West Virginia unemployment benefits are available to eligible workers who meet specific criteria as defined by WorkForce West Virginia. These ongoing eligibility requirements ensure that benefits are provided to those genuinely in need of support.
Each week, claimants must file a weekly claim to ensure they remain eligible for WV unemployment insurance. By diligently certifying their eligibility, West Virginians can ensure a timely receipt of their weekly unemployment benefit, providing a valuable safety net during periods of joblessness.
If you’re partially or totally unemployed, you’ll continue to file weekly until your benefits run out, verifying your ongoing unemployment status and documenting your work search activities.
How to file a WV unemployment weekly claim
In West Virginia, weekly unemployment claims must be filed between Sunday and Friday of the week following your unemployed period. Claims should be completed by 5:00 pm each Friday.
There are three ways to file your weekly claim: Online or in person at your local Workforce West Virginia office. You are no longer able to certify over the phone.
File a weekly claim online
In West Virginia, the fastest and preferred way to submit your weekly certification is by logging in to your Workforce WV online account. Simply select “To file your weekly certification for benefits” and follow the prompts.
File a weekly claim in person
If you don’t have access to a computer and the internet, you can visit your local Workforce WV in person.
What is the weekly certification process?
West Virginia workers must answer a series of questions each week before they will receive their weekly unemployment compensation.
You are required to:
- Verify that you are able and available for work
- Very that you are actively searching for work by documenting work search activities
- Report any job offers that you refused
- Report any earnings for the week
Work search requirements
A major part of the weekly certification is proving that you are looking for work. This work search requirement shows the claimant’s commitment to return to the workforce and is a key aspect of the unemployment insurance process. Learn more about the WV unemployment work search requirements.
How to accurately report your earnings
When claiming UI benefits in West Virginia, you must report all earnings each week, even if you’re only engaged in part-time work.
- Record your income for the week in which you actually earned it, not when you received the payment.
- Always report your gross wages, the total amount before taxes and deductions, rather than your net take-home earnings.
Consider this scenario: You have a two-week pay period ending May 28, working 15 hours each week at $15 per hour. Your gross earnings for the week ending May 21 amount to $225 ($15 X 15 = $225). It’s very important to report these earnings in the week you worked, ensuring accurate weekly unemployment benefit calculations. Failure to do so may result in charges of WV unemployment fraud.
When will I get paid?
After submitting your weekly claim, it takes 4 days to receive your payment. You can choose to receive your money on a debit card or direct deposit. The fastest way to receive your money is through direct deposit.
Direct Deposit
Direct deposit is an easy way to get your unemployment money straight into your checking account. If you want your payments faster, going with direct deposit is a good idea. But remember, you can switch from direct deposit to a debit card once a year if you change your mind. Just make sure you get your bank details right to avoid any delays with your payments. If something goes wrong, call WorkForce WV right away.
Debit Card
You can also get your payments through a debit card. WorkForce WV will give you a KeyBank Mastercard debit card that you can use like any other debit card. Just keep in mind, once you choose the debit card, you can’t switch to direct deposit until the year is up.
If there’s a problem with your claim, you won’t get the debit card until they confirm you’re eligible for unemployment benefits. If you’re approved, your first payment might come as a check instead. If your weekly claim is denied for some reason, you have the right to file an appeal.
Understanding the Waiting week
You don’t get paid for the first time that you file a weekly claim. This is known as the waiting week.
The waiting week in the West Virginia unemployment process is the initial week when you file your claim, but no UI benefit is paid. Although no funds are disbursed during this period, you’re still required to file a claim and fulfill the work search requirements to maintain your eligibility status.
Do I have to pay taxes?
Yes, you have to pay taxes on your WV unemployment insurance compensation. It’s considered income, so both the federal and state government will want their cut. Workforce WV can take out 10% for federal taxes and 3% for state taxes from each of your payments. Otherwise, you must pay taxes on your UI benefits at the end of the year.
When it’s time to file your taxes, WorkForce West Virginia will send you a 1099-G form. This form shows how much you got in unemployment benefits in the prior year and how much was taken out for taxes.
How to close your claim once you find full-time work
Once you secure a new full-time position, there’s no need to inform WorkForce West Virginia directly. Instead, simply stop filing your weekly claim certifications for UI benefit payments when your new job begins, regardless of whether your pay is set to start a week or more later.
If your employment starts mid-week, report your earnings and hours worked when submitting your weekly claim certification. This could make you eligible for a partial unemployment benefit for that week.
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