You must meet several eligibility requirements before you can receive Missouri unemployment benefits. If you disagree with a decision about your benefits, you have the right to file an unemployment appeal. This process is administered by the Missouri Department of Employment Security.
Whether your claim for unemployment benefits was denied, or you believe there has been an unemployment overpayment, you can submit a request for a hearing before an Appeals Tribunal. This ensures that every unemployed worker has the opportunity to contest decisions that they believe are incorrect or unfair.
How to file a Missouri unemployment appeal
Appeals can be submitted online, by fax, or by mail. You cannot file an appeal over the telephone or by email.
You must appeal within 30 days of the date on your determination notice.
How to appeal online:
To file an appeal online, log in to Uinteract, Missouri’s online unemployment system. By creating an account, you can apply for Missouri unemployment benefits, file weekly claims, view claim status and details, record your work search activities, and more.
Once you are logged in, click on Appeals and follow the instructions.
How to appeal by fax
Fax: 573-751-1321
To appeal by fax, download the Claimant Request for Appeal Form. Complete the form and fax it to 573-751-1321.
How to appeal by mail
To appeal by mail, download the Claimant Request for Appeal Form. Mail the completed form to the following address:
Division of Employment Security
Appeals Tribunal
P.O. Box 59
Jefferson City, MO 65104-0059
What you need to have when filing an appeal
- A brief statement of your reasons for disagreeing with the determination
- Your name
- Your Social Security Number
- The date and subject matter of the determination
- The name of the employer
- Your signature
About the Unemployment Appeals Tribunal
The Appeals Tribunal is part of the Department of Labor – Division of Employment Security (DES) in Missouri. Their job is to make decisions about unemployment claims.
At the hearing, the person who decides your case is called a Referee.
About the appeals hearing
Most of the time, hearings for unemployment appeals are conducted over the phone. However, you do have the right to ask for an in-person meeting if you prefer.
The most common topic in these hearings is the circumstances around your separation from your job. Per Missouri unemployment eligibility requirements, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own. The Referee will collect evidence and listen to sworn statements about the issue that’s being reviewed.
You’re allowed to bring an employment lawyer or other representative to the hearing, and you can also bring witnesses to support your case. The whole hearing is recorded and that recording, along with all the documents that are part of the evidence, becomes the official record of the hearing. After the hearing, the Referee will issue a written decision that includes their findings of fact, conclusions of law, and their final decision.
Getting ready for the hearing
As soon as you file your appeal, you should start getting ready for your hearing. As part of your preparation, you should arrange for any witnesses you need and gather any documents or other materials that support your case.
You should be ready to present evidence that directly proves the facts you believe are true. Witnesses should be people who personally know about the circumstances around the issue. Don’t count on hearsay to prove your case before the Appeals Tribunal.
Before the hearing starts, you need to give the names and phone numbers of each witness who might take part in the hearing.
Make sure all your witnesses can be available for the hearing. A witness should be someone who saw or heard something that helps prove a fact. There is no need to bring several witnesses to repeat the same thing.
Keep filing weekly claims
During the appeals process, you should continue filing your weekly claim for each week you’re unemployed and seeking benefits from the Missouri Unemployment Insurance. If you don’t file, you won’t get benefits for that week, even if you win your appeal.
After the Missouri appeals hearing
Once the hearing is finished, the Referee will consider the evidence and make a decision. This decision will be sent from Jefferson City by mail.
What if I lose my appeal?
If you lose your appeal, don’t give up. If you disagree with the Referee’s decision, you have the right to file a second appeal to the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission in Missouri. You have 30 days from the date of the Referee’s determination to file another appeal.