Alabama Administrative Code › Title 480 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR › Chapter 480-4-3 - BENEFITS › Section 480-4-3-.08 - Claims And Registration For Benefits For Total And Part-Total Unemployment

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
			 Claims and Registration.
(a) Any individual
			 desiring to file an application for unemployment compensation benefits may do
			 so by visiting
www.labor.alabama.gov
, calling 866-234-5382
			 or visiting a local Alabama Career Center Office. The claim for benefits shall
			 be effective as of the first day of the calendar week in which the claimant
			 filed a claim.
(b) In order to
			 establish eligibility for benefits or for waiting period credit for weeks of
			 unemployment, the claimant must file weekly certifications for each week they
			 wish to make a claim for benefits. Certifications may be completed by telephone
			 at 334-954-4094, 205-458-2282, or 800-752-7389. Certifications may also be
			 completed on-line at
www.labor.alabama.gov
. Such weekly
			 certifications for benefits must be completed immediately (but not later than
			 (6) six calendar days) after the end of the week for which such benefits are
			 being claimed. However, when a weekly claim has been submitted but requires the
			 agency to obtain additional information, the claimant will be notified to
			 contact the agency within 4 calendar days. Failure to contact the agency during
			 this additional 4 calendar days shall be grounds for a finding that the
			 claimant has not timely filed a claim for benefits for the week in question,
			 and a decision denying benefits for the week claimed in question shall be
			 issued. In order to ensure accurate and timely processing of the claim, the
			 following procedures must be followed:
1.
			 Claimants must submit all necessary forms when requested. If additional
			 material is needed, such as Form W-2 or SF-50, the claimant will be sent a
			 request in writing and the request will include any applicable deadlines.
			 Doctor's certificates, when required, may be mailed or faxed to the central
			 office as outlined on the doctor's certificate form.
2. Employment Service registration must be
			 accomplished, if applicable. Claimants who are Alabama residents, will be
			 automatically registered for work with the Alabama Career Center System. This
			 auto-registration will remain active for 90 days, however, all claimants are
			 required to maintain an active Career Center application for the duration of
			 his/her unemployment claim. Claimants must visit one of the Alabama Career
			 Centers or log-in at
www.alabamaworks.gov
and update his/her
			 online resume to keep his/her registration active beyond the initial 90 days.
			 Claimants who are residing and seeking work in another state must register for
			 work and maintain an active registration with the Employment Service or
			 American Job Center office in his or her local area.
3. Nothing in this rule shall be interpreted
			 to relieve such a claimant from the requirement that an active search for
			 suitable work be conducted in accordance with provisions of Ala. Code Sections
			 25-4-77(a)(5) and
			 Alabama Department of Labor Administrative Rule
			 480-4-3-.15.
4. Claimant shall be provided with the
			 Alabama Unemployment Compensation Benefits Rights and Responsibilities Handbook
			 by mail or online at
www.labor.alabama.gov
. The claimant shall
			 be advised of his/her responsibility to respond to a call-in from the claim's
			 office.
5. When a new or additional
			 claim is filed for unemployment compensation, the Unemployment Compensation
			 Agency notifies the last bona fide employer and requests information regarding
			 the reason the claimant was terminated. The employer returns (or fails to
			 return) the form containing the reason for separation as described in Rule
			 480-4-2-.19(2).
			 If the information provided by the employer conflicts with that provided by the
			 claimant, the claimant must be given the opportunity to rebut the employer's
			 reason.
(i) Once a claim is filed, the last
			 separating employer is furnished a Notice of Claim and Request for Separation
			 Information, (Form Ben-241). Base period employers other than the last
			 separating employer are notified of the claim by a Notice of Payment and Charge
			 to Your Tax Rating Account (Form Ben-8A). Information furnished by the
			 respective employers in response to these will be considered timely notice to
			 the Secretary as required by Section
			 25-4-78(3)(a),
			 and acted upon accordingly, including monetary redetermination of the claim,
			 provided such response is furnished to the Agency within the time specified on
			 either form. (The required return date and local office address is printed on
			 each Ben 241. Form Ben 8A must be returned to the Alabama Department of Labor,
			 Unemployment Compensation Agency, Montgomery, Alabama 36130, within 15 days
			 following the mailing date shown on the form).
6. Change of claimant's address is the
			 responsibility of the claimant. The claimant must personally contact UI Inquiry
			 at 800-361-4524 to update his/her residence or mailing address. The exceptions
			 to this procedure are:
(i) When a claim for
			 partial benefits indicates a change of address and is signed by the
			 claimant.
(ii) When the address is
			 updated as part of the regular claims filing process for an initial or
			 additional claim.
(iii) When the
			 change is necessary due to an obvious error.
7. Claims for lost or stolen debit cards
			 shall be made in accordance with Alabama Department of Labor Administrative
			 Rule 480-4-3-.18.
8. Claimant must provide proof of work search
			 efforts with at least three (3) prospective employers for each week of
			 unemployment claimed. Full work search requirements are listed in Alabama
			 Department of Labor Administrative Rule
			 480-4-3-.15(3)(a).