New Jersey Unemployment Guide

As the coronavirus sweeps across the country, the unemployment rate is skyrocketing in every state. If you have lost your job in New Jersey, apply for unemployment benefits at the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Learn about how unemployment claims relating to COVID-19 will be handled in New Jersey.

As of the end of June 2020, approximately 30 million people are collecting unemployment. This figure includes the millions of employees who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 and the steps state and local governments have taken to contain it, from orders shutting down nonessential businesses to shelter-in-place restrictions, school closures, and more. It also includes millions of gig workers, contractors, and self-employed people who are collecting unemployment benefits through the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. 

If You Are Still Employed: You may be eligible for emergency paid sick leave or paid family leave under a new federal law, the Families First Coronavirus Act. Some states also provide paid time off that may be available to you. See Am I Entitled to Paid Sick Leave, Family Leave, or Vacation Time in New Jersey to learn more about these programs. 

How Unemployment Programs Are Adapting to COVID-19

Federal and state governments are rapidly making changes to their unemployment programs, to ensure that more people who are out of work receive benefits more quickly.

Federal CARES Act Expands Benefits to Workers in New Jersey

Congress has passed a $2 trillion stimulus package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act, which greatly expands the nation's unemployment compensation program. Employees eligible for unemployment in New Jersey will receive an additional $600 per week of federally-funded benefits, on top of what New Jersey already pays. These additional benefits will be available through July 31, 2020. And, unemployed individuals who run out of state-funded benefits will receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits, available through December 31, 2020.

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In response to the coronavirus outbreak, some states are imposing restrictions on people gathering in public locations. This may affect your ability to access physical offices of the the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development in person. Check New Jersey's unemployment insurance agency website for more information. And, read on to find out how you can file for unemployment insurance benefits in New Jersey online or by phone.

If You Are Still Employed: You may be eligible for emergency paid sick leave or paid family leave under a new federal law, the Families First Coronavirus Act. Some states also provide paid time off that may be available to you. See Am I Entitled to Paid Sick Leave, Family Leave, or Vacation Time in New Jersey to learn more about these programs. 

New Jersey's unemployment insurance agency website gives you the information you need to apply for unemployment insurance in New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s website tells you:

• What information you’ll need on hand to apply for unemployment insurance benefits
• How to apply online for unemployment insurance benefits
• How to file for benefits if you don’t want to file online
• How to reach the agency's Reemployment Call Center for help
• How to calculate the amount of unemployment insurance benefits you can receive, and
• What to do to keep receiving unemployment insurance benefits in New Jersey.

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You qualify for unemployment benefits in New Jersey if you meet two basic requirements:

• you must have earned at least a minimum amount in the time before you lost your job, and
• you must be out of work through no fault of your own.

If you meet these two qualifications when you apply, you will likely be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. (To keep receiving benefits after you are found eligible, you will also have to meet your state’s job search requirements; to learn more, see What Do I Have to Do to Keep Receiving Unemployment Benefits in New Jersey?)

Coronavirus Update: In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES" Act, which we cover here), which greatly expands eligibility for unemployment. (Learn about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provides benefits to gig workers, freelancers, and others who aren't eligible for traditional unemployment benefits.) A number of states are also easing their eligibility rules to ensure that more people who are out of work due to COVID-19 qualify for unemployment benefits.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has created a resource page for workers on the coronavirus, including resources on unemployment benefits. For the latest information, be sure to look at the  New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website.

In response to COVID-19, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has closed all One-Stop Career Center offices through March 30, and in-person unemployment services at One-Stops is suspended. You must file online to apply for unemployment insurance benefits.

 

Eligibility Requirement 1: Minimum Earnings

In every state, unemployment benefits are available only to those who are temporarily out of work. If you apply after being out of the workforce for years, for example, you won’t qualify for benefits. You must have been employed relatively recently, and earned at least a minimum amount, to be eligible.

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On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion stimulus package that pumps money into many areas of our economy that have been impacted by COVID-19, including unemployment benefits. Read on to learn how the CARES Act affects those who are out of work in New Jersey.

More New Jersey Workers Are Eligible for Benefits

In every state, employees qualify for benefits if they are temporarily out of work through no fault of their own. However, prior to the CARES Act, some categories of workers could not get benefits, including independent contractors (freelancers, gig workers, and the self-employed). The CARES Act authorizes the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which makes these workers eligible for unemployment for the first time during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Part-time workers would also be eligible for benefits under this new program, even if state law does not ordinarily allow them to collect benefits. And, workers who do not have a sufficient work history to qualify for benefits under New Jersey's usual eligibility rules might still qualify.

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In New Jersey, you can earn up to $713 per week in unemployment benefits under state law. Under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the "CARES Act"), Congress has authorized an additional $600 in benefits per week, on top of your state benefit amount. These additional benefits, called federal pandemic unemployment compensation, expire on July 31, 2020.

Every state has its own rules for calculating unemployment benefits. Typically, the amount you receive each week is based on your earnings when you were employed. After all, unemployment benefits are intended to replace some of the income you lost along with your job, and tide you over until you find new work.

Calculating Your Benefit Amount

Your weekly unemployment benefit amount depends on your earnings during the base period.

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In New Jersey, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law. 

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In response to the coronavirus outbreak, federal and state governments are rapidly making changes to their unemployment programs, to ensure that more people who are out of work receive benefits more quickly. These changes may affect waiting periods, job search requirements, and availability of benefits to those who are still working part time. These changes include the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act, which greatly expands the nation's unemployment compensation program, including continuation of benefits. Keep in mind that you are entitled to an additional 13 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits under the federal CARES Act after your state benefits are exhausted if you are unemployed due to COVID-19.

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In order to collect unemployment, you must meet two basic requirements. First, you must have earned at least a minimum amount, set by state law, in the time before you lost your job. Second, you must be out of work through no fault of your own. For more information about these requirements, see Who is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in New Jersey?

If you lose your job in a layoff, reduction-in-force (RIF), or downsizing, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. But, these are not the only ways that employees lose their jobs. Your eligibility for benefits depends upon the reason you become unemployed. 

If You Were Fired for Misconduct

Generally-speaking, if you are terminated, you can collect unemployment insurance benefits in New Jersey. But, there is an exception to that general rule in New Jersey:

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If the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development denies you unemployment insurance benefits, you can appeal. After you file your initial claim for unemployment benefits, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development will send you a written determination of your eligibility for benefits and, if it finds you eligible, how much you will receive in benefits. But, if the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development finds that you are not eligible for benefits or grants you benefits in a lower amount than you believe you are entitled to, you can appeal that decision. And, if the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development finds you eligible to receive benefits, your ex-employer can appeal that decision.

If you want to appeal the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development decision, check the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website and handbook for:

• Any forms and instructions for filing your appeal
• The deadline for filing your appeal
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Having your own lawyer to represent you in the unemployment insurance benefits process in New Jersey will level the playing field for you—because your ex-employer will be represented. Your ex-employer is almost certainly going to have a lawyer or two offering guidance through the New Jersey unemployment process. This legal advice can give your ex-employer an edge over you in the process, especially if they intend to challenge your claim for benefits. Your own lawyer can:

• Help you figure out if you are eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in New Jersey
• Tell you if your employer’s stated reason for terminating you is valid and will bar benefits
• Guide you through New Jersey’s unemployment insurance benefits claim process
• Advise you on how to keep receiving unemployment insurance benefits, and
• Assist you if you need to appeal a denial of unemployment insurance benefits by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development

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If you have a straightforward unemployment claim, you will likely be able to file for unemployment benefits on your own, without any help from a lawyer. Your claim is relatively simple if you can easily meet the New Jersey earnings requirements to qualify for benefits, and you and your employer agree that you lost your job through no fault of your own (for example, because you were laid off or had to quit when your military spouse was transferred to another state).

But if your case is more complicated, it might make sense to consult with or hire an unemployment lawyer to represent you. An unemployment lawyer can help you if you are facing any of the situations described below.

1. Your Employer Claims You Were Fired for Misconduct

In New Jersey, you will be disqualified from receiving benefits if you are fired for misconduct. The state classifies misconduct as simple, severe, and gross. The disqualification period is shortest for simple misconduct and longest for gross misconduct. For more information, see Requirements for Payment: Fired. 

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If you may be (or already have been) denied unemployment benefits in New Jersey, you may be wondering whether you need a lawyer -- and whether you can afford to hire a lawyer to help with your unemployment case. (If you're wondering what a lawyer can do for you, check out Five Ways an Unemployment Lawyer Can Help You.) It all depends on your financial situation and how (and how much) the attorney charges. In some situations, an unemployment attorney may be willing to offer you a contingency fee arrangement. This means the lawyer gets paid only if you win, out of the money you receive as a settlement or award. 

Below, we explain some typical attorney fee arrangements in unemployment cases. 

Initial Consultation

Your first step in choosing an attorney – and deciding whether it makes sense to fight your employer in an unemployment claim, appeal, or lawsuit – is an initial consultation. The initial consultation provides you and the attorney an opportunity to decide whether and how you will work together. 

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