Filing a Claim for Unemployment Insurance in Georgia
In order to apply for unemployment benefits in Georgia you must first complete an initial claim which can be completed online, by telephone, or in-person. No matter which way you choose to file your claim, it is important to do as soon as possible following your last day of work. This is because claims are not retroactive to your last day but to the day you file the initial claim.
- To file a claim for benefits online please go to the following site: Georgia Department of Labor
- To file in person you will need to go to a Georgia Department of Labor Career Center.
- To file by phone please call the unemployment customer service number at 1.877.709.8185
Completing an initial benefits claim can take 30 – 60 minutes. To speed up the process, make sure to have
the following information easily available before starting the application:
- Your email address
- Your social security number (SSN)
- Your Driver’s License or Government issued ID card
- Your personal banking account and routing number for direct deposit
- A copy of your most recently filed income tax return or quarterly estimated income tax payment record(s), if applying for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) and you are self employed or a farmer
- The names, addresses, and dates of all employers for the last 18months
- Your employer-issued separation notice or letter, if available
- Your Alien number and expiration date if you are not a USA citizen
- Your SF-50 or SF-8 form and paystubs if you were a federal employee
- Your most recent DD-214, orders to report or of release, military earnings/leave statement, or W-2 form(s) fif you were in the military
Appeal a Claim Decision:
Just because you file for unemployment doesn’t mean that you will for sure be accepted. Situations can arise where a Georgia unemployment insurance claim is denied and if this occurs, you are able to appeal your unemployment benefits claim via the appeal process. For information and instructions on how to appeal a claim, please review the following appeals handbook: Unemployment Appeals
It is important to continue filing your weekly claim for benefits even if your claim is denied, because if you win your claim you can get paid for those weeks. If you stop filing your weekly claim while your appeal is pending you will not receive payment for the weeks missed.
Information