Oregon Unemployment

In May, the unemployment rate for Oregon rose to a seasonally adjusted 12.4%, which is a full 3% above the national average. Unemployment rates range from a low in Gilliam County of 9.3% to a whopping 20.9% rate for Crook County. Odds are that if you live in Oregon you are either directly or indirectly impacted by unemployment.

The state of Oregon provides unemployment insurance benefits to provide temporary relief so you don’t have to worry about financial commitments while you are seeking employment. It is a benefit that is available for you if you are out of work and did everything within your power to keep your job. If you quit or were fired, chances are you will not qualify for unemployment benefits.

Whether or not you qualify for unemployment depends on how much money you made during what is called a base year. It is the first four of the last five calendar quarters previous to the time you file your initial application. A new law in Oregon, which went into effect July 1, provides for an Alternate Base Year, which is the most recent four calendar quarters previous to the time you file your claim.

In order to be eligible for Oregon unemployment benefits, your total income during the base period must be at least one and a half times the wages in the base period and at least $1,000 in income from subject employment. Or, you must have worked 500 hours of subject employment. If you do not qualify for benefits using your base year then you can use your alternate base year instead. If you were unable to work during periods of your base year due to illness or injury, you can check with the Oregon Employment Department about extending the time frame.

When you become unemployed, it is important to file for benefits as soon as you can. Due to the high volume of applications, it may take the department a few days to process yours. After you meet all the eligibility requirements and have filed a claim, you will have what is called a waiting week, when you will not be receiving benefits. If the Employment Department requests any information from you it is important to respond right away to avoid delays in payments.

Once you apply for unemployment, you must claim your benefits every week. When one week ends on Saturday at midnight, you have until the end of the following Saturday to file. You can claim online at www.WorkingInOregon.org/ocs, a quick and easy way to file. You can also file by telephone using numbers that are provided in the Claimant Handbook which you’ll receive after filing your initial claim.

To be eligible for weekly benefits, you must be unemployed, capable of performing work, available for work, and you must be diligently looking for work. When you are unemployed, it is no time to be picky about what hours you work, so you must be willing and able to work during the time frames that are normal to the type of work you are looking for. You must also stay in the region where you live for most of the week unless you are seeking work somewhere else.