| Claimant Eligibility
Any worker who is unemployed or working less than full-time may file a claim. Claim applications may be filed at any of the One-Stop Career Centers in the District of Columbia. Please call the One-Stop Career Center first to make an appointment. When you report for your appointment, please bring your social security card or an official form of identification along with your most recent W-2 Form(s) and your last earnings statement, if they are available.
Filing a Claim
When applying for unemployment benefits, you must first determine the base period of your claim. Use the following table:
| If your claim is filed in the first full week of the month of: |
Your base period is the 12-month period ending the previous: |
| January/February/March |
September 30 |
| April/May/June |
December 31 |
| July/August/September |
March 31 |
| October/November/December |
June 30 |
Base period wages may be from DC employers, the DC Government, the Federal Government, and the US Military, or from employers in other states.
Determining Eligibility
To be eligible for unemployment compensation, you must meet the following wage requirements:
- You must have wages in at least two quarters of the base period.
- You must have at least $1,300 in wages in one quarter of the base period.
- You must have at least $1,950 in wages for the entire base period.
- Your total base period wages must be at least one-and-a-half times the wages in your highest quarter, or be within $70 of that amount.
In addition to wage requirements, you must also meet the following requirements:
- You must be unemployed through no fault of your own.
- You must be available for work. This means that you must be ready and willing to accept work considered suitable for you because of your past training, education, or experience.
- You must be physically able to work. You cannot collect benefits while you are sick, injured, or disabled.
- You must make at least two job contacts each week.
- You must make a personal and continuing effort each week to attain gainful employment, using methods that are customary for your occupation. (You may be asked by your Employment Services Center to demonstrate your work search activities, so you should keep a record of such efforts.)
Reasons for Disqualification
You may be disqualified from receiving benefits for any of the following reasons:
- Voluntary departure from your last employer without good cause connected with the work
- Discharge by your last employer for gross misconduct
- Discharge by your last employer for misconduct other than gross misconduct
- Refusal to apply for, or accept, suitable work without good cause
- Participation in a labor dispute other than a lockout
- Inability to work or unavailability for work
- Failure to register as directed with the Job Service
- Failure to report as directed
- Failure to participate in reemployment services
- Failure to attend a training course recommended by the Department of Employment Services
- Not being authorized to work, if you are an alien
- A reasonable assurance of continuing employment*
Leaving the Military
If you are unemployed after leaving the US military, you must provide the "Member Requests Copy 4" of your form DD-214, "Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty."
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