Apply for unemployment benefits as a federal employee

Learn how to apply for unemployment benefits as a federal employee.

What you need to apply

To complete your application for unemployment benefits, you may need information from:

• W-2(s) from the most recent tax year
• Pay stubs or Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) from the last 15 months
• SF-50 and SF-8 forms

If you don’t have access to this information, answer the questions you can.

Learn more about accessing federal personnel documents

How to apply

You can apply for unemployment benefits online or over the phone. You may need more information for certain sections of the application:

• Reason for separation:
  • If your position was eliminated due to reorganization, select "Lack of Work"
  • If performance is listed as the reason for separation, select "Discharge - Job Performance"
  • In Massachusetts, poor job performance does not automatically disqualify you from receiving benefits
• Upload documents:
  • Do not upload any documents to your online account. After your application is complete, use the Upload Federal Employee Supporting Documents form.
• Additional forms:
  • After you apply, the system will generate a form, "Claimant's Statement of Federal Civilian Service, Wages, and Reason for Separation." If you already submitted the required pay information online, you do not need to complete this form. 

What happens after you apply

You can start filing a weekly claim for benefits the week after you apply. You must submit a weekly claim for every week you need to receive benefits.

What to expect after you apply for unemployment insurance