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Division of Unemployment Insurance

Information you'll need to apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits

To save time, get the following information ready before you start your application.

Do you want to apply online?

In order to apply online for Unemployment Insurance benefits, you must have:

• Worked only in New Jersey in the last 18 months, or
• Worked in New Jersey and any other state(s) in the last 18 months, or
• Worked for the federal government and in New Jersey in the last 18 months, or
• Served in the military in the last 18 months and be physically present in New Jersey.

If you were a maritime employee in the last 18 months or you live outside of the United States, you must apply by phone.

Ready to start? Gather the following information:

• Social Security Number
• Alien Registration Number (if you are not a US citizen).
• Your NJ driver’s license or NJ non-driver identification number
• Pension information (if you are receiving any pension or 401k)
• Amount and duration of any separation pay you may be receiving
• Recall date (if you expect to be recalled to your job)
• Union hiring hall information, including local number and address (if you get work through a union)
• Military Form DD-214 (if you were in the military in the last 18 months)
• Form SF-8 or SF-50 (if you were a federal employee)
• Your bank account number and routing number (if you plan to get your benefits through direct deposit)

IMPORTANT: If you applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance after December 27, 2020, you had to submit documentation demonstrating that you were working or about to commence employment/self-employment before the pandemic, such as a paystub, W-2, or 1099. You would have received an email requesting this information after you applied. Learn more here.

You may also need to provide additional information to verify your identity, such as a driver’s license or passport. Learn more here.

Next, get ready the following information about your employer(s):

For each employer that you worked for in the last 18 months, provide the following:

• Complete name and address of employer
• Employer's telephone number
• Your occupation with that employer
• Beginning and ending dates of employment
• Reason for separation

• Create an online account
• File your claim online
• Check your mail
• Verify your identity
• Start your job search
• Certify for weekly benefits
• Add qualifying dependents to your claim
• Adjust your tax withholding
• Attend our scheduled appointments
• Get more help