Unemployment Insurance, called Unemployment Compensation (UC) in West Virginia, provides financial assistance to qualified unemployed workers who have lost their job due to no fault of their own. Such qualified individuals will need to continue to meet eligibility requirements of State law to receive benefits during eligible weeks. The benefits are temporary in nature and offer only a partial wage replacement.

It is important that you accurately report the reason you are unemployed and report wages you were earning. You will need to register with the WorkForce West Virginia Employment Service, be available for work and actively search for new job each week to continue receiving benefits.

Claimants can file their claims online for UI benefits in West Virginia like most other states. Online application is user-friendly and takes only a few minutes to complete. You can easily apply for benefits by following the guide below.

Eligibility Requirements

If you need assistance with anything related to online application or about benefits in general, you can visit your nearest office of WorkForce Unemployment Compensation Division. Visit this link for local office locations and contact details.

You may also want to read these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). You will find majority of common queries already answered here.

Managing your UI Claim in West Virginia

You will need to file a weekly claim for each week after you file an initial claim and continue to be unemployed. If you don't file a weekly claim, you will not receive benefits for that week. To file a weekly claim, visit this link. You can also access other services related to UI program from here.

You can receive your weekly benefits in your bank account or through a debit card. To order a new debit card, visit this link. You can learn about debit card fee schedule by downloading this guide. If you are not sure how to use your debit card and UI benefits, download this handbook to learn about using debit card. If you want to receive benefits through Direct Deposit, visit this link.

Learn more about UI program in West Virginia

You can learn more about UI program in West Virginia by visiting Unemployment section at WorkForce website. To learn about filing a UI claim, use this Claimant Handbook.

Unemployment Application Instructions

If you meet eligibility requirements for Unemployment Compensation (UC) in West Virginia, you can easily apply for benefits as soon as you become unemployed. There is a one-week unpaid waiting period so you should apply at the earliest to serve this waiting period. Benefits are not retroactive which means you won't receive benefits for period you fail to file a claim.

You can file a UI claim by accessing an online application available here. This online application is provided by WorkForce West Virginia Unemployment Compensation Division.

You will need to provide personal as well as work-related information in the application. You will be asked about details of your previous employment and the reason of separation. Similarly, you will need to accurately report your wages. Hiding facts and reporting incorrect wages or employer information can lead to UI fraud which has severe penalties in the state of West Virginia.