South Dakota Unemployment Benefits

South Dakota Unemployment Insurance (UI) program (commonly known as reemployment assistance benefits) provides temporary financial assistance to unemployed people who have lost a job through no fault of their own.The Unemployment Insurance program is handled by the South Dakota Department Of Labor & Regulation (DLR), and is funded through the federal or state employer payroll UI taxes.
On this page, we will tell you the eligibility criteria you must meet to receive unemployment benefits in South Dakota, unemployment overpayments, and much more.

Eligibility To Apply For UI Benefits In South Dakota

You must meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify for South Dakota unemployment benefits. They include:

Monetary Eligibility

To monetarily qualify for South Dakota unemployment benefits, you must have:

• At least $728 wages in the highest quarter of your base period
• Wages in the other three-quarters of your base period that are at least 20 times your weekly unemployment benefit
• Work experience in South Dakota during the past 12 months

Base Period– It is the first four of the five complete calendar quarters before the start date of your unemployment claim.
Alternative Base Period– It is the last four completed calendar quarters preceding the first day of your benefit year. If you do not have sufficient wages in your base period, the South Dakota Department Of Labor & Regulation will consider wages in your alternative base period.
Note that monetary requirements are only the first step in determining your eligibility. In addition to these requirements, the Department will also consider your reason for job separation to determine your eligibility.

Find out more about eligibility requirements

Job Separation

Some of the job separation requirements that you must meet to receive South Dakota Unemployment Insurance include:

• You are fully or partially unemployed through no fault of your own
• You quit your job due to an unsafe working environment
• You have quit your job due to medical conditions and are unable to work
• You quit your job due to the domestic violence
• You quit your job due to harassment at your workplace

Note that the Department may contact your employers to determine the cause for your job separation. If your reason contradicts your employers’ statement, the Department may disqualify you from receiving benefits.

Eligibility requirements – overview

Maintaining Eligibility

You should maintain your eligibility criteria throughout the benefit year to continue to receive South Dakota unemployment benefits. The ways in which you can maintain your eligibility are as follows:

• You must be able and available to accept work
• You must actively look for a work
• You must document work search activities
• You must register with your states designated workforce agency
• You must participate in all re-employment activities directed by your nearest South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation office

Find out on job search requirements

How To Apply For UI Benefits in South Dakota?

You will need the following documents to file for South Dakota unemployment benefits:

You can file for unemployment benefits in South Dakota through any of the following after methods

Online

You can apply for SD unemployment benefits online at raclaims.sd.gov. Note that information entered on the application will be lost if you exit before receiving a confirmation number. Also, the Department will not accept your unemployment benefits application unless you receive a confirmation number.

Telephone

You can also file a claim by telephone. All you have to do is contact the Claims Call Center at 605-626-2452, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Dial 711 or 800-877-1113 for TTY service. Note that the Call Center is closed on all state holidays.
Note– If you worked in another and but live in South Dakota, you can file an interstate claim against the state where you worked and earned wages during the last 18 months. To know more about interstate filing information, call Customer Service at 605-626-2452.

How To File Weekly Claims?

The maximum benefit amount you can receive is 1/3ed of your total base period wages, but not more than 26 times your weekly benefit. The maximum weekly benefit amount you can receive through the South Dakota reemployment assistance program is $428, and the minimum is $28.

Use the benefits calculator to determine your estimated weekly unemployment benefit amount

Learn how to claim weekly benefits

UI Benefits Amount

The maximum benefit amount you can receive is 1/3ed of your total base period wages, but not more than 26 times your weekly benefit. The maximum weekly benefit amount you can receive through the South Dakota reemployment assistance program is $428, and the minimum is $28.

Know more about the Benefits Calculator

Things To Know After Filing An Application

There are a few aspects that you must know after applying for unemployment benefits in South Dakota.

Overpayment And Fraud

At times, you may receive unemployment overpayments. Overpayments occur due to various reasons, including administrative errors, fraudulent practices, or reversal of previous awards. Whether you receive overpayment due to fraudulent or non-fraudulent practices, you must pay back the overpaid unemployment benefits.
You can repay overpaid benefits through any of the following ways:

1. You can pay electronically. To pay using this method, visit raclaims.sd.gov and “Click here and log in to,” the system will guide you through the repayment process.
2. You can also pay by credit or debit card. To repay using this method, contact representatives at 605.626.7649 or download the Credit Card Authorization form, complete it and return it to:

Reemployment Assistance Division – Benefit Payment Control Unit
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
P.O. Box 4730
Aberdeen, SD 57402-4730

You must begin repaying as soon as you receive overpayment notice. That is because interest will begin accumulating immediately at 12% per year if the overpayment was due to fraud. And interest will begin accumulating after six months at 12% per year if the overpayment was due to administrative errors. However, if you don’t agree with the overpayment notice, you can request a waiver within the 15-day timeframe from receiving the notice.

Fraud/ Willful Misrepresentation

If you willfully or fraudulently misrepresent a fact to secure benefits more than you are entitled to, you will have to pay a penalty of 50% of the total overpaid amount for the first offense and a 100% penalty for each subsequent offense. The Department will also impose four weeks of administrative penalty for each week that you intentionally provide incorrect information to receive extra benefits. In addition, you will be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits for a certain period.

Benefits Extension

The state provides extended benefits when the unemployment rate is too high or there is an economic downturn. Contact DLR to know more about the benefits extension.

Job Training Assistance

DLR provides training services in South Dakota. It also offers individual services to help you with your job search journey. You can also find a suitable job using SDWORKS, DLR’s online jobs database.

You can also opt for a layoff support service. To use this service, you must first find your local job service office, check out the list, and opt for trained professionals’ services. Some of the services offered include:

• Job referrals
• Career planning
• Tips on writing a resume and cover letter
• Opportunities to update your job search skills
• Opportunities to update your work skills and training

Know more job training opportunities in SD