Unemployment Benefits FAQ Sheets

1. What Is Unemployment Insurance?
2. What Are Unemployment Insurance Benefits?
3. How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits
4. When to Apply for Unemployment
5. How to Apply for Iowa Unemployment Insurance
6. How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated
7. I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?
8. What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?
9. How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial
10. Need More Help?
11. View or Download Our Free Guide

What is Unemployment Insurance?

Unemployment Insurance is a benefit program designed to replace part of the income of recently unemployed or underemployed workers. Unemployment Insurance is available to workers who are out of work through no fault of their own.

Learn more about Unemployment on Iowa’s Unemployment Program Overview page here.

What are Unemployment Insurance benefits?

Unemployment Insurance benefits are weekly payments that are given to eligible workers who apply to and are accepted into the program. These payments can be provided via a direct deposit to the beneficiary’s bank account.

You can learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.

How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in Iowa, you must:

• Have lost your job due to no fault of your own.
• Be able to work.
• Be actively seeking work.
• Meet Idaho’s monetary and personal eligibility requirements.

Learn more about Iowa’s monetary requirements here and Iowa’s personal eligibility requirements here.

When to Apply for Unemployment

Apply for benefits online here during the week you are seeking payment, when your hours have been reduced or when you are no longer employed. Do NOT wait until the week is over.

Learn more information on when to apply for Unemployment Insurance here.

How to Apply for Unemployment

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Iowa, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the documentation related to your previous employment and information you will need for the application.

Learn what documents and information you need here.

2. Choose how you are going to apply, whether online or in person. 

The Iowa Unemployment Office does not accept claims over the telephone. To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access Iowa’s Unemployment claim portal. To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest IowaWORKS Center location.

3. Submit the Unemployment application, which is also known as filing a claim. 

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the Iowa Workforce Development’s call center Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST at:

• Phone Number: 1-800-244-5631
• TTY: 711/1-800-735-2942

You may also contact the Iowa Workforce Development by email at uiclaimshelp@iwd.iowa.gov with the following information:

• Your full legal name
• Your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your social security number
• Your mailing address

How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated

The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you have worked for in Iowa. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the Iowa Workforce Development considers your wages earned during the highest quarter of your base period and the number of dependents you claim.

The maximum weekly benefit amount in Iowa is either one-third of your total base period wages or 26 times the weekly benefit amount, whichever amount is less. However, if your previous employer permanently closed their business location, your maximum benefit amount may be increased.

The maximum weekly benefit amount is between $481 and $591, depending on the number of dependents you have.

Learn more about Iowa’s base period and how benefits are calculated here.

I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?

• Report Your Waiting Week

The week after you file your unemployment claim is called the Waiting Week. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant portal and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. You can find the claimant portal here.

If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.

Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.

• Start Looking for Work 

Keep track of your work-search contacts. You are required to make at least two contacts per week to receive payments and waiting week credit.

• Discuss Possible Issues 

If you were discharged or quit your last job, expect a call (or email if that is your preferred contact method) to determine if you are eligible for unemployment insurance.

You can learn more about what to expect after applying here.

What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?

You must file a Weekly Certification Application every week you are receiving Unemployment Benefits until you are employed again. This weekly claim is like a follow-up application that certifies your continued eligibility for the program, and proves you are actively applying for new jobs.

Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here. File your Weekly Certification Application here.

It’s important to remember that your payment will be delayed or denied if you miss your weekly claim. If there is a break in your weekly reporting, you will be required to refile your claim application during the week you would like to start collecting benefits again.

How to File an Appeal If You Are Denied Unemployment Benefits

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit an appeal to the Iowa Workforce Development online here.

You may also obtain an appeal request form here, which you can submit by mail to:

Iowa Workforce Development
Appeals Bureau
1000 E Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309-0209

All written appeals must include:

• The reference number and date of your unemployment decision
• Your name, social security number, and address
• A statement that you are appealing the UI decision as a claimant or employer
• The reason for the appeal
• If an interpreter is needed. If an interpreter is needed, include the language required.

Need More Help?

If you have general questions about Idaho Unemployment Benefits, call the Iowa Workforce Development’s customer service center at (866) 239-0843.

You may contact the Iowa Workforce Development by email at uiclaimshelp@iwd.iowa.gov with the following information:

• Your full legal name
• Your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your social security number
• Your mailing address

Alternatively,  you can also visit or call your nearest local office for further assistance. You can find the location nearest you and its contact information here.

The Iowa Workforce Development is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM CST, except for observed holidays.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view or download our free guide here.