Learn About Virginia Unemployment Insurance

Individuals may be eligible to file a VA unemployment claim if they have either been laid off or fired through no fault of their own. Virginia Unemployment insurance is a federally supported program to prevent the cascade of negative effects to individuals and families who have lost income.

Although federal unemployment is available for all states, Virginia unemployment insurance, like each state, has its different policies.

Virginia’s eligibility requirements are important for anyone to learn about before applying. For example, Virginia had changes in its unemployment benefits rate and eligibility requirements in 2011 and 2014. The main changes, however, have been a reduced availability of certain programs and the creation of new ones. One unemployment insurance program was created in 2015 to help workers reduce their hours instead of being laid off, helping employers reduce costs and employees keep their jobs.

Under this new program, your employer must tell you if you are going to be fully laid off sometime in the future. VA unemployment coverage has also changed the average weekly benefit rate and wage level, as well as the tax rate for employers. Any weekly benefits you are entitled to are also subject to change if your income changes.

The following pages on this site contain important information about how unemployment insurance benefits are determined, calculated and distributed. You will also find out how to prevent becoming ineligible for unemployment, and what to do if you believe you have been wrongfully denied.

You will also learn about the various workshops and job services available in Virginia. For step-by-step instructions on how the unemployment insurance claims process works in Virginia, you can download our free guide.

Who can receive Virginia unemployment benefits?

If you are wondering how to qualify for unemployment in Virginia, our guide contains information about unemployment eligibility requirements. There are several requirements to receive VA unemployment insurance coverage, and many applicants often neglect to make sure they meet minimum requirements.

Applying for Unemployment Benefits in Virginia

Completing a Virginia application for unemployment insurance is easy if you know all the requirements. First, check all personal and employee information on your VA unemployment application, and if anything is not up-to-date or accurate, including the dates of employment, you may make corrections to your application.

Learn About Benefits Under the Virginia Unemployment Program

In order to claim unemployment benefits in VA, you must receive a Notice of Deputy’s Determination from the Virginia Employment Commission and follow its instructions, including registering for any programs for which you were eligible.

If you are required to provide follow-up information, a confirmation phone call, or registration, your weekly unemployment claim benefit payment could be delayed or denied. You may take any denial of federal unemployment benefits to an appeal committee that will determine whether you had a justifiable excuse not to provide the information.

Appealing Denied Unemployment Benefits in Virginia

Having your Virginia unemployment benefits denied can be a stressful and frustrating experience, especially if it was due to a small oversight or error. If the Virginia Employment Commission has denied unemployment benefits, it is often the result of an error in filling out the application. Any incorrect wages, dates, or contacts could result in an automatic denial. Another common reason applicants are denied unemployment is when an employer reports that the applicant was fired for good cause.

Learn About Virginia Unemployment Benefits Extensions

A Virginia unemployment insurance benefits extension is available to states when the economy is recovering. An unemployment extension is administered by the federal government in partnership with Virginia. There are two parts to the program: Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and Extended Benefits (EB).

EUC’s federal unemployment extension was temporarily enacted during the 2008 recession to prevent harm to unemployed individuals. The Extended Benefits program (EB) was the permanent program created for times when Virginia’s unemployment rate rises above a certain rate.