A resident can claim unemployment benefits in South Dakota if they meet the program’s eligibility requirements, including the reason for separating from employment and looking for a new opportunity. If you are wondering how to claim unemployment benefits in South Dakota, you have come to the right place.

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

Learn About Unemployment Benefits in South Dakota

When a petitioner wants to claim unemployment benefits, there are four different unemployment insurance programs in South Dakota that individuals may be randomly selected to join:

• The Job Assistance Program (JSAP): Provides training workshops to help individuals with job searches.
• Re-Employment Services (RES): Offers Re-Employment services to help discover and improve skills with aptitude tests and find new work opportunities.
• Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessment (REA): Instructs on how to obtain eligibility and keep it.
• Re-Employment Intensive Services (RIS): Provides more direct focus on job skills improvement to develop a re-employment plan and find work quickly.

Benefits are calculated by taking your highest earning calendar quarter and dividing it by 26. Amounts vary depending on your total yearly income and the number of members residing in the household. In South Dakota, weekly unemployment assistance benefit amounts range between $28 and $487 per week. 

After filing an unemployment benefits claim, it can take up to three or four weeks to receive your first payment. Unemployment benefits are paid to you through a special USBank debit card called the ReliaCard. You will receive the card in the mail and have to activate it by phone or online.

The card receives federal unemployment benefits instantly and can be used as a regular debit card to make purchases, pay bills online, or withdraw cash from ATMs.

You will also have the option to schedule automatic transfers from the debit card into your own bank account. You will receive the forms needed to enroll in direct deposit in the mail with your ReliaCard.

Learn About Filing a Claim in South Dakota

If possible, file your South Dakota unemployment benefits claim within the first week of losing work. After applying by phone or online, you will have to wait until your claim is approved. The following is a list of information you may want to have on hand for the unemployment application process:

• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number or other state identification number
• Your employment history for the last 18 months, including:
  • Each employer’s name, address and phone number (If you worked for Non-South Dakota employers, you must have an accurate mailing address and telephone number for them.)
  • Dates of employment (month and year)
  • Pay rate
  • The reason you are no longer working for the employer
• The name and local number of your union hall, if you obtain work through the union.
• Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. Citizen.
• Your SF-8 and SF-50 forms if you are a federal employee.
• Your DD214 if you served in the military.

The state will send a notice of Monetary Determination of Benefits, which you should check to verify the information is accurate. You will officially be claiming benefits for unemployment after you follow the instructions located in the notice of monetary determination, which may include registering with a job program or setting up an appointment at your local SD unemployment office.

You are eligible to claim unemployment benefits even if you are employed part-time. Generally, you will not lose SD unemployment claim benefits for working less than full-time unless your weekly pay equaled or exceeded the weekly benefit.

If you report a change in income, your benefit amounts may be lowered or increased. Make sure to report any increase or decrease in income in order to prevent overpayment or underpayment. If you are overpaid, it could result in wage garnishment.

How Long You May Receive Benefits in South Dakota

You may receive benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks.

You may be eligible for an unemployment benefits extension if South Dakota is in a state of high unemployment. A letter explaining how to receive the SD unemployment benefits extension will be sent to you when this happens. Extensions are activated by the federal government and are mostly out of the state’s control.

To cancel your claim, you have to write a letter requesting cancellation within 15 days of the date you receive the notice of monetary determination. You can reopen a claim if you forgot to file weekly certifications or changed your address.

Since the U.S. Post Office does not forward unemployment-related mail, you will have to directly contact the local unemployment office to change your address. You can contact them by phone, email, or regular mail. Not notifying the unemployment office means you no longer meet the qualifications for unemployment and will stop receiving benefits.

Learn About South Dakota Unemployment Benefits and Federal Income Taxes

All federal unemployment benefits are taxable under federal income tax regulations. Taxes can be deducted from your benefits automatically, or you may agree to pay them all at the end of the year.

Last Updated: March 1, 2023