| Filing unemployment insurance online saves time and effort |
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| Online Claim System faster than calling |
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What’s the fastest way to file your Oregon Unemployment Claim? Filing online is undoubtedly the fastest method for most people, especially if all your work was performed in Oregon.
Oregon’s Online Claim System is easy, fast, and secure. The system leads you through each question, step by step, and it even advises you if you have made a mistake. Most of the questions have YES or NO answers, plus easily understood HELP information is available with the click of your mouse.
You can file a new claim and a lot more: you can file weekly claims, restart a claim after a reporting break, view of your claim status, change your address, and sign up for electronic deposit.
Filing a new claim online takes about 30 minutes. Submitting an Internet weekly claim takes significantly less time than using the telephone and it virtually eliminates late and incomplete reports (and delays in payments caused by them).
Plus, your sensitive information is encrypted, and normal firewall protection prevents your information from being stolen.
An online claim means no more waiting for an open telephone line due to busy signals during the busy part of the week. You can access our Internet Weekly Claims anytime - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here is a link to the system at www.workinginoregon.org/ocs.
It is helpful to have the following information ready when filing a new claim:
- Your Social Security Number.
- Your work history for the last 18 months, including dates of employment, your employers' business names, addresses and phone numbers.
- If you worked for a Federal (non-military) employer, you may find this information on an SF-8 or SF-50.
- Your salary and total income from each employer.
- If you are not a citizen of the United States, you will need your Alien Registration Number and documentation.
- Phone number where you can be reached during normal business hours (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Pacific Time).
For people who do not have Internet access, several resources are still available. WorkSource Centers throughout Oregon offer dedicated computers for filing online and many public libraries have free public access to the Internet. Here is a link to the WorkSource Centers.
Some types of claims are too complex for the Online Claim System to handle. Here is a list of situations where you will need to call one of our Unemployment Insurance Centers in order to file:
- You performed 90 days or more of active duty service for a branch of the military in the last 18 months, other than training with a National Guard or reserve unit.
- You filed an unemployment claim against another state within the last twelve months.
- You have not worked in Oregon in the past 18 months.
- You worked as a merchant seaman in the last 18 months.
- You are currently outside of the United States.
Oregon historically experiences its highest level of unemployment during the winter months. When this occurs, call volume to the Employment Department’s Unemployment Insurance Center can double, resulting in longer-than-normal wait times.
For individuals without access to the Internet or with complex claims, calling the Unemployment Insurance Center during non-peak hours can help. The Unemployment Insurance Center receives its highest call volume on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is recommended individuals call in on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays. Phone numbers for the Unemployment Insurance Centers are: (877) 877-1781 in the Portland metro area; (877) 728-7970 in the southwest part of the state; or, (800) 663-7914 east of the Cascades.
The Oregon Employment Department works to support Oregonians during times of unemployment. Job seekers can find a full range of employment services at the department’s WorkSource Centers throughout the state. For more information, visit the department’s Web site at www.WorkingInOregon.org. Also located on the Web site is in-depth information about unemployment insurance, including a frequently asked questions section.
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