Unemployment Benefits & Workforce

Unemployment Benefits & Workforce

If your employment has been affected by Covid-19, you can apply for unemployment benefits using the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED) online portal. To find guidelines on when to apply, applicable forms, FAQ's for employees and employers, and more, please visit this link.

Temporary Additional Compensation

DEED authorized the first payments of the temporary additional compensation of $600/week for people receiving unemployment benefits. You don't need to contact DEED or do anything additional; if you receive unemployment you will also automatically receive an additional $600 for every week you remain eligible.

• The first week for which you can get the additional $600 is the week beginning March 29th, continuing through July 31st.

• You can request the week of March 29th on or after April 5th.

• You can also find step-by-step guides on how to apply for benefits for employees, how to apply for benefits for self-employed people, and how to request payment

New Filing Schedule

Due to the high volume of applications, MN DEED is now asking new applicants to apply on an assigned day of the week based on the last digit of their social security number. The schedule can be found on the application portal here.

• Social Security Numbers (SSN) ending in 0, 1, or 2 are being asked to file claims on Mondays.

• Social Security Numbers (SSN) ending in 3, 4, or 5 are being asked to file claims on Tuesdays.

• Social Security Numbers (SSN) ending in 6, 7, 8, or 9 are being asked to file claims on Wednesdays.

• Social Security Numbers (SSN) ending in any number are being asked to file claims on Thursdays and Fridays.

Information and resources for workers can be found here, while resources for employers can be found here.The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has also published worker rights and protections related to Covid-19, more info can be found at their website here.

Resources for Self Employed Workers

DEED is waiting on further federal guidance on two additional parts of the CARES Act and will provide updates as soon as they have more information, including:

• A new benefit program for some independent contractors and self-employed people who are unemployed as a result of COVID-19 and who are NOT eligible for regular unemployment benefits.

• The 13-week unemployment benefit extension.

If you would like to submit an application for unemployment benefits before we receive federal guidance, please follow this guide specifically for self-employed workers. After that, DEED will notify you if they need additional information from you.

If you are self-employed and you have already applied for unemployment benefits, don't worry. They will review your account and will notify you if they need additional information from you.

Be sure to monitor your account. If you see a link to request a benefit payment, submit a request for each week you are not working.

Application Assistance via Call Center (651-296-3644)

Finally, DEED has fully reopened their call lines to assist with questions about your account, password resets and help completing your application – but they are asking people to call on certain days and times depending on their needs:

• If you have a question about your account, call Monday - Thursday, between 8 am - 2 pm.

• If you need help applying for unemployment benefits, call Friday between 8 am - 4:30 pm.

• If you need help with your password, call anytime during business hours.

DEED's team is receiving around 800 calls per hour, so you should expect long wait times on the phones.

As always, uimn.org will remain your best starting point for information and they're continually updating it with new information and answers to your questions in English, Español, Hmoob and Somali.