To qualify for UI benefits in the state of South Dakota, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria.
Non monetary eligibility criteria
- You must be able and willing to perform full time jobs
- You must have lost your previous job due to no mistake of yours
- Unless exempted otherwise, you must be registered with SD DLR through SDworks or your respective state’s agency. This is to ensure that you are actively looking for new jobs
- If you reason for job separation was voluntary quit, you must have pressing reasons behind the same like medical conditions or harassment at work
Monetary eligibility criteria
- A claimant’s wages in the high quarter must be at least $728
- Wages in the other three quarters must add up to at least 20 times the weekly benefit amount
- The maximum benefits you can get is 1/3rd of your total base period wages. but not more than 26 times your weekly benefit
The state will conduct a monetary eligibility determination and decide what your weekly benefit rate w ill be. A mail about the same will be sent to within 5 days of filing the claim. However, delays may occur if issues like missing wages, submission of false/ insufficient information etc are encountered.
If you fail to receive a notification about your determination 2 weeks (3 in the case of interstate claims) you are requested to contact the claims center.at 606-626-2452.
Common Questions Related To Eligibility
What happens if I was fired or if I quit my job voluntarily?
You may be disqualified from UI because in general UI benefits are only awarded to people who lost their jobs due to fault of theirs. So applicants who quit voluntarily without pressing reasons or due to gross misconduct are not deemed eligible for UI.
If any of the above are true, you will remain ineligible until you find a job and work at for 6 months or more. Wages that equal weekly benefit rates must be earned.
If you had genuine reasons behind leaving your job, appeal your claim denial. Present your side of the story and if the adjudicator sees that your claim is genuine, he will deem you eligible for UI benefits.
Am I required to look for work?
Yes. It is one of the eligibility criteria for UI benefits. Every applicant is expected to seek out new job opportunities actively and in a systematic manner. You may even be asked to prepare a work search report for every week for which you file UI claims.
The state may ask you to present your work search report at any time. Failing to do so may result in discontinuation of benefits.
Can I attend school while I am on UI?
In some cases yes. As attending school is a direct contradiction to the rule that a claimant must be available and willing for full time work, you may be disqualified from UI. However, attending evening classes are not a problem and you will continue to remain eligible for UI.
In certain other cases, the state may mandate that you take part in skill enhancement trainings/ workshops and attending them will not affect your eligibility in any way. Make sure that you notify the state about any schooling you attend while you are on UI.
If you are approved for Approved Training Status, you need not look for work. This means that you need to enhance your skill before you re-enter the job market.
What if I was laid off from work?
Don’t worry, if you were laid off from work, chances are high that you will qualify for UI. The dole is a social welfare program designed specifically for folks who lose their jobs due to no mistake of theirs.
If you were asked to leave your job because your employer could no longer afford to pay you or because there wasn’t sufficient work or if you were not the right person for the job, you stand a genuine chance to qualify for UI. However, keep in mind that this is only one of the criterion for UI, you still have to meet the monetary criteria to be eligible.
We recommend that you file for UI at the earliest post being laid off from work.
More Questions?? Read Eligibility Q & A Section
Want to know about how much you will receive?? Calculate your benefits here
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