How is oklahoma unemployment calculated

Provided that you worked for a traditional employer as a payroll employee, you must also be out of work due to no fault of your own. This means that people who quit a job or were fired because of something they did are not eligible for unemployment. According to NOLO , you must also meet certain income requirements, as well as be actively conducting a job search. In order to calculate your potential unemployment earnings in the state of Oklahoma, you must first know what your quarterly earnings were for the last four quarters in the base period.

The base period is the current quarter, plus the four full quarters prior. Quarters are broken down by months, like this:. Gather your paystubs for each of these quarters and add them up. Your unemployment benefits will be based on the quarter with the highest earnings.

You can make use of an Oklahoma unemployment calculator on websites like FileUnemployment. The calculator prompts you to enter your earnings for each quarter in your base period and then calculates what your unemployment check amount is likely to be. According to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission , you can also estimate unemployment benefits on your own by dividing your highest-earning quarter in the base period by If you were fired because you lacked the skills to perform the job or simply weren't a good fit, you won't necessarily be barred from receiving benefits.

If, however, you were fired for misconduct, you will be disqualified from receiving benefits. Under Oklahoma law, misconduct includes dishonesty, violating a safety rule, willfully violating or neglecting your job duties, and unexplained absences. If you quit your job , you won't be eligible for unemployment benefits unless you had good cause. In general, good cause means that your reason for leaving the position was job-related and was so compelling that you had no other choice than to leave.

For example, if you left your job because of sexual harassment that your employer refused to stop, you may be able to collect benefits. You will also likely be eligible if you were forced to work in unsafe conditions or your employer failed to pay you fully for your work. You may still be eligible for benefits if you quit for certain compelling personal reasons, such as your own medical condition or to provide care for a family member.

However, you must still be able and available to work at the time you apply for benefits see below. To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you're offered a suitable position, you must accept it. Whether a position is suitable depends on a number of factors, including how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position.

The longer you are unemployed, the more likely you will have to consider jobs that are different from, pay less than, or require a significantly longer commute than your prior position. You must engage in a good faith search for work. The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission may ask you to provide contact information for employers you've reached out to at any point during your claim. You must be involved in at least two work search activities per week, including contacts with potential employers.

You may receive benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks. In times of very high unemployment, additional weeks of benefits may be available. If your unemployment claim is denied , you have ten days to appeal the decision.

After receiving your appeal request, the Appeal Tribunal will schedule a hearing at which you can present evidence and witnesses.

If you are unhappy with the Appeal Tribunal's decision, you may file another appeal to the Board of Review within ten days of the mailing date of the decision. Full-time is defined as 32 hours or more. You must report the hours worked and gross amount of money you earned before any deductions were made. Earnings must be reported during the week you earn them, not when you actually receive the payment. If you are the victim of domestic violence or abuse and if it has resulted in your separation from employment, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance UI benefits.

For additional information and assistance, please visit your nearest Oklahoma Works office. For those transitioning between careers, OESC provides training, educational opportunities, skill-building, resume assistance, networking, and job referrals.

All claimants filing unemployment must verify their identity to protect your information and prevent fraud. Those filing on UI. Online identity verification must be completed every 90 days. If you are unable to verify online, visit one of our local Oklahoma Works offices. Once you begin, you will have minutes before your session times out.

If you do not complete the process within the minute window your progress may be lost. No other forms of ID are valid for online verification. You can also use a digital camera to take your picture, or use saved photos on your computer or even social media ensuring it fits the guidelines. Depending on your printer, you may need to convert from a PDF to these required formats.

Identity verification can be done online with a computer, tablet, or mobile device. You can also visit a local library or other public facility with computer access if you don't have internet or computer access. If verifying in-person, you must bring two 2 forms of identification, one primary and one secondary ID. See below for a list of acceptable primary and secondary IDs. Please note, these differ from the accepted forms for online verification.

Unemployment benefits are paid to a debit card provided by the state's vendor, Conduent. The card will be issued to you at the time your first eligible week processes. It normally takes between days to receive the card. Do not throw the debit card away. You have two 2 options to receive payments. To access payments through either option, you must activate the card by following the instructions sent with the card.

To set up this recurring transfers, you must activate your card and then visit GoProgram. If you have previously been issued a debit card for benefit payments within the past three 3 years, your payment will be issued to that debit card unless otherwise specified.

If you no longer have your previously issued debit card, please contact Conduent at Your unemployment debit card will be mailed the day after your first eligible weekly certification has been filed.

Please allow days to receive the card. If it has been more than 14 days since you filed your first eligible weekly certification, and you have received confirmation from OESC that you are eligible for benefits and payments have been issued, please contact Conduent at to resolve your missing card. If no payments are showing as issued, there may be an issue with your claim, and you will need to call our Unemployment Service Center at to speak with a representative or contact your nearest Oklahoma Works office for assistance.

Cards can be expedited by Conduent, but there is a fee for the additional mailing costs. These will be deducted from the balance on the card. There is a limited number of debit cards Conduent can issue in a single day, so in rare cases claimants may be unable to expedite cards. To expedite a card please contact our Unemployment Service Center at , your nearest Oklahoma Works office , or Conduent at All unemployment benefits are issued to a pre-paid debit card provided by our card vendor Conduent.

If you would like these funds automatically transferred to your personal banking account, you can do so after receiving and activating your card. To set up recurring transfers, contact Conduent at or visit their website at goprogram. If your claim is valid and you file an eligible weekly certification, payments are typically issued the following day to your unemployment debit card. Please keep in mind that weekends and holidays may delay deposits.

Also, if you have set up recurring transfers to your personal banking account, an additional day may be required depending on your bank's processing time. Conduent is a third-party vendor for the State of Oklahoma. For all debit card related inquiries, such as delays, recurring transfers direct deposits , suspensions, or other activity, please contact them at or by visiting their website at goprogram.

Your G reflects the total amount paid to you or on your behalf. This includes child support deductions as well as benefits used to offset any overpayment s during the tax year.

Additionally, if you received federal unemployment benefits such as FPUC, extra payments were issued on top of your standard weekly benefit amount. If you believe there are still incorrect funds showing, please contact OESC's Unemployment Service Center at for assistance or contact your nearest Oklahoma Works office. You can access a digital version of your G form on Unemployment. If you received a G form, and didn't file for unemployment benefits, you may have had a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in your name.

Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service has provided resources to help you navigate this issue. You will find detailed information on what steps you should take by accessing the following link: Employment Related Identity Theft Internal Revenue Service irs. Your first RESEA appointment and any follow up appointments are designed to provide employment assistance and a mix of services.

These services include customized resume assistance, reemployment workshops, new career and wage exploration services, interview workshops, and job referrals to employers based on your experience and qualifications.

During your initial appointment, you will also complete a Reemployment Needs Inventory which helps to determine your readiness to return to work. It evaluates your job search activity, job search skills and confidence, and any barriers that may impact your chances of being hired.

During this initial visit, RESEA staff will review your work history, collaborate with you to determine an employment goal, and discuss customized employment opportunities within the job market. If you require an accommodation after confirming your appointment, please contact your local Oklahoma Works office to submit your request.

Please note, appointment availability varies day-to-day. Yes, attending your RESEA appointment counts as one of the two weekly required work search activities, which is required to receive weekly unemployment benefits. UI claimants may still receive unemployment benefits while working part-time hours.

Part-time employment is considered as working less than 32 hours per week. If you work 32 hours or more per week, you are considered a full-time employee. It also added a new MEUC program.