Claiming benefits for unemployment can be beneficial for newly unemployed residents of North Dakota who need financial assistance while looking for a new job. Several guidelines are set forth regarding eligibility for the program, the calculation of unemployment benefits and the federal income taxes applied to these benefits.

We have compiled helpful information, hints, and tips about claiming unemployment benefits in North Dakota on this website and FAQs and our free guide. Learn more about unemployment benefits in North Dakota by reading below, checking out our North Dakota FAQs, and reading our free guide.

Learn About Unemployment Benefits in North Dakota

For the applicant’s unemployment benefits claim in ND, his or her weekly benefit amount (WBA) is based on wages earned from applicable employment during the base period of the claim. The base period is defined as the 12-month period made up of the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the date that the petitioner filed the claim.

The former employee’s approximate unemployment claim amount will be the total of their highest two-and-a-half quarters of base period earnings divided by 65. The maximum and minimum unemployment insurance benefits amounts are governed by law and are subject to change each July. A benefit chart can be found online.

The first-week applicants claim unemployment benefits is referred to as the “waiting week” and no benefits are paid for that week. A UI petitioner must still certify that week and meet all other unemployment insurance eligibility requirements in order to receive future benefits.

The former worker has only one waiting week in a benefit year. To receive credit for the waiting week, the claimant must:

• Certify the week either online or by telephone.
• Work less than full-time.
• Earn less than his or her weekly benefit amount.
• Meet all requirements for the week.

When claiming benefits for unemployment in North Dakota, a claimant can opt for deductions to be made from the federal unemployment benefits he or she is receiving. One such example a claimant may elect a deduction is child support. Job Service North Dakota may be required by federal law to make deductions from unemployment insurance payments to satisfy an applicant’s child support obligation.

Moreover, a pension, retirement, annuity, or other similar periodic payment will reduce the weekly payment of benefits if employers in the base period contributed to or maintained the pension payments. These pensions can include private employer and union pensions, state and local government pensions, federal civil service pensions including disability pensions, military retirement pensions, and railroad retirement annuities.

Learn About Filing a Claim in North Dakota

Qualified out-of-work residents can complete the unemployment application process online or by phone. The state suggests claiming unemployment benefits the week in which workers become unemployed, as claims cannot be backdated to an earlier week.

After the applicant has filed his or her federal unemployment benefits claim, the claimant and his or her former employer will be asked questions concerning the condition under which he or she is no longer employed. The sooner each party responds to the questions, the sooner a decision on an unemployment insurance claim can be made. However, the claimant needs to continue completing his or her weekly certifications for unemployment during this time, even if he or she is not receiving payments.

Following the former worker’s unemployment benefits claim in ND, Job Service North Dakota will make a determination regarding the claim. The determinations fall into two categories:

• Monetary – If the former worker has earned enough wages, he or she is considered “monetarily eligible.”
• Non-monetary – Even though the claimant may have earned enough money in their base period to qualify for unemployment insurance, they can be disqualified for other reasons.

Generally, the unemployment insurance coverage petitioner claimant should receive two letters within five days from the date of the application send date. The applicant may receive a letter entitled non-monetary determination. This determination will state whether federal unemployment benefits are to be granted or denied on the claim.

The monetary determination letter outlines the claimant’s wages reported by the employer during the “base period,” the “weekly benefit amount” and how many weeks he or she is eligible to receive payment. If the information on the monetary determination is incorrect, the unemployment insurance beneficiary can appeal the decision in writing.

Wages earned in another state may be included. In the event that the candidate’s wages include military wages, federal civilian wages, or wages earned in another state, he or she will receive another monetary determination when his or her wages are received. Should the applicant not receive a monetary determination letter within two weeks of claiming benefits for unemployment, he or she should contact the Job Service North Dakota Claims Center.

Once the applicant files his or her federal unemployment benefits claim, he or she must complete weekly certifications and meet all eligibility requirements to receive benefits for the week. This can be done online or by phone.

During the certification process, the claimant will be asked a series of questions including questions regarding earnings for the week. Weekly certification is the process used to verify that a claimant meets all qualifications for unemployment during the week being claimed.

An applicant who qualifies for unemployment needs to certify within 13 days of the Saturday of the week in which he or she initiated a claim, or certify within 13 days of the Saturday of the last week previously certified. The applicant cannot skip a week of certification and then certify a week later. All weeks must be certified in order, without a break.

Certification for claiming unemployment insurance coverage cannot be completed until after the week has ended. Each week ends on Saturday so that the applicant can complete the weekly certification beginning Sunday; the applicant must complete the weekly certification by 10 p.m. on the 13th day.

How Long You May Receive in North Dakota

In addition to determining eligibility and the maximum benefit amount they can receive, the UI petitioner’s wages are used to help set the duration of their claim. The duration ratio for unemployment registration establishes the number of weeks that a candidate will receive benefits, and benefit durations range from 12 to 26 weeks.

This duration is calculated by dividing the total wages in the base period by the highest quarter. If the former worker reports earnings or has other reductions to the benefits paid each week, they may actually receive benefits for more weeks than the number calculated by the ratio. However, they will not receive more benefits than the original maximum benefit amount.

An unemployment benefits extension granted by the federal government would increase the original maximum benefit amount.

Learn About North Dakota Unemployment Benefits and Federal Income Taxes

Unemployment benefits in ND are taxable. But income tax is not withheld from the former employee’s benefits unless he or she requests withholding. If the unemployment insurance benefits claimant requests that:

• Federal taxes be withheld, Job Service North Dakota will withhold 10 percent of the gross amount.
• State taxes be withheld, Job Service North Dakota will withhold 2 percent of the gross amount.

By January 31 of each year, Job Service North Dakota will mail the claimant a 1099 statement to the last known address.

Last Updated: February 28, 2023