CLAIMANT HANDBOOK

A Guide to Unemployment Benefits

OES-339 (Rev. 02-2024)

Table of Contents

2 Contact OESC

3 Unemployment Insurance (UI)

4 Unemployment Compensation

5 Weekly Certifications

6 Ineligible for Benefits & Appeals

7 Reemployment Services

8 Employment & Training Programs

9 Work Search Form

OESC is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxilliary aids and services

are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Contact OESC
For general information or to file a claim:

Give us a call:
Mon. - Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Visit us in-person:
405-525-1500 Mon. - Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Find your nearest office at:
Visit us online: oklahoma.gov/oesc/locations
oklahoma.gov/oesc

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 2

Unemployment Insurance (UI)
What is Unemployment Insurance? Eligibility Criteria
The intent of Unemployment Insurance is to pay benefits To qualify for unemployment benefits, claimants must
to eligible individuals during periods of unemployment perform or meet the below criteria:
when suitable work is not available.
Be monetarily eligible
Unemployment Insurance is a temporary income
intended to help workers who are unemployed through Claimants must have earned a minimum of $1,500 during
no fault of their own. It is an insurance paid by liable their base period and have total wages of one and one-
employers. Deductions are NOT made from employee half times their highest quarter.
wages to pay Unemployment Insurance.
Be unemployed through no fault of their
own
Unemployment Insurance Fraud Claimants must have lost their job through no fault of
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission their own, such as a layoff or reduction in hours or pay
is responsible for protecting the integrity of the not related to performance.
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Individuals
who commit fraud are subject to possible criminal Be able, available and seeking work
prosecution, fines and imprisonment. Claimants must be able and available to work,
Fraud, for Unemployment Insurance purposes, is and actively seek work by performing the required
knowingly making a false statement, misrepresenting number of work searches each week. Work searches
a material fact or withholding information to obtain must be documented and tracked.
unemployment benefits. Any statement made to obtain
unemployment benefits will be verified. Individuals Register for work
found to be overpaid due to fraudulent actions will be Claimants must register for a job seeker account on
required to repay benefits plus penalty and interest, and okjobmatch.com and complete/upload and publish
possibly be denied future benefits. their resume. Failing to publish a resume will stop
unemployment benefts from being issued..

Verify identity
Identity verification is required prior to filing a claim for
unemployment and will be required every 90 days when
receiving or filing for unemployment benefits.

Unemployment Insurance tax is paid by liable

employers and is based on wages and separations. This
tax does not come out of employee paychecks.

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 3

Unemployment Compensation
Monetary Determination Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)
After filing an initial claim for unemployment benefits, The weekly benefit amount is one twenty-third (1/23) of
claimants will receive a "Monetary Determination" for the highest quarter of taxable wages in the base period,
unemployment benefits. This determination will show: not to exceed the maximum weekly benefit amount
allowed by Oklahoma law.
• The employers that paid unemployment taxes
on eligible wages during the base period. Taxable wages are those wages during the base period
that are subject to unemployment tax. This is a tax paid
• The start date of the benefit year, which is the Sunday
by employers and is not taken from employee paychecks.
of the week the claim was filed, with the end date
being the Saturday of the same week one year later. For 2024, the maximum WBA is
• The weekly benefit amount. capped at $519.00.
• The maximum benefit amount.
Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA)
• Any additional relevant information.
Typically, individuals are able to receive benefits for up to
16 weeks as established by state law; although, in some
Receiving Payments cases this can vary.
Benefits are issued by an outside company, Conduent.
All eligible individuals will be mailed a debit card Base Period
after the waiting period, or first week of benefits, is Base periods are the 12-month period consisting of the
served. Unemployment payments will be issued to first four of the last five completed calendar quarters
this debit card, but individuals may elect to have funds before the effective date of the claim. Once a monetarily
automatically transferred to their personal bank after eligible claim is established, the base period cannot be
receiving and activating this card. changed. For base period purposes, quarters change

Please keep in mind the debit card is valid for three years; after the first Sunday in the quarter.

however, automatic transfers will be deactivated after six 1st quarter—January, February, March
months of inactivity. 2nd quarter—April, May, June

A new card will not automatically be mailed to individuals 3rd quarter—July, August, September

who were previously issued a debit card which has 4th quarter—October, November, December

not expired.

For payment inquiries or to set up automatic transfers, Example

contact Conduent at:
If the highest calendar quarter of taxable wages during
• (866) 320-8699 the base period is $14,000, divide that by 23 which would
• goprogram.com be $608.70. Since this exceeds the maximum allowed by
law, the weekly benefit amount would be adjusted to the
maximum allowed.
Don't share your PIN with anyone!

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 4

Weekly Certifications
Work searches should be for work the claimant is willing
Claiming or Getting Benefits and qualified to do, pay that they are willing to accept
After filing an initial unemployment claim, claimants and in the area that they are willing to work
must submit weekly certifications for each week
All work search efforts are subject to verification if
unemployed to receive benefits. Weekly certifications are
selected for an audit. Failure to make the required
applicable to the previous week, so the earliest day to file
number of work searches each week will result in a
for benefits is the Sunday after a week of unemployment.
denial of benefits and possible overpayment.
Weekly certifications must be submitted within 14 days
of the week ending date. Work search efforts to the same employer for the same
role or position may only be repeated every four weeks.
When filing a weekly certification, be prepared with the
Claimants may search for different roles or positions
following:
with the same employer, as desired. If employer initiates
• Social Security Number and/or e-mail address a second interview and the claimant completes the
interview, the second interview may be considered a
• Personal Identification Number (PIN) and/or password
work search effort for the claimant.
• Information on any earnings, including paid time off
Individuals on a temporary layoff with a return-to-work
and severance pay, as well as the number of hours
date may be exempt for work searches.
worked if working part-time.
Individuals that are a member of a union with a hiring
The Claimant's Social Security Number is required to
hall will be required to contact their hiring hall for work
file an unemployment claim. OESC shares information
each week
with various Federal and State agencies for the
administration of their programs. For more information about work searches, view
Oklahoma Admin. Code 240:10-3-20
Claimants are responsible for keeping their contact
information up to date with OESC.
Working While Receiving Benefits
Filing by phone Any employment MUST be reported when filing for
When filing weekly certifications by phone, listen to unemployment benefits. This includes full-time, part-
the entire question before entering a response. time, temporary, short-term or cash-in-hand (babysitting
Trying to enter a response before the system prompts or mowing lawns) work.
an answer may start the question over or result in an Claimants must report ANY and ALL wages earned
incorrect selection. before deductions, including commission, bonuses,
cash or anything of value the week its earned, NOT the
Work Search Requirements week its received. Notify OESC where new employment
To receive unemployment benefits, claimants are is found.
required to perform a minimum of two work search
efforts for each week unemployed.

Work searches should be documented using

okjobmatch.com or with the work search log found
When returning to full-time
online in the "Additional Resources" section at employment, simply stop filing
oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals. An example work search weekly certifications.
log can be found on the last page of this handbook.

All individuals who received unemployment benefits will receive a 1099-G.

These forms will be mailed out by January 31st of the following year and
will need to be included with income tax filings.

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 5

Ineligible for Benefits & Appeals
Ineligible for Benefits Preparing for an Appeal
If there is an issue or "stop" on a claim, it can take some When filing an appeal, have the following information
time for OESC to thoroughly investigate and determine ready:
eligibility. The investigation often involves notifying
• Full legal name
the previous employer and requesting job separation
• Social security number
information or other details. Once the investigation is
complete, a determination will be mailed to the claimant • Phone number
stating the results of the investigation. Claimants, as well
• Date of determination
as employers who are an interested party, can appeal this
decision if they disagree. • Section of law you are appealing
(found on the determination)

Filing an Appeal • A detailed explanation of why you disagree

with the decision
Parties have 10 calendar days from the mailing date of
the determination to appeal the determination. After an appeal has been filed, parties will be mailed
a Notice of Appeal with copies of all pertinent claim
If the tenth day falls on a weekend or state holiday, the
information. After the hearing has been set, parties will
deadline will be the following business day.
be mailed a Notice of Hearing. Parties must register
If the determination includes an overpayment, claimants before the deadline to attend the hearing. Failure to
have 20 days after the mailing date of the determination participate in the appeals hearing may result in a denial
to file an appeal. If the overpayment is a result of a of benefits!
determination, individuals must appeal both the
overpayment and the determination.

Appeals can be filed online, by mail, fax, phone or

email. The mailing address, fax number, telephone
number and email address will be listed on the Notice of
Determination.

Individuals must continue filing their weekly certifications while

in the appeals process! If found eligible for benefits after an
appeal has completed, all eligible weeks submitted will be paid.
Any weeks without a weekly certification will not be paid.

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 6

Reemployment Services
OESC offices across the state offer free services and
Services for Veterans
resources to help job seekers through the stress of filing
unemployment, finding and applying for a job, prepping OESC can also provide personalized career services
for an interview or even gathering information about for eligible veterans and spouses through the Jobs for
entering a new career field. Veterans State Grant (JVSG). The JVSG team is comprised
solely of veterans and are stationed throughout the
Available resources and services: state. As veterans serving veterans, they provide real
• Access to computers and printers world experience of transitioning from the military and
entering the civilian workforce, while undergoing training
• Career guidance, counseling and planning
to understand the full array of resources and services
• Job fair, job listings and recruitment information available to veterans to succeed in the 21st century

• Job search, referrals and placement assistance workforce.

• Labor market research and information Through this program, veterans may receive one-on-
one career guidance and assistance. This may include
• Information and referral to partner services and
referrals to community or government resources, job
community resources
referrals or even connecting veterans directly to hiring
• Self-service job search through the state's job board: managers.
www.okjobmatch.com

• Youth and senior employment programs

• Job readiness preparation and coaching

• Veteran employment services

• Work Opportunity Tax Credit precertification Required Appointments

• Federal Bonding program registration The Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment
(RESEA) program provides reemployment assistance to
• Training and apprenticeship opportunities
Unemployment Insurance claimants who may not be
able to return to their previous occupation or industry
Additional Resources and Services and, as a result, may run out of unemployment benefits.
OESC is part of a statewide partnership with other Selected participants will have the opportunity to
state agencies and organizations that provide various work with a RESEA specialist to assist participants with
types of services and resources to aid individuals with returning to work as quickly as possible.
gaining employment. Visit any OESC office to learn more Individuals who are selected for this program will be
about the training and employment resources available notifed by mail, and must attend all appointments to
through partner agencies. receive unemployment benefits.

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 7

Employment & Training Programs
Work Opportunity Tax Credit Approved Training
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a tax credit offered Work search efforts may be waived for unemployment
to employers as an incentive to hire individuals who are claimants in an approved training program.
members of certain groups, which have traditionally
faced significant barriers to employment. The credit is Types of approved training:
used to reduce the federal tax liability of private/for-profit • Regular approved training: No monetary assistance
employers. is given to defray school costs, but work search
requirements will be replaced with satisfactory
Federal Bonding attendance and progress in training.
Many employers carry insurance to protect themselves • Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
against employee theft or dishonesty. When such approved training: In some instances, state agencies
commercial insurance is denied because of an may be able to offset portions of tuition.
individual’s background, the employer often denies a job
• Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) approved training.
to that person. The Federal Bonding program fills this
gap by offering fidelity bonding to employers who hire
at-risk job applicants. This program is offered at no cost
to job seekers or employers.

Trade Adjustment Assistance

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a federal program
that provides assistance to workers who lose their jobs,
or whose work hours are reduced, as a result of increased
imports. Under this program, individuals may qualify to
receive allowances for training, job search, and relocation
if their company is certified as "trade impacted".

Learn more about employment and training programs by visiting

an OESC office or by going online to
www.oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals/programs

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 8

Work Search Form

For additional copies of the work search form go to oklahoma.gov/oesc/individuals.

Claimant Handbook: A Guide to Unemployment Benefits 9