemployment benets. This would be known as an interstate claim. Although you live in another state,
you must follow Georgia’s laws and rules related to the UI claim. You must also register for employment
services with the nearest State Workforce Agency (SWA) in the state in which you reside. Pay careful
attention to information throughout this handbook regarding interstate claims.
If you have any questions about the information in this handbook, do not hesitate to contact UI Customer
Service at 1.877.709.8185 or ask a representative at your local Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL)
career center.
The information in this handbook (and more) is available on the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
Because the website is constantly updated to better serve you, use the Site Map or Search
feature to nd information quickly. When performing a search, a results page listing relevant links
will display. Select the desired link to return to the website.
TIP: Save time by selecting the Individuals tab on the website, Get Unemployment Assistance,
and then Frequently Asked Questions
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THE TOP 12 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. Know your rights and responsibilities, and ask for help. Read this handbook carefully to know
your rights and responsibilities. If you have questions or need additional information, visit our
website at dol.georgia.gov or contact your GDOL career center.
2. Follow the rules to avoid committing fraud. Anyone who applies for and receives unemployment
benets is legally responsible for following all unemployment laws and rules. Failure to obey the
law and follow the rules could result in penalties and criminal prosecution.
3. Accurately report the reason you lost your job. Be truthful about the reason for your job
separation.
4. Register for Employment Services. To be eligible to receive unemployment benets, you must
register for Employment Services at worksourcegaportal.com or with the State Workforce Agency
(SWA) in the state where you reside, unless you are exempt by law.
5. Be able to work, available for work and actively seeking work. In order to receive benets, you
must show you are able, available and actively seeking work each week.
6. Remember to claim or certify for your weekly benets. You must claim or certify for at least one
week of benets for a decision to be made regarding your eligibility.
7. Actively search for work and submit your Weekly Work Search Record. To receive benets,
you must show you are continually searching for suitable work each week. You are required to
make at least three new, veriable job search contacts each week; and submit a weekly record
of job search contacts for each week benets are claimed. Failure to submit your Weekly Work
Search Record may result in a denial of benets and a possible overpayment. (See REPORTING
YOUR WORK SEARCH and OVERPAYMENTS.)
8. Submitting your work search records is NOT the same as claiming or certifying for your
weekly benets. These are two different processes. You will receive a conrmation number when
you successfully submit your weekly work search record. You WILL NOT receive a conrmation
number when you claim or certify for your weekly benets.
9. Report any wages you earn while receiving unemployment benets. When you are receiving
unemployment benets, you must report all gross (before taxes) earnings each week, including
part- time or temporary work. All gross earnings must be reported during the week they are earned,
even if you have not received payment. Failure to accurately report income may result in an
overpayment. (See REPORTING YOUR INCOME and OVERPAYMENTS.)
10. Inform the GDOL when you return to work. As soon as you begin working, notify your GDOL
career center. Failure to do so may result in you having to repay any benets you received while
fully employed.
11. Respond timely to all requests from GDOL for information. If you fail to timely respond to
requests for information, your claim or benets may be delayed or denied.
12. Keep your personal contact information updated. If you fail to immediately notify GDOL of
a change in personal contact information, your claim, benets, or requests for appeal may be
delayed or denied. You can update your personal contact information on the GDOL website at dol.
georgia.gov. Use the search eld in the top right corner to locate and select the link for Change
Address and Contact Information.
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HOW DO I QUALIFY?
Georgia law requires individuals to meet all of the following requirements to be paid benets:
• Sufcient insured wages
• Job separation from your last employer due to no fault of your own
• Proof of your lawful presence in the United States
• Able, available, and actively searching for suitable work. See SUITABLE WORK for more information.
YOUR PAST WAGES
To meet the wage requirement, you must have earned enough insured wages during the base period
to qualify for benets. The regular base period is the rst four of the last ve completed calendar
quarters at the time you le your claim. If your claim cannot be established using the regular base
period, the alternative base period will be used. The alternative base period is the last four completed
calendar quarters at the time you le your claim.
A calendar quarter is a three-month period. The four quarters in each year are:
1st Quarter January 1 through March 31
2nd Quarter April 1 through June 30
3rd Quarter July 1 through September 30
4th Quarter October 1 through December 31
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The following diagram shows how the GDOL determines your regular base period.
If You File In... Your Regular Base Period Will Be...
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The following diagram shows how the GDOL determines your alternative base period.
If You File In... Your Alternative Base Period Will Be...
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To meet the wage requirements:
• you must have insured wages in at least two quarters of the base period; and
• your insured wages must equal at least $1,134 in the two highest quarters in the base period; and
• your total insured wages during the base period must equal at least one and one-half times the
highest quarter of earnings.
Weekly Benet Amount (WBA) Calculation
After meeting the wage requirements, your weekly benet amount (WBA) is calculated by dividing the
two highest quarters of wages in the base period by 42.
Regular WBA Calculation
Total Wages in 2 Highest Quarters = WBA
42 (disregard cents)
If the only reason you do not qualify for benets is your total wages are not equal to one and one-
half times the highest quarter of wages, an Alternate Calculation will be used. Using the Alternate
Calculation, your weekly benet amount is calculated by dividing the highest quarter of wages by 21.
Wages must be earned in at least two quarters of the base period and total wages must be at least 40
times the weekly benet amount.
Alternate Calculation
Total Wages in Highest Quarter = WBA
21 (disregard cents)
Currently, the minimum WBA is $55 and the maximum WBA is $365. Your weekly benet amount
cannot be higher than the maximum allowed by law.
YOUR JOB SEPARATION
Your eligibility to receive benets is based on the reason you separated from your most recent
employer. Your most recent employer is dened as the last employer for whom you worked and were
separated or an employer who les a claim on your behalf.
Information will be obtained from your employer to verify your reason for job separation.
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PROOF OF LAWFUL PRESENCE
Georgia law requires that all applicants for UI benets who are 18 years of age or older attest
they are:
• a United States citizen, or
• a legal permanent resident, or
• a non-citizen legally present in the United States.
The GDOL performs electronic verication of your lawful presence in the United States with the Georgia
Department of Driver Services (DDS). The DDS validates the identity of individuals who indicate they
have a Georgia-issued driver’s license or identication card.
The GDOL will notify you if you are required to complete an Applicant Status Afdavit attesting to your
lawful presence in the United States. If required to do so, you must execute this afdavit whether you
le your claim via the Internet on the GDOL website or in a career center. The afdavit is a one-time
requirement for U.S. citizens. However, each time a non-citizen les a claim for UI benets, Employment
Authorization Document(s) must be provided.
If completion of the afdavit is required, you must present valid government-issued picture identication
to a GDOL representative to complete the afdavit and have it notarized. If you are not a citizen of the
United States, you must also present acceptable, unexpired employment authorization document(s).
The GDOL will verify your registration status with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security. You
cannot receive benet payments until your lawful presence in the U.S. is veried.
Interstate Claimants
The afdavit is available for printing on the GDOL website. On the Home page, select the Forms and
Publications tab. The link is listed as UI Applicant Status Afdavit.
If completion of the afdavit is required, you must have it notarized (many local government agencies,
banks, and community businesses offer free notary services), and mail the original afdavit along with a
legible copy of your valid government-issued picture identication to the Interstate Unit at the following
address:
Georgia Department of Labor Interstate Claims Unit
P. O. Box 3433
Atlanta, GA 30302-3433
Phone: 877.709.8185
Fax: 404.232.3087
The afdavit must be received within ten (10) days from the date you led your claim. You must mail the
original afdavit. A faxed copy of the afdavit will not be accepted.
Failure to return the original completed, signed, and notarized Applicant Status Afdavit and a copy of
your valid government-issued picture identication within ten (10) days could result in a delay or denial
of benets.
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VERIFICATION OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
When processing your claim, you will be required to verify your identity using the applicable methods
and services. If applicable, be sure to use existing login information for identity verication services
when prompted to do so. GDOL uses multiple sources to verify your identity. The name and social
security number you use on our claim must match the information on record with the Social
Security Administration (SSA). Individual Taxpayer Identication Numbers (ITIN) cannot be used
for applying for and receiving unemployment benets.
YOUR AVAILABILITY TO WORK AND YOUR WORK SEARCH
To receive benets, you must be able, available, and actively searching for work. You must show proof
that you are looking for work on a weekly basis. You are required to seek and accept all suitable work.
To meet the work availability and work search requirements, you must:
• Register for Employment Services through WorkSource Georgia, unless exempt by law.
• If you are a Georgia resident, register at worksourcegaportal.com. See Employment Services
Registration for instructions.
• If you are ling an interstate claim, register with the SWA in the state where you reside. However,
you must follow Georgia’s laws and rules regarding your availability to work, searching for work,
and reporting your work search activity.
• Be physically able to perform some type of work (even if it is not your regular eld of work).
• Be available to work and have no unreasonable restrictions that keep you from working.
• Be actively looking for suitable work each week.
• Complete veriable job search activities on three or more days each week.
• Keep a detailed record of your work search activities and submit this information to the GDOL
weekly. See REPORTING YOUR WORK SEARCH for instructions on submitting your weekly work
search report.
• Accept all referrals from the GDOL for suitable work.
• Accept all offers of suitable work from employers.
• Report any failure to seek or accept work (even if you feel the work was not suitable) to the GDOL
during the week in which it occurs.
• Report to the career center when instructed by the GDOL.
To receive benets, you must meet all availability and work search requirements each week. Your
work search record is subject to random audit by the GDOL at any time. You will be denied benets
for any week(s) you do not meet these requirements, make a false statement, or misrepresent
facts. You will be responsible for repaying benets you received during the denial period. See Fraud
Overpayments under OVERPAYMENTS.
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SUITABLE WORK
You must be willing to accept work under the same working conditions in which you earned the wages
used to establish your claim provided there is a reasonable expectation of obtaining that type of work.
The suitability of a job depends on the length of time you have been unemployed. As the length of your
unemployment increases, you are expected to adjust your employment expectations with respect to
earnings, working conditions, job duties, and prior training and/or experience. After ten (10) weeks of
collecting benets, you must be willing to accept an hourly wage that is at least 66% of the average
hourly wage you earned during the highest quarter of wages in the base period, in order to meet
suitable work search requirements. However, the new hourly wage must be at least the minimum wage
established by state and federal law.
Failure to apply for suitable work could result in a loss of benets and/or repayment of benets
you have already received.
JOB REFUSALS
When you are referred to suitable work by the GDOL or offered suitable work by an employer, you must
apply for the job as instructed or accept the job offer.
If you refuse to accept suitable work, you must report your refusal to the GDOL when requesting your
weekly payment. GDOL will determine if there was good cause to refuse the work. For example, you
are not required to accept work if, but not limited to:
• The position became available because of a strike.
• The job paid less than minimum wage.
• The wages were substantially less than prevailing wages for similar work in the area.
• You would be required to join a union or resign from or refrain from joining any bona de labor
organization as a condition of hire.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I APPLY FOR BENEFITS?
After submitting your application for UI benets, the following process will occur:
1. The GDOL reviews and processes your application. You may be contacted if additional information
is needed. You will receive an email once your claim has been processed as well as additional
instructions if necessary. Monitor your email for important information from GDOL regarding your
unemployment eligibility.
2. An Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination is mailed to you advising if you have enough
insured wages to establish a claim. This notice does not mean you are approved to receive
benets. It simply tells you what your potential weekly benet amount and number of weeks
will be if benets are allowed.
3. A notice of claim ling and request for separation information is sent to the last employer for whom
you worked and were separated.
4. You begin claiming your benets and submitting your work search record each week.
5. The GDOL reviews your claim for eligibility based on the reason for separation from your most
recent employer and your availability for work. You will be contacted ONLY IF additional information
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is needed. You must claim at least one week of benets for the GDOL to review your claim.
6. A Claims Examiner’s Determination is mailed to you informing you if benets are allowed or denied.
7. If benet payments are allowed, payments will be released within 24–48 hours of the Claims
Examiner’s Determination being mailed to you.
If you are contacted for additional information, be sure to respond promptly. If you fail to respond
by the deadline, your benets could be delayed or denied.
If you have claimed a week of benets and have not received your written determination or a telephone
call from a Claims Examiner by the 19th day from the date your claim was led, please call UI Customer
Service immediately at 1.877.709.8185.
During times of high claims volume, this process may extend beyond the timeframe stated above.
CLAIM DETERMINATIONS
The GDOL will review your application for benets and make two determinations regarding your claim:
• Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination
• Claims Examiner’s Determination
You will receive separate determinations. The rst will tell you if you have enough insured wages to
establish a valid claim. If you have enough insured wages to establish a valid claim, you will receive a
second determination informing you if benets are approved or denied.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFIT DETERMINATION
Your Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination will show:
• Wages reported in the base period
• Potential weekly benet amount (WBA) of your claim
• Potential maximum number of weeks on your claim
• Potential maximum benet amount (MBA) that will be paid on your claim
• Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in effect at the time your claim is led
Review the Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination carefully. If you believe the wages shown on your
determination letter are incorrect or incomplete (including those earned in other states), you may ask that your
claim be reconsidered. A request for reconsideration of wages must be submitted in writing to your
career center within 15 days of the date on the Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination.
Currently, the minimum WBA is $55 and the maximum WBA is $365. Your WBA cannot be higher than
the maximum allowed by law.
The potential number of benet weeks you may receive is determined by the date the claim is led,
the wages used to establish the claim, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. The MBA is
the total amount of benets you can be paid on the claim during a benet year. The benet year is the
52-week period beginning on the Sunday of the week a new, valid claim is led regardless of the day it
is actually led.
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For claims led from July 1 through December 31, Georgia’s seasonal adjusted UI rate for the previous
April is used. For claims led from January 1 through June 30, Georgia’s seasonal adjusted UI rate for
the previous October is used. See the Maximum Unemployment Benets chart for more information.
MAXIMUM UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Seasonal Adjusted UI Rate
Maximum Number of
Weeks
Maximum Benets Payable
will Equal the Lesser of:
Less than or equal to 4.5% 14 weeks
14 x (WBA) or 1/4 of Base
Period Wages
Greater than 4.5% up to 5.0% 15 weeks
15 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 5.0% up to 5.5% 16 weeks
16 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 5.5% up to 6.0% 17 weeks
17 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 6.0% up to 6.5% 18 weeks
18 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 6.5% up to 7.0% 19 weeks
19 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 7.0% up to 7.5% 20 weeks
20 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 7.5% up to 8.0% 21 weeks
21 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 8.0% up to 8.5% 22 weeks
22 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 8.5% up to 9.0% 23 weeks
23 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 9.0% up to 9.5% 24 weeks
24 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
Greater than 9.5% up to 10.0% 25 weeks
25 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
10.0% or above 26 weeks
26 x WBA or 1/4 of Base Period
wages
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You can only receive benets for the maximum number of weeks established on your claim during the
benet year.
CLAIMS EXAMINER’S DETERMINATION
The GDOL will determine if the reason you separated from your last job and your availability for work
meet the state’s requirements to receive unemployment insurance benets. In most cases, you can
only receive unemployment insurance benets if you were separated from your last job through no fault
of your own and are meeting all eligibility requirements.
To receive benets, you must be able, available, and actively seeking work. Any issue that prevents
you from being able to work, look for work, or get to work, such as illness, the lack of child care or
transportation, could disqualify you from receiving unemployment benets.
You will receive determinations informing you whether you qualify or do not qualify to receive
unemployment benets based on your reason for job separation, your availability for work, and other
eligibility requirements in accordance with the Georgia Employment Security Law.
Claim determinations can only be changed through the appeals process. You have the right to
appeal benet and claims examiners’ determinations that deny or impact your benets. See APPEALS
for more information.
Your employer may also appeal any decisions on your claim related to your job separation or an offer
of suitable work.
The maximum benet amount and the maximum number of benet weeks established on a claim
are only valid during the benet year period for that claim. Any benets not paid during the benet
year will not carry over to a new benet year.
APPEALS
You have the right to appeal any GDOL decision that has appeal rights. You may appeal benet eligibility
determinations within 15 days of the date on the claim determination letters. If the 15th day falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or a state holiday, the last day to le a timely appeal is the next work day.
Appeals must:
• be in writing;
• be led within 15 days of the date on the determination letter or Administrative Hearing Ofcer’s
decision;
• identify the exact determination or decision you are appealing;
• include the name of the claimant, the social security number on the determination or decision
being appealed, address, phone number (the best number to reach you), and the date on the
determination or decision;
• include the docket number if you are appealing an Administrative Hearing Ofcer’s decision; and
• explain in detail why you are appealing.
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HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL REQUEST
All appeal requests for Georgia and interstate claimants will be accepted online, by e-mail, fax, or mail
delivery. Online submission is the faster, preferred method. You may use the computers and fax
machines in the career center resource centers if needed.
If your address or other personal contact information has changed, you should immediately update your
address on the GDOL website or by calling the Appeals Tribunal at 877.709.8185 if your information
changes after submitting your appeal request
Appeals not led in accordance with these requirements may be delayed, and a request for an
administrative hearing may be denied. See the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Handbook (DOL-
424B) for complete and important information on the appeals process. You may obtain a copy of the
Unemployment Insurance Appeals Handbook (DOL- 424B) from your local career center or by doing a
search on the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
Appeal hearings are scheduled in advance and routinely conducted by telephone conference.
Accommodations for people with disabilities and language translations services are available upon
request. If you require accommodations or language translation, be sure to indicate your specic
need on your appeal request. If the need for accommodations arises after submitting your appeal
(e.g., a witness requiring an interpreter), advise the Appeals Tribunal immediately by email at
[email protected] or fax at 404.232.3901 or 404.232.3902 as quickly as possible.
If you wish to le
an appeal…
You will…
Online
Go to dol.georgia.gov and select the File an Appeal link on the Homepage or on the
Individuals page. Enter the requested information then follow the on-screen instructions.
Email
Send your request to [email protected]. Your message must contain, at a minimum,
your name, the last four digits of your SSN on the determination being appealed, the date on
the determination or decision and an explanation of why you are ling an appeal. If you are
appealing a previous decision made by the Appeals Tribunal include the docket number of
that appeal decision.
Mail
Download the Appeal Request Form (DOL-423) from the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov
under Forms and Publications. Mail the completed form to the Appeals Tribunal:
Georgia Department of Labor UI Appeals Tribunal
148 Andrew Young International Blvd. NE, Suite 525
Atlanta, GA 30303-1734
Fax
Download the Appeal Request Form (DOL-423) from the GDOL website at dol.georgia.
gov under Forms and Publications. Fax the completed form to the Appeals Tribunal at
404.232.3901 or 404.232.3902.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I FILE AN APPEAL?
After submitting your appeal request, the Appeals Tribunal will determine if a hearing should be
scheduled. If a hearing is warranted, the Appeals Tribunal will schedule a hearing. If a hearing is
scheduled, the Appeals Tribunal will send to you, the employer, and any interested party a Notice of
Hearing containing the time and date as well as the issues to be discussed at the hearing.
After the hearing, a decision will be mailed to all interested parties. If you disagree with the decision,
you have the right to appeal to the Board of Review.
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Georgia Department of Labor Board of Review
148 Andrew Young International Blvd., NE, Suite 510
Atlanta, GA 30303-1734
Phone: 1.877.709.8185
Fax: 404.232.3339
Email: [email protected]
If you disagree with the decision by the Board of Review, you have the right to le a motion for
reconsideration or appeal to Superior Court in the county where you worked for the employer listed on
the claim. If you led an interstate claim and disagree with the decision by the Board of Review, you
may appeal to Fulton County Superior Court.
If a previous GDOL decision to pay you benets is reversed, you will be required to repay any
benets received during the period of time the Appeals Tribunal or Board of Review determines
you are not eligible to receive benets.
After you apply for UI benets, you must claim or certify for your benets every week you wish to
receive benet payments.
When you claim your weekly benets, you are certifying for that week you:
• Were able, available, and actively looking for work.
• Did not refuse suitable work.
• Did or did not earn wages from any work.
You may claim your weekly benets by Internet on the GDOL website or by telephone using the GDOL
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. The GDOL website and IVR are available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, and can also be used to check the status of your benet payments. You may also
submit a Weekly Claim Form for UI Desk Certication (DOL-421) or Weekly UI Claim for Vocational
Trainee (DOL-460) to your local GDOL career center.
If you have problems claiming your benets, call UI Customer Service at 1.877.709.8185. UI Customer
Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. Due to the
high volume of telephone calls, the wait time may be longer on Monday, Tuesday, and after a holiday.
WHEN TO CLAIM YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS
You must wait until the current benet week has ended to claim benets for that week. You have
up to two weeks to claim your benets. An unemployment benet week begins on Sunday and ends
the following Saturday at midnight. If you are a claimant trainee, your unemployment benet week
begins on Saturday and ends on Friday at midnight.
Continue to request weekly payments and submit your Weekly Work Search Record throughout the
appeal process, and report or respond to the Department if instructed to do so. If the appeal decision
is in your favor, you will receive payment for every week you are eligible, properly requested payment,
and have submitted your weekly work search records.
CLAIMING YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS
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Failure to claim a week of benets on time will result in you being considered “ineligible to
receive benets” for that week. You will not receive a benet payment for any week in which you
are ineligible.
METHODS FOR REQUESTING WEEKLY PAYMENTS
REQUESTING WEEKLY PAYMENTS ONLINE
You must have a password to request weekly payments online. Your password is initially established
when you led your unemployment insurance claim. You may change your password anytime by going
to your MyUI page and select Create/Forgot Password and/or PIN.
REQUESTING WEEKLY PAYMENTS BY TELEPHONE
To request your weekly benets by telephone using Interactive Voice Response (IVR), you must use
your 4-digit Personal Identication Number (PIN) that you established at the time you led your claim.
If you have not already created a GDOL PIN, you may do so the rst time you claim weekly benets by
telephone. See CLAIMING YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS BY TELEPHONE for instructions on creating
your PIN. You do not have to select a week to create a PIN.
If you claim your weekly benets using the Weekly Claim Form for UI Desk Certication (DOL-421) or
Weekly UI Claim for Vocational Trainee (DOL-460), a GDOL PIN is not required.
GDOL recommends not using a PIN that is easily guessed such as the last four digits of the SSN,
telephone number or sequential numbers, etc.
For example, using the calendar below, you could claim benets for the benet week ending on Saturday,
September 7 between 12:01 a.m. on September 8 until 12:00 a.m. on September 21.
September
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
Enter your GDOL password and/or PIN carefully. If you enter this information incorrectly three times
in a row, your account will be locked. You can either regain access by resetting your credentials
online by going to dol.georgia.gov and select Unemployment Claim Account Management, or call
1.877.709.8185 or visit your local career center. Only you should know your password/PIN. You are
responsible for improper or fraudulent activity using your password/PIN. If another person knows your
password/PIN, visit dol.georgia.gov and select Unemployment Claim Account Management to reset it.
Your password/PIN is your signature and must be kept condential in order to guard against identity
theft and protect your privacy.
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Social security, vacation pay (if totally separated), separation pay, jury duty income, and pay for
weekend military reserve duty are NOT considered earnings and do NOT have to be reported when
claiming your weekly benets.
RESPONDING TO THE CERTIFICATION QUESTIONS
When claiming your weekly benets, you will be asked the following questions to certify you are meeting
the eligibility requirements of the law for the week you are claiming benets:
• Were you able, available, and actively seeking work this week?
• Did you refuse any work offered this week?
• Did you work or earn any wages this week?
• If yes, what were your gross earnings (before taxes)? (See REPORTING INCOME)
• Are you still working?
• If no, did the job you worked end because there was no work for you to perform this week?
Here are some important things to remember when claiming benets:
1. Make sure your answers are truthful. Reporting false information on your UI claim is against
the law and may result in repayment of benets and criminal prosecution. If the GDOL discovers
you did not answer truthfully, you will be responsible for repaying any benets you received for
weeks in which you were not eligible.
2. Make sure your answers are entered correctly. If you make a mistake and cannot re-enter the
correct information, contact your career center immediately.
3. Make sure you report any wages during the week they are earned, even if you have not
actually been paid for the work. Report the amount you earned before taxes and other
deductions. Be sure to have this information available before you begin the process of claiming
your benets.
After you answer all questions, the system will tell you if your weekly certication was accepted and
if it will be processed. Acceptance of your entries does not guarantee you will receive a benet
payment. If your weekly certication was not accepted or cannot be processed, contact your
GDOL career center immediately.
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If you have already been determined to be eligible to receive benets and have successfully
claimed a week of benets, please allow 24-48 hours for the funds to be credited to your account or
debit card.
When a state holiday falls on a business day, your benet payment will be delayed. See PAYMENT
DELAYS in the BENEFIT PAYMENTS section for a list of state holidays.
CLAIMING YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS ONLINE
To claim your weekly benets online, you will need your GDOL password. Be sure all browser and
toolbar pop-up blockers are set to allow pop-ups to use this service.
Follow these steps to claim your weekly benets online:
1. Go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
2. On the Home page, select Claim Weekly UI Benets Payments under Online Services. A
Certication Access page will open.
3. Select the week for which you are claiming benets.
4. Enter your social security number and password.
5. Select Submit. The Certication Entry page will appear with a list of questions.
If you want to change your entries before submitting them to the system, select Clear Entries.
6. On the Certication Entry page, answer each of the following questions:
• Were you able, available, and actively seeking work this week? (Yes/No)
• Did you refuse any work offered this week? (Yes/No)
• Did you work or earn any wages this week? (Yes/No)
If so, what were your gross earnings (before taxes)? If you earned wages during the week for which
you are claiming benets, enter the amount you earned before taxes and other deductions in
dollars and cents. If you earned $1,000 or more during a week, enter $999.99.
Wages must be reported for the week they were earned, even if you have not actually been paid.
• Are you still working? (Yes/No)
If you answer No, then answer the following question.
• Did the job you worked end because there was no work for you to perform this week? (Yes/No)
7. Review your answers to make sure they are correct. You may change any response(s) by
returning to the answer you wish to change and making the desired changes before clicking I
Agree.
8. Read the Certication Statement at the bottom of the screen, and select I Agree to submit your
weekly claim.
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9. After selecting I Agree, the system will display a message at the top of the screen that states
either “Your entries have been accepted and your certication will be processed the next working
day” or “Your entry has been received, but cannot be processed.” If your weekly certication is
not accepted or cannot be processed, contact your career center immediately.
CLAIMING YOUR WEEKLY BENEFITS BY TELEPHONE
To claim your weekly benets by telephone, you will need your 4-digit PIN and a touchtone telephone.
Follow these steps to claim your weekly benets by telephone using the GDOL IVR System:
1. Dial the toll free number 1.866.598.4164.
(An option is available to hear the instructions in Spanish.)
2. Listen carefully and follow all instructions.
3. If you have already set up a GDOL PIN, go to step 5. If you do not have a PIN, go to step 4 to
create one.
4. Create a GDOL PIN by selecting Option 2 and following the instructions.
5. Select Option 3 (Request Payments) to claim your benets.
6. Answer each of the following questions by pressing 1 for Yes or 9 for No.
• Were you able, available, and actively seeking work?
• Did you refuse any work offered?
• Did you work or earn any wages during the week?
If you earned wages during the week for which you are claiming benets, you will be
asked to enter the amount you earned before taxes and other deductions. Wages must be
reported for the week they were earned, even if you have not actually been paid.
Enter dollar and cents. If you earn $1,000.00 or more during a week, enter $999.99.
EXAMPLES:
If you earned $110.50, then press 11050. If you earned $29.50, then press 2950.
If you earned $1,035.00, then press 99999.
7. After you answer all questions, the IVR will repeat your answers for conrmation. Listen carefully
to make sure you entered your responses correctly.
8. Press 1 for Yes or 9 for No to conrm your answers.
If you realize you made an error, press 9 for No. The system will ask you the questions
again. If you hang up before conrming your answers, your weekly certication will not
be completed.
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9. After conrming answers, you will be advised if the weekly claim was processed or if you need
to contact your career center.
If you have a problem claiming your weekly benet, call UI Customer Service at 1.877.709.8185.
Customer Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Due to the volume of telephone calls received on Monday, Tuesday, or a day after a holiday, you
may experience a longer wait time to speak to a Customer Service Representative. To avoid this
possibility, you may want to call on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, which are our least busy days.
REPORTING YOUR WORK SEARCH
You must make a good faith effort to nd another job by performing new veriable work search
activities three (3) or more days for each week you request payments to include, but is not
limited to, developing a work search plan, applying for jobs, interviewing, attending job fairs,
developing résumés, and more.
A Weekly Work Search Record must be submitted to the GDOL by computer or fax for each week you
claim unemployment benets. Your work search record is subject to random audit by the GDOL at any
time. You will be denied benets for any week(s) you do not meet these requirements, make a false
statement, or misrepresent facts. You will be responsible for repaying benets you received during the
denial period.
ACCEPTABLE WORK SEARCH ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED
TO:
• register for employment services by visiting worksourcegaportal.com
• develop a work search plan
• develop résumé(s)
• upload résumé(s) to online job boards
• apply for jobs with employers that have (or are reasonably expected to have) job openings
• interview with employers (virtual or in-person)
• attend job fairs/networking work related events
• use online career tools or job matching systems
• follow through on all job referrals from the GDOL for suitable work
• utilize reemployment services in the GDOL Career Centers or complete similar online or self-service
activities (e.g. obtaining and using labor market and career information, participate in Reemployment
Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) activities, participate in skills assessment for
occupational matching, instructional workshops or other specialized activities.
• create a personal user prole on a professional networking site
• take a civil service exam
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CHECKING THE STATUS OF YOUR PAYMENTS
CHECKING YOUR PAYMENT STATUS ONLINE
Follow these instructions to check on the status of your weekly benet payments online:
1. Go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
2. On the Home page, select Check MyUI Claim Status for benets paid for the current benet year
program.
CHECKING YOUR PAYMENT STATUS BY TELEPHONE
Follow these instructions to check the status of any payment, or the number of remaining benet weeks
and balance on your claim:
1. Call the IVR at 1.866.598.4164.
SUBMITTING YOUR WORK SEARCH ONLINE
The faster, preferred method is to submit your Weekly Work Search Records on the GDOL website.
Follow these instructions to submit your work search record online:
1. Go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
2. On the Home page, select Submit Weekly Work Search under Online Services. The Weekly
Work Search Record page will appear.
3. Enter your social security number and GDOL password. Use the same GDOL password you use
for online claim services.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Provide complete information that can be veried. Include the company name, job title, and
employer address, if available. If you apply for jobs online, enter the name of the job search
engine (e.g., Monster or Indeed.com), the Job ID #, and/or the URL or web address of the job
listing. You must enter either an employer address or URL. URLs may not display on mobile
applications. Use the full website version to view the URL.
6. You will receive a conrmation number for each successful submission of your Weekly Work
Search Record. Record the conrmation number for your records.
SUBMITTING YOUR WORK SEARCH BY FAX
A printable UI Weekly Work Search Record (DOL-2798) form may be downloaded from the Forms and
Publications tab on the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
The form may also be requested from your local career center or by contacting the Customer Service
Unit at 1.877.709.8185.
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2. Select Option 5.
3. Choose the desired option:
a. To hear the status of an individual payment, select the Payment option. If prompted to
enter a date, enter the 6-digit ending date for the benet week. For example, enter April 24,
2021 as 042421.
b. To hear the number of weeks remaining on your claim and the remaining balance of
your maximum benet amount, select the Balance option.
BENEFIT PAYMENTS
You may receive your benet payments by direct deposit or on a Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard®.
DIRECT DEPOSIT
The preferred method of payment for benets is direct deposit into your checking or savings account.
With direct deposit, if benets are approved, your payments can be in your account within three days
after you claim your weekly benets.
To establish direct deposit, you must provide your bank’s routing number and your savings or checking
account number for that bank. Do not use the routing number on a deposit slip if it is different from the
routing number on your checks. The following illustration shows you how to locate the routing number
and account number for your checking account.
If you do not request direct deposit, a Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® account will be
established for you, and your payments will be deposited on the debit card.
Do not write any checks or schedule automatic or other withdrawals against the deposit until
you have veried the funds have been credited to your account by your bank. The GDOL is not
liable for overdraft charges you may incur.
Your Name
Your Street Address
City, State Zip
Pay to the Order of:
For:
Bank Routing Number
Account Number
Check Number (Do NOT enter)
Date
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WAY2GO DEBIT MASTERCARD®
The Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® program is operated by Go Program and works much like a
standard debit card. With this option, your benet payments are deposited into a separate account established
for you with Comerica Bank. You access your money by making purchases or withdrawing cash using the card.
No credit check or bank account is required. Your Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® is accepted
everywhere MasterCard® debit cards are accepted. The Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® is valid
for any UI claim you le for the next three years. If you le a new claim for unemployment benets during
the three-year period, you will not receive a new card, so keep it in a safe place. If you are receiving
benets when the three-year period expires, Comerica Bank will automatically issue you a new card.
Make sure the card is kept in a secure location and that you are the only person who knows the debit
card PIN. Never keep the card and PIN together.
If your card is lost or stolen or if someone learns your debit card PIN, immediately notify the
Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® Customer Service at 1.888.929.2460 to change your PIN
and request a new card.
You will be liable for any money removed from the card if you:
• fail to report the loss of the card;
• fail to change the PIN on your debit card; or
• fail to keep the card in a safe place and the PIN private.
One free replacement card may be issued each 12-month period for lost or stolen cards.
Additional replacement cards may be purchased.
Follow these instructions to begin using your debit card:
1. Call the Georgia UI Debit MasterCard® Customer Service at 1.888.929.2460 or visit the
GoProgram website at goprogram.com to activate your debit card.
2. Check the balance on your account to verify funds are available.
A “Payment Record” form is available for your convenience in the YOUR RECORDS
section of this handbook to record each benet payment you receive.
The following services are available on the debit card at no cost to you:
• Deposit notications
• Purchases wherever MasterCard® is accepted
• Cash back with purchases
• Unlimited MoneyPass ATM
• Bank teller cash withdrawals
If your bank account information changes, be sure to update your banking information on our secure
website at dol.georgia.gov. Select the Online Services tab on the Home page, and then select UI
Benet Payment Methods under Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets.
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Fees may be associated with the following activities:
• Using an out-of-network ATM
• Receiving text messages on your cell phone notifying you of deposits
• Requesting a rush on a replacement card
Be sure to read the fee schedule and “Terms of Use” in your debit card packet to fully understand when
fees apply. You can also review this information on the GDOL website.
Review your account statement regularly to make sure all transactions are correct. If you believe
a transaction is incorrect, call the Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® Customer Service at
1.888.929.2460 immediately.
CHANGING YOUR PAYMENT METHOD
You may change your method of benet payments at any time on our secure website at
dol.georgia.gov. Changes made to your account information after 6:00 p.m. ET may take up to 48
hours to become effective. Follow these instructions to change your payment method or update your
direct deposit information:
1. Go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
2. On the Home page, select the Online Services tab, and then select UI Benet Payment
Methods under Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
INCOME TAX WITHHOLDINGS
Unemployment insurance is taxable income and must be reported on your federal and state
income tax returns. Federal taxes are deducted at 10 percent and state taxes at 6 percent. You
can have both or either deducted from your benets. For example, if your weekly benet amount is
$274, your federal taxes would be $27, and your state taxes would be $16.
You have two options for handling taxes on your benet payments:
• Request that the GDOL withhold state and/or federal taxes from your benet payments. Use
the Income Tax Withholding Option Update transaction available at dol.georgia.gov. Taxes will be
calculated on the gross payment for the week being paid (weekly benet amount minus any wages
you earned and any other deductions). Since withholding of income taxes is voluntary, taxes are
deducted only after any involuntary deductions are made (e.g., child support and repayment of an
overpayment).
• Make estimated tax payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If your taxable income
withholding status meets the estimated payment requirements, you may make tax payments
directly to the IRS.
At the end of January, you will receive an IRS Form 1099-G showing the total benet payments and
taxes withheld during the previous tax year, even if you repaid benets to the GDOL. If you opt out
of receiving this information electronically, the GDOL will mail an IRS Form 1099-G to you. The same
information will be provided to the IRS and the Georgia Department of Revenue.
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You may also view and print 1099-G forms for multiple years on the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov.
The information is updated in January each year. You will need your GDOL password to access the
information. If you do not remember your password, you may use your date of birth and last zip code
used on your claim to access the information. You do not have to submit IRS Form 1099-G with your
income tax returns.
Questions about the taxation of unemployment insurance benets, making estimated tax payments or
other tax matters should be directed to the IRS or the Georgia Department of Revenue.
OTHER DEDUCTIONS
The following payments will be deducted from your unemployment benet payments:
• Child Support: If you are required (or volunteer) to make child support payments to a court,
district attorney’s ofce, or other child support enforcement agency, a deduction from your weekly
benet payment may be required up to 50 percent of the compensable amount.
• Earnings: Report gross earnings (the amount earned before taxes and other deductions) when
claiming weekly benets, (even if it is only $1) . This includes self-employment, part-time work
or any vacation or holiday pay received (if you have a denite date of recall within 6 weeks of
the last date worked). Earnings over $50 per week for weeks ending on or after July 8, 2023 are
deducted from your weekly payment dollar for dollar. Earnings over $150 per week for weeks
ending before July 8, 2023 will be deducted from your weekly payment dollar for dollar. See
REPORTING INCOME for more information.
EXAMPLE (Weeks ending on or after July 8, 2023):
To ensure you receive your IRS Form 1099-G, be sure to update any change of your address on the
GDOL website immediately. Go to dol.georgia.gov, select the Online Services tab, and then select
the Change of Address and Contact Information under Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets.
If you reside in Georgia, you may also report in person to your local career center.
Report all weekly earnings before taxes and other deductions to the GDOL. The GDOL will make
the appropriate deductions from your benet payment based on your gross earnings (before taxes).
Failure to report your earnings may be considered fraud and could result in a denial of benets. If an
overpayment occurs, you will be responsible for the overpayment and subject to penalties. See Fraud
Overpayments under OVERPAYMENTS.
Item
Amount
Your weekly benet amount
Gross earnings (before taxes) from part-time job
NOTE: Report your gross earnings (before taxes) when claiming
your weekly benets.
$330.00
$250.00
Amount GDOL will deduct from your benet payment
($250 – $50 = $200)
$200.00
Your benet payment before taxes ($330 - $200 = $130)
$130.00
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Retirement Income: If you are receiving a monthly pension from an employer whose wages were used
to establish your claim or the last employer from which you were separated, your benet payment may
be reduced. You must report all retirement income. Failure to do so may be considered fraud and
could result in a denial of benets. If an overpayment occurs, you will be responsible for the
overpayment and subject to penalties. See Fraud Overpayments under OVERPAYMENTS.
• Repayment of an Overpayment: If the GDOL determines you were paid unemployment benets you
should not have received, you will be required to repay the unemployment benets. One-half of your
weekly benet payment will be deducted and applied to your overpayment. See OVERPAYMENTS
for additional information.
PAYMENT DELAYS
Your benet payments may be delayed due to:
• Your failure to respond to requests from the GDOL for additional information or for you to report to the
career center.
• Your failure to claim your weekly benets on time.
• the GDOL ofces being closed in observation of the following state holidays:
• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
• State Holiday
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• State Holiday (observed on Friday after Thanksgiving Day)
• Washington’s Birthday (normally observed in conjunction with Christmas Day)
• Christmas Day
When a state holiday falls on a business day, your benet payment will be delayed. This includes
direct deposits into your bank account or UI debit card account.
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REPORTING YOUR INCOME
When ling for unemployment benets, you must report all forms of income to the GDOL including weekly
earnings, retirement, severance, separation pay, wages in lieu of notice, and workers’ compensation.
Failure to report income could result in your having to repay any overpayment of benets.
WEEKLY EARNINGS
You must report all income you earn during the week to the GDOL when requesting your weekly
payments, even if you have not been paid. Report your gross earnings (the amount you earned before
taxes and other deductions).
Calculate your gross earnings by multiplying your hourly rate of pay times the number of hours worked.
The GDOL will make the necessary calculations to determine how much, if any, will be deducted from
your weekly benet payment.
VACATION AND HOLIDAY PAY
If you are still attached to your employer, you must report vacation and/or holiday pay when requesting
your weekly payments. Examples of being attached to an employer while collecting unemployment
benets include:
• You were laid off temporarily and have a denite date to return to work within six (6) weeks from
the separation date
• You are still working, but your hours have been reduced
• Your employer led a partial claim on your behalf
NOTE: If you are totally separated from your employer, you are not required to report vacation or
holiday pay.
RETIREMENT INCOME
Retirement income includes pensions or similar payments from either an employer whose wages are
used to establish your claim or the last employer from which you were separated. Report all retirement
income to the GDOL when ling your claim. If you begin receiving retirement income after ling your
claim, contact your local career center to report this income.
You will receive a Claims Examiner’s Determination from the GDOL informing you of how the retirement
income will affect your unemployment benets. Notify your career center immediately if your retirement
amount changes. Failure to report retirement income could result in an overpayment.
SEVERANCE, SEPARATION PAY, WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, AND DISMISSAL
PAYMENTS
Any type of payments you received (or will receive) as a result of your separation such as, severance,
separation pay, or wages in lieu of notice must be reported to the GDOL at the time you le your claim.
If you begin receiving such income after ling your claim, contact your local career center to report this
income. Failure to report such income could result in an overpayment.
If the weekly amount of such payment(s) is more than your weekly unemployment benet amount, you
will not be eligible to receive unemployment benets for the period of time the payment(s) covers.
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If the GDOL determines you were paid unemployment benets you should not have received, it is
considered an overpayment, and you will be required to repay the money including any income taxes
that were withheld.
There are two types of overpayments:
• Non-fraud
• Fraud
NON-FRAUD OVERPAYMENTS
An overpayment that is caused by an unintentional act is considered non-fraud. That is, you did not
intend to obtain benets to which you were not entitled. For example, you were initially allowed to
receive benets, but after an appeal by the employer, it was determined you were not eligible to receive
benets.
The penalties for non-fraud overpayments are:
• You must pay back the amount that was overpaid.
• You may be subject to other civil penalties in a court of law, and you will have to pay certain court
costs or ling fees.
If it is not conrmed by a written determination that you did not intentionally or knowingly commit
fraud, you may request a waiver application to be released from repaying the overpayment. For more
information on requesting an overpayment waiver go to the Overpayment & Waiver Information page
on our website at dol.georgia.gov. A waiver must be requested within 15 days of the release date of
the overpayment notice or the decision establishing the overpayment.
When determining if a waiver will be granted, the GDOL will consider if:
• The overpayment waiver application was submitted within 15 days of the overpayment determination
mail date; and
OVERPAYMENTS
Any income you receive at any time while collecting unemployment benets must be reported to the
GDOL immediately except social security retirement, jury duty income, and pay for weekend military
reserve duty. Vacation and holiday pay must be reported as earnings if you are considered to still be
employed. See VACATION and HOLIDAY PAY
If it is a lump sum payment, it will be divided by your average gross weekly earnings for a standard work
week to determine the number of weeks covered. You will receive a Claims Examiner’s Determination
from the GDOL informing you of how the severance, separation pay, or wages in lieu of notice will
affect your unemployment benets.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
You must inform the GDOL if you have applied for or are receiving workers’ compensation when ling
your claim. If you apply for or begin receiving workers’ compensation after ling your claim, contact your
local career center to report this income. You will receive a Claims Examiner’s Determination from the
GDOL informing you if the workers’ compensation will affect your unemployment benets.
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• The overpayment was not established due to fraud (waiver rights are provided on the non-fraud
overpayment determination); and
• Benets paid were based on no fault of your own; and
• Proof is received showing that repayment of the overpayment will cause nancial hardship; or
• Recovery would be unreasonably excessive under the circumstances; or
• You can show receiving the payments resulted in giving up other government benets and is,
therefore, now in a worse nancial position than if you had not received the benets; or
• You used the money for things that were not ordinary expenses, such as, paying off a debt or
taking on a new loan.
FRAUD OVERPAYMENTS
Fraud overpayments occur when you knowingly make false statements, fail to disclose a material fact,
or misrepresent material facts to obtain or increase benets. You commit fraud anytime you intentionally
make false statements, provide false information, or withhold information for the purpose of obtaining or
increasing unemployment benets.
The penalties for fraud overpayments are:
1. You must pay back the amount that was overpaid.
2. You must pay a penalty of up to fteen (15) percent on the amount of the overpayment plus
interest of one (1) percent of the unpaid balance each month.
3. You will not be able to collect unemployment benets for the remainder of the calendar quarter in
which the fraud overpayment was established and for the next four calendar quarters through the
last Saturday of the fourth and nal calendar quarter.
4. You may be subject to other civil or criminal penalties in a court of law, and you will have to pay
certain court costs or ling fees.
REPAYMENT OF OVERPAYMENTS
If you do not repay your overpayment in full, you will be billed monthly. You must pay at least the
minimum monthly amount established for your overpayment. The minimum amount billed each month
is determined by the amount of your overpayment and the period of time allowed for overpayment to
be repaid in full.
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)/Automated Clearing House (ACH) debit payments from checking
or savings accounts
• Check
• Money Order
EFT/ACH is the preferred method because your payments will be processed and posted against your
account faster. To make an EFT/ACH payment, go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov, select
the Online Services tab, and then select Repayment of Overpaid Benets under Unemployment
Insurance (UI) Benets.
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Failure to voluntarily repay the overpayment in full may result in the GDOL taking any of the following actions:
• Deducting 50 percent of future benet payments and applying them to the overpayment. This
includes overpayments established in another state.
• Intercepting your state and/or federal income tax refund and applying it to your overpayment (this
may include joint returns).
• Seeking possible legal action, including criminal prosecution, liens, levies, and/or garnishment in
small claims court or other courts of law.
When making a payment by check or money order, made payable to the Georgia Department of
Labor, please ensure the payment is submitted to the following address:
Georgia Department of Labor Overpayment Unit
P.O. Box 3433
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3433
Please ensure the last four digits of your social security number appear on all correspondence
that you provide to the Overpayment Unit.
Unemployment insurance fraud and abuse is a crime that affects everyone. Individuals who commit
fraud are subject to penalties and/or criminal prosecution. The GDOL is committed to maintaining
the integrity of the UI program. If you think someone is committing fraud or abuse against the GDOL
UI program or someone is using your social security number to fraudulently collect unemployment
benets, it is important you let us know about it immediately.
All allegations of fraud and abuse are taken seriously. Please provide as much information as possible.
We review all tips received regardless of how much information is provided. However, the more details
you can provide when reporting unemployment fraud, the more it will help our investigation. In addition to
the name of the individual and the fraudulent activity, providing details such as their address, telephone
number, date of birth, and/or their social security number will help us better identify the person in our
claim records.
You can remain anonymous when providing such information. Due to condentiality requirements, we
are unable to inform you of the results of our investigation.
To report UI fraud, go to the GDOL website at dol.georgia.gov and select Report UI Fraud & Abuse
on the Home page under Online Services. You may report suspected cases of UI fraud, abuse, identity
theft, job refusals, and failure or refusal of pre-employment drug screening tests online or download and
print the appropriate form to mail or fax to:
Georgia Department of Labor UI Integrity Unit
148 Andrew Young International Blvd., NE. Suite 727
Atlanta, GA 30303-1732
Phone: 877.709.8185
Fax: 404.232.3445
E-mail: [email protected]
REPORTING UI FRAUD AND ABUSE
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EMPLOYMENT SERVICES REGISTRATION
You must be actively registered for Employment Services to receive UI benets, unless exempt by
law. This includes being available for screening and referral to employers who are currently offering
employment Georgia residents are required to register for Employment Services with our partners at
the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) through WorkSource Georgia. Interstate claimants
must register for Employment Services with the State Workforce Agency (SWA) in the state where they
reside.
Claimants may go to dol.georgia.gov and select Register for Employment Services under Online
Services to register and get more information.
Registration requires:
• the establishment of an account, which must include your social security number; and
• creation or uploading of a complete online resume
with your WorkSource Georgia account. Please maintain your resume to ensure your most current
employment information is documented.
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
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SERVICES IN THE GDOL CAREER CENTERS
Helpful resources available in the GDOL career centers include:
• Computer Resource Centers: Use the computers in the resource area to explore careers, look
for a job, and complete job applications. See Career Center Computer Resources below for a
description of tools that are available on the GDOL computers.
• Copiers and Fax Machines: Use the GDOL copiers and fax machines to copy and fax documents
related to your job search.
• Library: The GDOL career center has brochures, books, and videos to help you with your job
search.
• Support Services: The GDOL can refer you to services to assist you with housing, food, childcare,
healthcare, and transportation.
• Special Programs: Additional employment services are provided to individuals who meet certain
criteria. See SPECIAL PROGRAMS to learn more.
Having trouble locating something on the GDOL website? Use the Site Map or Search feature.
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CAREER CENTER COMPUTER RESOURCES
The computer resource areas of the GDOL’s career centers contain several job search tools including:
• Georgia Labor Market Explorer: Use the Georgia Labor Market Explorer to research occupations
and access information about labor market trends, statistics, the economy, and demographic data.
You will also nd assistance in looking for a new job and nding training or educational programs.
• O*NET OnLine: O*NET OnLine at onetonline.org provides detailed descriptions of occupations
including skills, knowledge, training, work environments, and work values. Use O*NET to learn
about careers; match your skills and interests to occupations; and nd a wealth of information on
jobs, schools, educational and training programs, and nancial aid.
• mySkills myFuture: Would you like to change careers? Visit myskillsmyfuture.org to learn how
skills you used in past jobs can build a bridge to a new career. This website also helps you compare
careers, nd training, and search for jobs.
• My Next Move: Use My Next Move at mynextmove.org to search careers that match your interest
and training.
The following special programs are available to people who meet certain criteria. To determine your
eligibility to participate in these programs, GDOL staff may need to contact you for additional information.
If a GDOL representative requests information, be sure to respond promptly. Failure to respond to all
requests for information or report to the career center at the appointed time could affect your eligibility
to participate in the program(s) and could cause a delay or denial of benets.
CLAIMANT TRAINEE PROGRAM
In some cases, UI benets may be paid to individuals attending GDOL approved school or training. School
attendance requirements must be met and satisfactory progress shown for continued participation in
the program. Your career center will assist you in determining if you qualify for this program.
You must immediately notify the GDOL if your school or training status changes. If you quit school without
good cause or if the training facility/school removes you, you will not be eligible to receive further benets.
REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT (RESEA)
Federal legislation requires the GDOL to provide reemployment services to individuals who meet certain
federally-dened criteria. Reemployment services include:
• Career assessments and counseling
• Résumé writing
• Job search assistance
• Interviewing skills
• Job referrals
Participants are identied by the GDOL. If you are selected, you will receive a letter informing you to
go to your local career center for an orientation. Once selected, your participation in the program
is mandatory. You must respond to all notices and actively participate in all activities to continue
receiving unemployment benets.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
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TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is available to workers who lost their jobs as a result of increased
imports or a shift of production to other countries. A petition must be certied by the U.S. Department of
Labor for individuals to be eligible for services and benets.
A petition may be led by:
• a group of three or more workers;
• an ofcial of a certied/recognized union or other representative;
• an ofcial of the employer/rm;
• a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) ofcer;
• GDOL career center staff; or
• Trade Adjustment Unit
Instructions for ling a petition can be found online at etareports.doleta.gov/petition. The petition may
be led online or by using the Petition for Trade Assistance form (ETA-9042). The petition must be led
no later than one year after your job separation date. GDOL staff can assist you with completing the
petition or le a petition on your behalf.
The approved or certied petition will contain an “impact date,” and an “expiration date” established by
the U.S. Department of Labor. Workers must be laid off on or after the impact date and on or before the
expiration date of the petition.
Based on individual eligibility, members of a TAA-certied worker group may be eligible for one or more
of the following services:
• Employment and Case Management
• Training
• Job Search Allowance
• Relocation Allowance
• Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA)
• Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA)
• Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA)
TRA may only be received after all regular unemployment benets have been exhausted. To receive
TRA, individuals must be enrolled in, attending, or have completed approved training or be granted a
waiver from the training requirement. Each benet has a separate application process and applicable
deadlines.
If you are participating in a special program, you must attend all program activities and respond to all
requests from the GDOL for information, including contacting or reporting to the career center at the
appointed time. Failure to meet the program requirements or respond to all requests from the GDOL
by the deadline could affect your eligibility to receive unemployment benets.
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PRIVACY
Because you are being asked to furnish your social security number on the unemployment benet
application, the Privacy Act of 1974 requires that you are provided the following statement:
Your social security number is solicited under the authority of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 [26
U.S.C. 85, 6011(a), 6050B, and 6109(a)]. Disclosure of your social security number for this purpose is
mandatory and must be entered on the forms you submit to claim unemployment compensation.
Your social security number will be used to:
• Report your unemployment compensation to the Internal Revenue Service as income that is
potentially taxable.
• Process and store your claim for statistical purposes.
• Verify your eligibility for benets.
If you decline to provide your social security number, your claim cannot be processed.
DISCLOSURE OF PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Condential and private unemployment compensation information pertaining to you may be requested
and utilized for other governmental purposes, including, but not limited to, verication of eligibility under
other governmental programs in accordance with 20 CFR 603.11. Georgia law protects information
gathered, maintained, and required by the Georgia Department of Labor in the administration of the
unemployment compensation program. The circumstances under which information may be released are
provided in the Ofcial Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) at Sections 34-8-120 through 34-8-129.
As provided by federal law, any information you provide the Georgia Department of Labor is subject to
verication by various agencies through computer matching programs.
SECURITY VALIDATION
In an effort to improve the integrity of the UI program, the Department now requires individuals to provide
their mother’s maiden name and a passphrase during the UI claim ling process. This information is
used to validate the identity of individuals requesting UI claim information by either telephone or in
person.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
The GDOL does not discriminate on the basis of:
• Race • Religion
• National origin • Disability
• Color • Sex
• Age • Political afliation or belief
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
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What are the hours of operation for the career centers and UI Customer Service?
GDOL career centers are open Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and UI Customer
Service operates Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
How long does it take the GDOL to make a decision on my claim?
It takes approximately three weeks to make a decision on your claim. If you have not received a written
decision or telephone call from a Claims Examiner by the 19th calendar day from the date your claim
was led, call UI Customer Service at 1.877.709.8185. During times of high claims volume, this process
may extend beyond the timeframe stated.
Once the GDOL makes a decision on my claim, when will I start receiving my payments?
If the GDOL determines you are eligible to receive benets, you should receive your payments within
3–4 days after the decision is made.
What is the effective date of my claim?
The effective date of your claim is the Sunday preceding the date your claim is led. For all initial, valid
claims led on or after July 1, 2019, the benet year is the 52-week period beginning on the Sunday of
the week a new, valid claim is led regardless of the day it is actually led.
How will I receive my payments?
Payments are made by direct deposit or debit card. The preferred method is direct deposit into your
personal checking or savings account. If you do not enroll in direct deposit, a Georgia UI Way2Go Debit
MasterCard® account will be established for you, and your UI benet payments will be deposited on
your debit card.
I received a letter showing the amount of my weekly benet amount. Does that mean I have been
approved?
No. The Unemployment Insurance Benet Determination tells you if you have enough insured wages
to establish a valid claim and the amount of your weekly benet if you are found eligible to receive
benets. You will receive a claims examiner’s determination informing you if you are eligible to receive
benets.
What should I do if I disagree with the amount of my unemployment benet payment?
Your weekly benet amount is based on the insured wages you earned during the base period. If you
believe the wages on your monetary benet determination are incorrect or incomplete, you may submit
a written request for reconsideration of wages to your local career center within 15 days of the mail date
on the unemployment insurance benet determination.
How long must I have worked to establish a claim in Georgia?
You must have worked in at least two quarters (6 months) in the last 18 months prior to the effective
date of your claim. Your insured wages in the two highest quarters of the base period must equal at
least $1,134. The total wages in the base period must equal or exceed one and one-half times the
wages in the highest quarter.
Is everyone eligible for the maximum number of weeks?
No. Your base period wages are used to determine the maximum benets you may receive which may
or may not qualify you for the maximum number of weeks.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How do I submit my weekly work search information?
Your Weekly Work Search Record may be submitted to the GDOL either online on your MyUI Claimant Portal
at dol.georgia.gov or by fax to 404.525.3605, 404.525.3606 or 1.877.302.1573. You must submit a Weekly
Work Search Record for every week you request a payment for unemployment benets.
Do I have to report my military reserve duty pay as earnings?
You do not have to report your military reserve duty pay as earnings during your weekly certication for
benets if you are performing your duties on the weekend only. If you are required to perform military
reserve duty longer than a weekend, you must report your pay as earnings during the week earned.
Does receiving a Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® mean I am eligible to receive
unemployment benets?
No. The Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® is mailed to anyone who les a claim and does not
select direct deposit as his or her benet payment method. Receipt of the card does not mean you are
eligible to receive benets. A GDOL Claims Examiner will review your application and determine your
eligibility.
What should I do if my Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® is lost or stolen or if I have
questions?
Call Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® Customer Service at 1.888.929.2460 or visit the GoProgram
website at goprogram.com for information about your debit card account or to report your card as lost
or stolen.
How do I dispute a transaction on my Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard®?
All account disputes should be directed to the Georgia UI Way2Go Debit MasterCard® Customer
Service at 1.888.929.2460.
Can I change my income tax withholding option?
Yes. You may change your income tax withholdings on your MyUI Claimant Portal at dol.georgia.
gov. Your social security number and GDOL password are required. On the Home page, select the
Online Services tab, and then select View or Update Your Income Tax Withholding Options under
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets. Changes made after 6:00 p.m. ET may take up to 48 hours to
become effective.
What will I receive to report the unemployment benets paid to me when I le my taxes?
You will receive an IRS Form 1099-G showing the total benet payments and taxes withheld during the
previous tax year. This document will be available online by January 31. If you opt out of receiving this
information electronically, the GDOL will mail an IRS Form 1099-G to you. Use this form when you le
your income taxes to report your UI benets and the taxes withheld by the GDOL to the IRS.
You may also view and print 1099-G forms for multiple years on the GDOL website at dol.georgia.
gov by selecting the Online Services tab on the Home page, and then selecting IRS Form 1099-G
for UI Payments under Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets. Your social security number and UI
password are required. Direct your questions about ling your taxes to the IRS, the Georgia Department
of Revenue, or a tax consultant.
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I received two Claims Examiner’s Determinations. One said I can be paid benets, and the other
said I could not. Which is correct?
Both determinations are correct. The GDOL releases a determination on each issue on your claim. As
a result, you may receive more than one Claims Examiner’s Determination. A determination imposing
any kind of disqualication takes precedence over a determination allowing benets. For example,
you could receive a determination allowing benets because you were laid off due to lack of work, and
also receive a second claims examiner’s determination informing you that you are ineligible to receive
benets because you do not have transportation to look for or get to work.
What should I do if I am disqualied for a period of time due to receiving disqualifying income?
A. You may continue claiming benets for each week during the disqualication period that you are
meeting all eligibility requirements of the law. When the disqualication period ends, the rst week
of potential eligibility is the very next week and payments will automatically begin or re-start the
week after.
OR
B. You may elect to stop claiming benets each week during the disqualication period. Any time after
the disqualication period ends, you will then be required to re-open your claim. The earliest you
can do this is the very next week. Your payments will potentially begin or re-start the week after
your claim is re-opened.
Using option A, if you continue to claim weekly benets through the disqualication period ending on
1/14 and thereafter, if otherwise eligible, your payment for WED 1/21 would automatically be processed
during the week of 1/28.
Using option B, if you do not claim weekly benets during the disqualication period ending on 1/14, you
may re-open your claim during WED 1/21. You will claim benets for that same week and if otherwise
eligible, your payment for WED 1/21 will be processed during the week of 1/28.
JANUARY
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
What do I do if I disagree with the decision made on my claim?
You have the right to appeal any GDOL decision that has appeal rights. The appeal rights expire 15
days after the date the decision is mailed. If the decision is on the reason you separated from your job,
your employer also has the right to appeal.
Should I continue to claim my weekly benets while waiting for the appeal hearing and decision?
Yes. If the GDOL determines by an appeal decision that you are eligible to receive benets, you will only
be paid for weeks you request a payment for and submitted a Weekly Work Search Record.
What do I do if my address or contact information changes?
It is critical that you update your address with the GDOL immediately by visiting the GDOL website or your
local career center. To change your address online, select MyUI Claimant Portal at dol.georgia.gov.
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On the Home page, select the Online Services tab, and then select Change of Address and Contact
Information under Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benets.
This ensures you receive all correspondence from the GDOL regarding any mandatory appointments,
activities, etc. that may negatively affect your unemployment benets if you fail to participate in or report
for any such activity or appointment. The U.S. Postal Service will not forward any GDOL UI-related
mail, even if you have completed a change of address with your post ofce.
If you have an appeal in process when your address changes, you must also notify the Appeals Tribunal
at:
Georgia Department of Labor Appeals Tribunal
148 Andrew Young International Blvd., NE, Suite 525 Atlanta, GA 30303-1734
Phone: 1.877.709.8185
Fax: 404.232.3901
E-mail: [email protected]
Who should I notify when I nd a job while receiving unemployment benets?
Contact your local career center by telephone, mail, or email.
If I am separated from my full-time employer and continue to work part-time, can I be paid
unemployment benets?
You may be eligible to receive benets based on the separation from your full-time employer and
continue to work part-time and report your gross earnings (before taxes) each week. However, if you
are separated from your part-time employer, voluntarily or involuntarily, you must report the separation.
The GDOL will determine if you are eligible to continue receiving benets based on the reason for
separation from the part-time employer.
If I accept a part-time job while receiving unemployment insurance, how will it affect my benets?
Your weekly benet amount will be reduced dollar for dollar for earnings over $50 per week. When you
claim your weekly benets each week, you must report that you are working and earning wages. You
must report your total gross earnings (before taxes) during the week you worked, even if you have
not actually been paid. Do not deduct the $50 from the amount you report. The GDOL will make the
appropriate deductions based on your gross earnings (before taxes).
If I lose my part-time job while collecting unemployment insurance, do I have to report it to the
GDOL?
Yes. You must report any change in your employment status whether you are laid off, discharged, quit
your job, or take a leave of absence. If you had earnings during the week you were separated, report
your gross earnings when you claim your weekly benets and indicate you are no longer working. Also,
you must immediately le a new claim listing your part-time job as the last place you worked. You may
le the claim online at dol.georgia.gov or report to your local career center.
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What information do I have to report to the GDOL?
Report anything that may affect your benet payments or eligibility to the GDOL, including but not
limited to:
• Unavailability or unwillingness to work or look for work
• All job offers, even if you refuse the offer
• Earnings (when you earn the money, not when you are paid)
• Severance pay, separation pay, disability pay, or wages in lieu of notice
• Workers’ Compensation
• Retirement pension
• Any type of employment, even if less suitable
• Full or part-time employment
• Self-employment
• Commissioned employment
• Temporary employment
• Contract or 1099 employment
• Change in your employment status from when you led your claim or after you began receiving
benets
• New employment
• Discharge
• Quit
• Layoff
• Reduced hours
• Leave of absence
• Furlough
• Vacation
• Enrollment in school and any change in school attendance
• Receipt of training allowances
• Change of mailing address
• Change of email address
• Change of telephone number(s)
Does the GDOL verify the information I provide?
Yes. The GDOL veries information by several different methods to ensure only those who are entitled
to benets receive them. For example:
• The GDOL veries your name, date of birth, and social security number against the Social Security
Administration’s records.
• The GDOL validates with the Georgia Department of Driver Services, the identity of individuals
who have not completed an Applicant Status Afdavit and indicate they have a Georgia-issued
driver’s license or identication card.
• Your reason for job separation is veried with your employer to determine eligibility for benets.
• Your social security number is checked against wages reported by employers to detect unreported
wages. A nationwide network is also used to locate wages earned in other states.
• Employers are required to report any new employees hired to the National Directory of New Hires
(NDNH). This information is cross-matched against unemployment insurance claims.
• Information regarding possible fraud.
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Can I receive unemployment benets if I am incarcerated?
No. You must be able and available to look for and accept work to receive unemployment benets. You
are required to notify the GDOL immediately if you are incarcerated. Upon notication, the GDOL will
stop all unemployment benets until you notify the Department of your release. If you fail to notify the
GDOL of your incarceration, you will be responsible for repaying any benet payments you received
while incarcerated. Penalties will also apply.
Will my claim be audited?
Federal law requires all claims be subject to random audit. The GDOL randomly selects claims for
audits each week. Auditors verify anything that affects your eligibility to receive unemployment benets
including work search, base period wages, job separation(s), school attendance, and earnings during
any weeks you claimed benets. You will be required to repay benets for which you are not entitled. If
you are selected for an audit and fail to participate as required, your benets will be denied.
Will I receive a conrmation number after I claim or request a payment for weekly benets?
No. You WILL NOT receive a conrmation number after you claim weekly benets regardless of the
certication method used: Internet or telephone (IVR).
Will I receive a conrmation number after I submit my weekly work search records on the
Department’s website?
Yes. You WILL receive a conrmation number after you successfully submit your work search record
each week on the Department’s website.
What is Georg AI?
Georg AI, GDOL’s virtual agent, allows you to get your questions answered quickly 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, with the option to speak to a live agent during business hours Monday through Friday. You
can access Georg AI by calling 1.877.709.8185 or visiting our website at dol.georgia.gov.
When I call GDOL, what should I do to get assistance?
Georg AI will assist you in reaching the appropriate area to address your questions and concerns. Say
key words related to your inquiry, such as, claim status or appeals.
What is the MyUI Customer Portal?
MyUI is a self-service portal that provides individuals most recent unemployment insurance (UI) claim
and payment information, some correspondence and links to other such online UI services, such as
requesting weekly payment, ling an appeal, 1099-G information, etc. You must have an unemployment
claim in the most recent two years and valid login credentials to access MyUI.
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It is very important that you keep good records of all activity related to your unemployment insurance
benets as evidence you are fullling your responsibilities.
WORK SEARCH CONFIRMATION RECORD
Each time you submit your Weekly Work Search Record online, you will receive a conrmation number.
If you submit your work search by fax, keep all of the forms you faxed and the printed conrmation
pages as evidence you are meeting the weekly work search requirement.
See REPORTING YOUR WORK SEARCH for instructions on how to submit your Weekly Work Search
Record to the GDOL.
CONVERSATIONS WITH GDOL STAFF
It is a good practice to keep a record of all conversations with GDOL staff members, either in person or
by phone.
YOUR RECORDS
Examples of Unemployment Insurance
Fraud
• Providing false information or withholding
information when applying for UI benets.
• Deliberately reporting incorrect or zero
wages.
• Saying you are able and available to work, or
actively looking for work, when you’re not.
• Failing to report ALL gross earnings during
the week in which they are earned while
claiming UI benets.
• Filing a claim under another person’s name,
Social Security number, or employment
information without their knowledge or
consent.
• Filing a claim for someone who is
incarcerated.
Consequences of UI Fraud
UI fraud is a serious offense that carries some
serious penalties. For example:
• You will be required to repay any UI benet
payments you have received, along with
interest and other mandatory penalties.
• You may NOT be able to collect additional UI
benets up to one year, even if the UI debt is
repaid.
• Your state and federal income tax refunds
may be taken to pay back your debt.
• The state may pursue prosecution and, in
some cases, could result in jail time.
UNDERSTANDING
UI FRAUD
What is UI Fraud?
Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud occurs when someone knowingly
provides false information or withholds facts to obtain UI benets for which
they are not eligible.
WE NEED YOUR HELP IN STOPPING UI FRAUD!
If you know or suspect someone is committing UI fraud, please contact
us:
Online: dol.georgia.gov
UI Fraud Hotline: 1.877.709.8185
1. Claim or certify for your weekly benets starting:
Day:_______________________________ Date:_______________________________
Go to dol.georgia.gov or call the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone line at 1.866.598.4164.
You must claim or certify for at least one week of benets for a determination to be made
regarding your eligibility.
2. Complete veriable job search activities on three or more days, and submit your weekly
work search record for every week you claim or certify for benets starting this week.
3. Register for Employment Services at worksourcegaportal.com.
UI Customer Service
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
1.877.709.8185
GDOL Career Centers
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
DOL-414 (R-11-23)
WHILE YOU WAIT
FOR A DECISION…
