Claiming by Phone

• 1). Reread the benefits guide mailed to you by your state's unemployment insurance department. State benefit guides provide detailed instructions for claiming your weekly benefit, as well as customer service telephone numbers for your state's unemployment agency.
  
  
• 2). Call the customer service telephone number provided in your brochure or mailing.
  
  
• 3). Ask the representative how to claim your unemployment benefit for the missed filing period. Most states require you to phone in and speak to a representative to file a missed claim. Some states classify your account as inactive if you miss a week of filing, so you may hear your representative state that your account is being reactivated.
  
  
• 4). Provide the representative with details about any hours worked and your work search information over the telephone. It is best to have this information compiled prior to phoning, in order to expedite the claim process.
  
  

Claiming by Mail

• 1). Visit your state's unemployment website and locate a benefits fact page or frequently asked questions webpage.
  
  
• 2). Find a section dedicated to claiming missed benefits, or restarting an unemployment claim. Some states automatically inactivate your unemployment insurance account when you fail to file and label the reclaiming of benefits as "restarting benefits" or "reactivating your account."
  
  
• 3). Follow the instructions provided by your state in relation to reactivating your account. Most states require you to phone in and talk to an unemployment office representative, but some allow you to restart your account online. For example, the state of Washington provides a printable claim form online that you can mail or fax to the unemployment office when you miss your claim filing deadline.