Iowa Admin. Code r. 871-24.2

Current through Register Vol. 47, No.14, January 8, 2025

Rule 871-24.2 - [Effective 2/12/2025] Procedures for workers desiring to file a claim for benefits for unemployment insurance

(1) Filing a benefit claim.

a. In order to establish a benefit year during which an individual may receive unemployment benefits, the individual, once separated from employment, must file an initial claim, verify their identity, and register for work. The claim may be filed electronically or by other means prescribed by the department. A claim filed in accordance with this rule is considered filed as of Sunday of the week in which the claim is filed.

b. When filing an initial claim for benefits, an individual must provide the following information to the department:

(1) The name and complete mailing address of the individual's last employing unit or employer.

(2) Work history for all employers within the individual's base period.

(3) The location of the last job.

(4) The last day of work.

(5) The reason for separation from work.

(6) Certification that the individual is unemployed.

(7) Certification that the individual registers for work.

(8) The individual's last occupation.

(9) Number, full name, social security number, date of birth, and relationship of any dependents claimed.

1."Spouse" is defined as an individual who does not earn more than $120 in gross wages in one week. The reference week for this monetary determination is the gross wages earned by the spouse in the calendar week immediately preceding the claim's effective date.

2."Dependent" means an individual who has been claimed for the preceding tax year on the claimant's income tax return. The same dependent may not be claimed on two separate monetarily eligible concurrent established benefit years. An individual may not claim a spouse as a dependent if the spouse has listed the claimant as a dependent on a current claim.

(10) The individual's social security number and alien registration number, if applicable.

(11) Such other information as requested by the department.

c. All claimants on an initial claim must state that they are registered for work and list their principal occupation. A group code will be assigned to the claimant to control the type of registration that is made. Code assignments are based on all facts obtained at the time of the claim filing. A group code change can be made at any time during the benefit year if additional information is obtained by the agency. The group codes are:

(1) Group "3" claimants are those "temporarily unemployed" as defined in Iowa Code section 96.1A(37)"c." After a period of temporary unemployment, claimants in this group are reviewed for placement in group "5" or "6."

(2) Group "4" claimants are those individuals who have left employment in lieu of exercising their right to bump or oust a fellow employee with less seniority or priority from the fellow employee's job. Group "4" claimants have only the search for work provision of Iowa Code section 96.4(3) and the disqualification provision for failure to apply for or to accept suitable work of Iowa Code section 96.5(3) waived. The group "4" code does not apply to weeks claimed under the extended benefit or federal supplemental compensation programs.

(3) Group "5" claimants are those individuals who are members of unions, trades, or professionals having their own placement facilities. Claimants assigned to this group will be registered for work. A paid-up membership must be maintained, and weekly contact to check for available work is required. Loss of membership will result in an assignment to group "6."

(4) Group "6" claimants are those individuals who do not otherwise meet the qualification group code "3," "4," or "5." This group must complete and document re-employment activities, as established by the department.

(5) Group "7" claimants are workers who are employed on a reduced workweek with an employer who is under a department-approved voluntary shared work contract. This group pertains to those individuals who worked full- or part-time and will again work full- or part-time if the individuals' employment, although temporarily suspended, has not been terminated. Once the contract expires, claimants in this group are reviewed for placement in group "3," "4," "5," or "6."

(6) Group "8" claimants are workers who are part of a federally declared emergency. Once the emergency period expires, claimants in this group are reviewed for placement in group "3," "4," "5," or "6."

(7) Nothing in this rule shall be construed as prohibiting an authorized representative of the department from requiring claimants for unemployment insurance benefits to avail themselves of workforce development center referral and counseling services if deemed beneficial and necessary to obtain prompt reemployment, nor shall anything in this rule be construed to deny referral or counseling service to claimants for unemployment insurance benefits.

d. In order to maintain continuing eligibility for benefits during any continuous period of unemployment, an individual must report as directed by the department. If the individual has moved to another locality, the individual may register and report in person at a workforce development center at the time previously specified for the reporting.

(1) An individual who files a weekly continued claim will have the benefit payment automatically deposited weekly on a debit card specified by the department or to an account specified by the claimant.

(2) The department retains the ultimate authority to choose the method of reporting and payment.

e. After the initial claim has been filed, the claimant will receive a notice of monetary eligibility. If the claimant is eligible for benefits, this notice will state the date on which the benefit year will begin, the amount per week, and the maximum amount for which the claimant is eligible.

f. No benefit payment is allowed until the individual claiming benefits has completed a continued claim online or as otherwise directed by the department.

(1) The claim must be submitted between 8 a.m. on the Sunday following the Saturday of the weekly reporting period and not later than close of business on the Friday following the weekly reporting period.

(2) An individual using the weekly continued claim system is to personally file the claim on the system unless the individual is disabled and has received prior approval from the department.

(3) The claim must include the following:

1. That the individual continues the claim for benefits;

2. That except as otherwise indicated, during the period covered by the claim, the individual was fully or partially unemployed, earned no gross wages and received no benefits, and was able and available for work;

3. That the individual has performed a minimum of four work search activities and documented and reported each activity to the department.

* At least three of the four work search activities for the purpose of this paragraph shall consist of one of the following:

* Applying for a potential job opening by submitting a resume or application through any of the following means:

* Online.

* In person.

* Electronic mail.

* Facsimile.

* Mail.

* Completing a civil service examination.

* Additional work search activities for the purpose of this paragraph consist of any of the following:

* Registering with a placement facility of a school or college.

* Interviewing for a job virtually, in person, or at a job fair.

* Attending an employment workshop organized or approved by the department, which may include completing an online or in-person job search workshop, job club, or job search networking meeting.

* Attending a job fair sponsored or approved by the department.

* Attending a scheduled career networking meeting with the department.

* With the assistance and guidance of the department, completing a reemployment plan, which may include completing career direction research or work such as a job search plan or a targeted employer list.

* Participating in job search counseling with a department career planner.

* Attending an appointment with a core program partner authorized by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Public Law 113-128.

* Participating in online or in-person mock interviews organized or approved by the department.

* Completing career-related assessment approved by the department and reviewed with a department career planner.

4. That the individual understands there are penalties for false statements in connection with the claim;

5. That the individual has reported any job offer received during the period covered by the claim;

6. That the individual understands the individual's responsibility to review the claim records to ensure there is no delay in filing the weekly claim to remain in continuous reporting status. Failure to file claims each week will require a claimant to submit a claim application to reactivate the claim;

7. Other information required by the department.

g. Effective starting date for the benefit year.

(1) Filing for benefits is effective as of Sunday of the current calendar week in which, subsequent to the individual's separation from work, an individual files a claim for benefits.

(2) The claim may only be backdated prior to the first day of the calendar week in which the claimant does report and file a claim if the claimant filed an interstate claim against another state that has been determined as ineligible.

(3) When the benefit year expires on any day but Saturday, the effective date of the new claim is the Sunday of the current week in which the claim is filed even though it may overlap into the old benefit year up to six days. However, backdating is not allowed at the change of a calendar quarter if the backdating would cause an overlap of the same quarter in two base periods. When the overlap situation occurs, the effective date of the new claim may be postdated up to six days. If the claimant has benefits remaining on the old claim, the claimant may be eligible for benefits for that period by extending the old benefit year up to six days.

h. An individual is entitled to partial benefits for partial unemployment as per Iowa code section 96.1A(37)"b." If the individual has been placed on reduced employment the individual may be entitled to partial benefits and should file a claim in accordance with the instructions pertaining to the partial claims procedure.

i. Any individual who is disqualified for benefits because of the individual's failure to report may appeal to the department for the right to establish good cause for failure to report because of extraordinary circumstances. A representative of the department may deny the request, and the decision may be appealed to an administrative law judge for a hearing and decision on the merits. If the petition is allowed, the petitioner will be allowed to file a claim for and receive full benefits for each week for which such claim is filed, if otherwise eligible.

(2) Filing a claim for unemployment insurance benefits (not applicable to interstate claims).

a. A notice of claim filing, which includes the name and social security number of the individual claiming benefits, will be sent to each base period employer on record and the last employer if different than the base period employer unless the separation issue has previously been adjudicated.

b. Even though the claims taker may believe that the claimant cannot meet the eligibility conditions established by statute, the claims taker will in no instance refuse to accept a claim from any unemployed individual. If the claimant elects to file a claim, even though the claimant's eligibility may be questionable, the claim will be accepted without hesitance. The claimant may be required to provide adequate proof of identification such as a driver's license, proof of citizenship, car registration, union membership card or supply personally identifying information.

c. If a claim filed in a previous quarter was ineligible because of no wage records or lack of qualifying earnings, a benefit year has not been established and a new claim will be taken. A new claim should not be taken if the claimant previously filed an ineligible claim in the same quarter unless the claimant insists on filing after being advised of ineligibility. The claims taker will notify the claimant that another claim filed in the same quarter would also be ineligible because additional wage credits (if any) would not be available until a subsequent quarter. The claimant should be advised to file a new claim during the first full week of the next calendar quarter.

d. If the check of the files does not disclose a previous claim and the claimant states that a claim has not been filed during the past year, a new claim will be taken.

e. Partially unemployed claims.

(1) A partially unemployed individual will:

1. File a claim for benefits in the same manner as an initial claim for unemployment insurance.

2. Report all wages that are earned for each week benefits are claimed.

(2) A claimant in a continuous reporting status, employed with the same employer, may exceed the claimant's weekly benefit amount plus $15 for four consecutive weeks before the individual is required to file an additional claim for benefits.

f. If the check of the files does not disclose a monetarily valid claim in another state, a new claim will be taken.

(3) Filing a claim for unemployment insurance benefits (interstate only).

a. All interstate claimants must file an Iowa claim.

b. When the department is acting as an agent for another state unemployment insurance agency with respect to the filing of an initial claim for benefits, the interstate claimant must complete and file an Initial Interstate Claim unless otherwise directed by the interstate handbook for interstate claims-taking provided by the Employment and Training Administration of the United States Department of Labor.

(4) Cancellation of unemployment insurance claim.

a. An individual may direct a request for cancellation of an unemployment insurance claim to the benefits bureau of the unemployment insurance services division. The statement must include the specific reason for the request and contain as much pertinent information as possible so that a decision can be made. A notice with the result of the request will be sent.

b. A cancellation request that is the result of employer coercion or intimidation will be denied and the employer may be subjected to serious misdemeanor charges.

c. If a cancellation request is received within the ten-day protest period and before payment is made, the benefits bureau may upon review cancel the claim for the following reasons:

(1) The individual found employment or returned to regular employment within the protest period.

(2) Cancellation would allow the individual to refile at the change of a calendar quarter to obtain an increase in the weekly or maximum benefit amount or the individual would receive more entitlement from another state.

(3) The individual filed a claim in good faith under the assumption of being separated and no actual separation occurred.

(4) The individual did not want to establish a benefit year because of eligibility for a low weekly or maximum benefit amount.

d. Other valid reasons for cancellation whether or not ten-day protest period has expired.

(1) The individual has an unexpired unemployment insurance claim in another state and is eligible for a remaining balance of benefits.

(2) The individual received erroneous information regarding entitlement or eligibility to unemployment insurance benefits from an employee of the department.

(3) The individual has an unexpired railroad unemployment insurance claim with a remaining benefit balance that was filed prior to the unemployment insurance claim.

(4) The individual exercises the option to cancel a combined wage claim within the ten days allowed by federal regulation.

(5) The individual has previously filed a military claim in another state or territory. Wages erroneously assigned to Iowa must be deleted and an interstate claim filed.

(6) Federal wages have previously been assigned to another state or territory or are assignable to another state or territory under federal regulation. Federal wages erroneously assigned to Iowa must be deleted and the appropriate type of claim filed.

(7) If the Iowa wages are erroneous and deleted, and the wages from one other state were used, the claim shall be canceled and the wages returned to the transferring state.

e. If a claim is canceled and becomes final with no appeal being filed, a valid claim with Iowa as the paying state may not be reestablished with the same effective date.

f. If it is determined a claim has been filed under an incorrect social security number, the claim will be voided rather than canceled.

g. All unemployment insurance claims canceled will be clearly identified as such and the administrative record of the individual's file shall be destroyed three years after final action.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 96.3(3), 96.3(4), 96.4(1), 96.4(3), 96.5(1)"h," 96.5(3), 96.6(1), 96.6(2), 96.15, 96.16, 96.1A and 96.20.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 871-24.2

Amended by IAB August 2, 2017/Volume XL, Number 3, effective 9/6/2017

Amended by IAB August 16, 2017/Volume XL, Number 4, effective 9/20/2017

Amended by IAB August 30, 2017/Volume XL, Number 5, effective 10/4/2017

Amended by IAB October 11, 2017/Volume XL, Number 8, effective 11/15/2017

Amended by IAB February 14, 2018/Volume XL, Number 17, effective 3/21/2018

Amended by IAB May 23, 2018/Volume XL, Number 24, effective 6/27/2018

Amended by IAB December 18, 2019/Volume XLII, Number 13, effective 1/22/2020

Amended by IAB February 22, 2023/Volume XLV, Number 17, effective 3/29/2023

Adopted by IAB January 8, 2025/Volume XLVII, Number 14, effective 2/12/2025