How to File for Unemployment in Louisiana
How to apply for unemployment in Louisiana, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: File online through HiRE at www.louisianaworks.net/HIRE or call 1-866-783-5567. Verify your identity before benefits can be paid. Louisiana Works, Unemployment Benefits Rights and Information (Rev. 08/2026)
| How to apply | File online through HiRE at www.louisianaworks.net/HIRE or call 1-866-783-5567. Verify your identity before benefits can be paid. File your first weekly claim the Sunday after you apply, then every week (Sunday through Saturday, by 11:59 p.m. CT Saturday) online or by phone, reporting work, earnings and work search. Allow at least 21 days after your first weekly certification for a decision. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. You need at least $1,200 in total base period wages from covered employers, and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest-quarter wages. Self-employment does not count. |
| Work search requirements | Claims filed on or after January 4, 2026 require at least five work search activities each week (three for claims first filed before that date), reported on each weekly claim. Activities include applying for jobs, interviews, registering with staffing agencies, reemployment services, job fairs and updating your resume. Keep a detailed record. Temporarily laid-off workers, union members and claimants in approved training may be exempt. You may be called to an American Job Center for a reemployment services appointment. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | Louisiana unemployment claims are managed in HiRE, the Louisiana Workforce Commission's self-service system. Log in with the same account you use for Louisiana's online job services to file weekly unemployment benefit requests, view recent payments and view claim activity. You can also file weekly benefits or ask about your claim by phone through the Easy Call System at 1-866-783-5567. HiRE login: https://www.louisianaworks.net/hire/ |
Where to get help in Louisiana
More Louisiana unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Louisiana Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Louisiana
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Louisiana
- Unemployment After Quitting in Louisiana
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Louisiana
- All Louisiana unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Louisiana?
File online through HiRE at www.louisianaworks.net/HIRE or call 1-866-783-5567. Verify your identity before benefits can be paid. File your first weekly claim the Sunday after you apply, then every week (Sunday through Saturday, by 11:59 p.m. CT Saturday) online or by phone, reporting work, earnings and work search. Allow at least 21 days after your first weekly certification for a decision.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Louisiana?
The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. You need at least $1,200 in total base period wages from covered employers, and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest-quarter wages. Self-employment does not count.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Louisiana?
Claims filed on or after January 4, 2026 require at least five work search activities each week (three for claims first filed before that date), reported on each weekly claim. Activities include applying for jobs, interviews, registering with staffing agencies, reemployment services, job fairs and updating your resume. Keep a detailed record. Temporarily laid-off workers, union members and claimants in approved training may be exempt. You may be called to an American Job Center for a reemployment services appointment.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Louisiana?
Louisiana unemployment claims are managed in HiRE, the Louisiana Workforce Commission's self-service system. Log in with the same account you use for Louisiana's online job services to file weekly unemployment benefit requests, view recent payments and view claim activity. You can also file weekly benefits or ask about your claim by phone through the Easy Call System at 1-866-783-5567.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.