Unemployment Insurance Programs by State
Many states offer unemployment benefits to adjunct faculty during academic breaks (e.g., winter and summer) and unemployment due to lack of work.
In general, states use reasonable assurance of future employment as a determining factor in eligibility for unemployment benefits.
Most adjunct faculty do not have reasonable assurance of future employment: the nature of adjunct work is contingent on factors outside of the control of adjunct faculty members (e.g., enrollment numbers, departmental and college needs, available budget resources, etc).
Eligibility for unemployment benefits varies widely from state-to-state, so please consult the policies and rules for your specific state using the appropriate links below.
Unemployment Insurance Information by State
Alabama
General Information:
https://labor.alabama.gov/unemployment.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://labor.alabama.gov/unemployment.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
https://labor.alabama.gov/uc/phone.aspx
Alaska
General Information:
https://labor.alaska.gov/unemployment/
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
https://labor.alaska.gov/unemployment/call-centers.htm
Arizona
General Information:
https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual
To file a claim online:
https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual/apply-ui-benefits
To file a claim by telephone:
https://des.az.gov/services/employment/unemployment-individual/contact-AZUI
Arkansas
General Information:
https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/unemployment/
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.ezarc.adws.arkansas.gov/home
California
General Information:
https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/
To file a claim online:
https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm
To file a claim by telephone:
https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm
Colorado
General Information:
https://www.colorado.gov/cdle/unemployment
To file a claim online:
https://www.colorado.gov/cdle/unemployment
To file a claim by telephone:
https://cdle.colorado.gov/unemployment/file-a-claim
Connecticut
General Information:
http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/UI-OnLine/index.htm
To file a claim online:
http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/progsupt/unemplt/M1A/LogInIntro.htm
Delaware
General Information:
https://uics.delawareworks.com/Forms/Form_WL1
To file a claim online:
https://uics.delawareworks.com/Forms/Form_WL1
To file a claim by telephone:
https://labor.delaware.gov/divisions/unemployment-insurance/
To file a paper claim:
https://labor.delaware.gov/divisions/unemployment-insurance/claimant-services/
District Of Columbia
General Information:
http://does.dc.gov/service/unemployment-compensation-process
To file a claim online:
https://does.optimumui.com/#!/login
To file a claim by telephone:
202-724-7000
Florida
General Information:
https://www.floridajobs.org/job-seekers-community-services
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
800-204-2418
To file a paper claim:
Georgia
General Information:
To file a claim online:
https://dol.georgia.gov/file-unemployment-insurance-claim
To file a claim by telephone:
404-232-3001 or 877-709-8185
Guam
General Information:
https://dol.guam.gov/unemployment/
Hawaii
General Information:
To file a claim online:
https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/
To file a claim by telephone:
http://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/contact/
Idaho
General Information:
https://labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Unemployment-Benefits
To file a claim online:
https://www2.labor.idaho.gov/ClaimantPortal/Login?ReturnUrl=/claimantportal
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Contact
Illinois
General Information:
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
https://ides.illinois.gov/about/contact-ides.html
Indiana
General Information:
https://www.in.gov/dwd/3474.htm
To file a claim online:
https://www.in.gov/dwd/2362.htm
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.in.gov/dwd/2328.htm
Iowa
General Information:
https://www.iowaworkforcedevelopment.gov/file-claim-unemployment-insurance-benefits
To file a claim online:
https://uiclaims.iwd.iowa.gov/UIInitialClaim/
Kansas
General Information:
https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/Home.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/Home.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov/Home.aspx
Kentucky
General Information:
https://kcc.ky.gov/career/If-you-are-Unemployed/Pages/default.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://uiclaimsportal.ky.gov/s/
To file a claim by telephone number:
502-875-0442
Louisiana
General Information:
https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/vosnet/Default.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/vosnet/Default.aspx
To file a claim by telephone number:
866-783-5567
Maine
General Information:
https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/claimants/
To file a claim online:
https://reemployme.maine.gov/accessme/faces/login/login_local.xhtml
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.maine.gov/labor/contact/index.html
Maryland
General Information:
http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/unemployment.shtml
To file a claim online:
http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/unemployment.shtml
To file a claim by telephone:
http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/officenum.shtml
Massachusetts
General Information:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance
To file a claim online:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance
Michigan
General Information:
To file a claim online:
https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/uia/uia-resources-for-claimants
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.michigan.gov/helpinghand/unemployment
Minnesota
General Information:
To file a claim online:
http://www.uimn.org/uimn/applicants/index.jsp
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.uimn.org/applicants/howapply/index.jsp
Mississippi
General Information:
https://www.mdes.ms.gov/unemployment-claims/claims-information/
To file a claim online:
https://www.mdes.ms.gov/unemployment-claims/claims-information/
To file a claim by telephone:
601-493-9427
Missouri
General Information:
https://labor.mo.gov/unemployed-workers
To file a claim online:
https://uinteract.labor.mo.gov/benefits/home.do
To file a claim by telephone:
https://labor.mo.gov/contact-labor
Montana
General Information:
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
406-444-2545
Nebraska
General Information:
https://dol.nebraska.gov/UIBenefits
To file a claim online:
https://neworks.nebraska.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
855-995-8863
Nevada
General Information:
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
https://ui.nv.gov/uinv_contact_us.htm
New Hampshire
General Information:
https://www.nhes.nh.gov/services/claimants/index.htm
To file a claim online:
https://nhuis.nh.gov/claimant/
To file a claim by telephone (out-of-state):
assistance is available by phone at 800-266-2252 (choose Option #4)
Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm EST
New Jersey
General Information:
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/
To file a claim online:
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/howtoapply/index.shtml
To file a claim by telephone:
https://myunemployment.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment/before/about/howtoapply/applybyphone.shtml
New Mexico
General Information:
http://www.dws.state.nm.us/en-us/
To file a claim online:
http://www.dws.state.nm.us/en-us/
To file a claim by telephone:
877-NM-4-MY-UI (877-664-6984)
New York
General Information:
https://labor.ny.gov/unemploymentassistance.shtm
To file a claim online:
https://applications.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/
To file a claim by telephone:
https://labor.ny.gov/ui/claimantinfo/ContactInfo.shtm
North Carolina
General Information:
https://des.nc.gov/apply-unemployment/before-you-apply
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
888-737-0259
North Dakota
General Information:
https://www.jobsnd.com/unemployment-individuals
To file a claim online:
http://www.jobsnd.com/unemployment-for-individuals
To file a claim by telephone:
701-328-4995
Ohio
General Information:
https://unemployment.ohio.gov/PublicSelfServiceChoice.html
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
877-644-6562
Oklahoma
General Information:
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
405-525-1500
Oregon
General Information:
https://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/Unemployment/Pages/default.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://secure.emp.state.or.us/ocs4/index.cfm?u=F20161026A115006B48721263.5255&lang=E
Pennsylvania
General Information:
http://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/Pages/default.aspx
To file a claim online:
http://www.uc.pa.gov/unemployment-benefits/file/Pages/File%20an%20Initial%20Claim.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
http://www.uc.pa.gov/pages/contact-us-uc-benefits-info.aspx
Puerto Rico
General Information:
https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/desempleo_en_linea.asp
To file a claim online:
https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/desempleo_en_linea.asp
To file a claim by telephone:
https://www.trabajo.pr.gov/contactenos.asp
Rhode Island
General Information:
To file a claim online:
To file a claim by telephone:
401-243-9100
South Carolina
General Information:
To file a claim online:
https://dew.sc.gov/applying-benefits
To file a claim by telephone (out-of-state):
800-529-8339
South Dakota
General Information:
https://dlr.sd.gov/ra/default.aspx
To file a claim online:
https://dlr.sd.gov/ra/individuals/file_claim.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
605-626-3179 (between 8am and 4:20pm CT)
Tennessee
General Information:
https://www.tn.gov/workforce/unemployment.html
To file a claim online:
https://www.tn.gov/workforce/unemployment.html
To file a claim by telephone:
844-224-5818
Texas
General Information:
https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services
To file a claim online:
https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services#applyForBenefits
To file a claim by telephone:
800-939-6631
U.S. Virgin Islands
General Information:
https://www.vidol.gov/unemployment-insurance-overview/
Utah
General Information:
https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/home/
To file a claim online:
https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/initialclaims/welcome.aspx
To file a claim by telephone:
https://jobs.utah.gov/ui/jobseeker/contactus.html
Vermont
General Information:
https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance/
To file a claim online:
https://labor.vermont.gov/unemployment-insurance/ui-claimants/establishing-unemployment-claim
To file a claim by telephone:
877-214-3330
Virginia
General Information:
https://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed
To file a claim online:
https://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed/online-services/apply-for-unemployment-benefits
To file a claim by telephone:
866-832-2363
Washington
General Information:
https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment
To file a claim online:
https://secure.esd.wa.gov/home/
To file a claim by telephone:
800-318-6022
West Virginia
General Information:
https://workforcewv.org/individuals/
To file a claim online:
https://workforcewv.org/individuals/claimants/
To file a claim by telephone:
800-252-JOBS (5627)
Wisconsin
General Information:
To file a claim online:
https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/
To file a claim by telephone:
https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/services.htm#help
Wyoming
General Information:
https://wyui.wyo.gov/benefits/home.do
To file a claim online:
https://wyui.wyo.gov/benefits/home.do
To file a claim by telephone:
In-State: 307-473-3789
Out-of-State: 866-729-7799