Unemployment Claims for Federal Employees

Unemployment claims can be filed online from any computer with Internet access or in person at any Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) career center.

To file an unemployment claim via the Internet, you must have a valid email address. This email account should be your personal email account because private and confidential information about your claim will be sent to this email address. During the claims filing process, you will be required enter your social security number and create a password and a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN). Additionally, you will be required to complete Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and verify your identity.

The UCFE program provides unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for federal employees who lost their jobs due to no fault of their own. In general, the same terms and conditions that apply to individuals filing for regular UI apply to the UCFE program. Claims are deemed federal if the most recent employer and/or the period used to calculate monetary entitlement is based on federal employment.

No. The state where you last performed federal civilian service is considered your last official duty station and is the state in which you must file your claim. Your last official duty station is listed on your most recent Standard Form 50 (SF-50). Your eligibility for UI benefits will be based on the laws and regulations of the state of your last official duty station.

If you had employment after you last worked for a federal agency, you will file in the state of your most recent non-federal employment as long as that employer was considered a liable employer.

If your last official duty station was in another country and you returned home to the United States after your separation, you will file in your current state of residence.

You will file your claim in the state of your last official duty station as listed on your SF-50.

In addition to documentation to prove your identity, you must provide your proof of federal employment in the last 18 months (to include the name, address, and contact information for all employers you worked for) and wages.

Federal wages are only reported to a state after an unemployment claim for benefits is filed. If any of your employment for the last 18 months includes federal employers, you must also provide legible copies of the following documents:

• Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50
• Notice to Federal Employees about Unemployment Compensation, SF-8
• Proof of earnings with the federal employer (Leave/Earnings Statement or W-2)

If you do not have your SF-8, you may contact the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) Employment and Training Administration Unemployment Insurance (UI) Questions and Answers for Federal Employees and Contractors to find your agency's Federal Identification Code (FIC) at https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/unemcomp.asp for use when filing your claim.

If you were recently separated from your federal job, contact your former agency's personnel office to obtain a copy of your SF50. If it has been more than 120 days since you were separated, contact the National Personnel Records Center through the National Archives at https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/civilian-non-archival.

You will file an unemployment claim online or in person at your local career center. As part of your unemployment claim application process, you will be advised to complete a Claimant's Affidavit of Federal Civilian Services, Wages, and Reason for Separation (ES-935) to provide your federal earnings for each quarter in the base period based on the wage proof you provide. Once your claim is processed, a request is sent to the federal employer to obtain wage and separation information.

If your federal employer does not respond to our request for wage and separation information and you provided your completed affidavit of federal earnings along with proof of employment and wages, your potential benefit amount will be established based on the information you submitted.

The base period is the first four of the last five calendar quarters completed at the time you file your claim. We will look at this period of employment to determine if you have enough insured wages to establish a valid claim. If you do not have enough wages in the regular base period, we will review your wages using an alternative base period, which is the last four calendar quarters completed at the time you file your claim.

The federal employer has 12 days from the notice of claim filing date to respond to our request for wage and separation information. If the federal employer does not respond by the 12th day, your claim will be established based on the ES-935 affidavit you completed and the proof of wages you provided.

If you do not provide your completed ES-935 affidavit and proof of federal wages and your federal employer does not respond to our request for wage and separation information, your claim cannot be established and/or adjudicated, and a determination will not be released regarding your eligibility for UI benefits.

For former federal employees, it is normal for your unemployment claim to first appear ineligible (e.g., receive a Benefit Determination that shows a $0 weekly benefit amount or doesn't include your federal employer) when you file. Federal employers do not report wage information to state UI agencies each quarter, as most other employers do.

Once you file your claim, GDOL will request wage and separation information from your federal employer to complete your claim. Upon receiving this information, we will add the reported wages into the base period of your claim, as appropriate, and issue a revised Benefit Determination. This determination will list your federal employment and wages used to establish your claim and explain the amount you may receive if you are found eligible.

It generally takes a few weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit payment as long as there are no other eligibility issue(s). If there are other eligibility issue(s) on your claim, GDOL will need to conduct further review. For example, if you were terminated from employment or you voluntarily left your job, we will attempt to gather information from you and your former employer. Once this review is complete, you will receive a claims examiner's determination informing you whether you qualify or do not qualify to receive unemployment benefits.

It is important to respond to any information requests from GDOL as soon as possible. In addition, you must request weekly benefit payments for each week you are unemployed after filing your claim, even if you are not being paid while waiting on a claims examiner's determination or an appeal. Failure to request weekly benefits can delay or prevent payment, and may result in additional eligibility issues, so it is very important to request your weekly payments timely.

You have the right to appeal any GDOL determination that has appeal rights. The appeal rights expire 15 days after the date the determination is mailed. Your claims examiner's determination will provide you with instructions on how to submit your appeal. Employers also have the right to appeal determinations if they disagree.

Yes. You must be able to work, actively looking for work, and available to accept work, if offered, for each week you expect to be paid unemployment benefits.

You must also register for Employment Services at Worksourcegaportal.com by creating a user account. Be sure to include your social security number to link your Worksource Georgia account to your UI claim. Make sure your résumé is in the "COMPLETE" status and searchable by employers. You are strongly encouraged to utilize Worksource Georgia in your job search efforts.

Federal furlough employees are not required to look for work or register for employment services as long as you provide proof from your federal employer of a definite recall date within six (6) weeks from your furlough date. If you have not been recalled to work after six weeks, you will be required to look for work and register for employment services.

Yes. Any unemployment benefits received during weeks retroactively paid by the federal employer must be repaid to the Georgia Department of Labor. An overpayment will be established for any weeks retroactively paid.

Yes. Unemployment insurance is considered taxable income. You will have the opportunity to elect to withhold federal and/or state income taxes from your weekly benefits when you file your claim.