How to File for Unemployment in New Jersey
How to apply for unemployment in New Jersey, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: Create an online account and file a claim at myunemployment.nj.gov, or apply by phone. You can file once you are unemployed or your hours are reduced, not before. New Jersey Division of Unemployment Insurance, How to apply; General FAQs
| How to apply | Create an online account and file a claim at myunemployment.nj.gov, or apply by phone. You can file once you are unemployed or your hours are reduced, not before. Verify your identity, then certify for benefits each week and actively look for work. |
|---|---|
| Earnings needed to qualify | For claims in 2026, you must have earned at least $310 a week (a base week) in 20 or more weeks of covered employment during the base year, or at least $15,500 in total covered employment during the base year. Alternate base years may be used if you do not qualify under the standard base year. |
| Work search requirements | You must make an effort to find work for each week you claim and show proof of your job search. Contacting employers each week by phone, mail, internet or in person is considered a reasonable effort. You may be asked for your work search contacts at any time during your claim, and you must keep scheduled appointments. Refusing a suitable job can disqualify you for that week and the next three weeks. The agency does not state a fixed number of weekly contacts. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | New Jersey unemployment claims are managed through the Division of Unemployment Insurance's My Unemployment site: sign in to your account to check claim status, update your information, respond to information requests on your dashboard and complete identity verification. You must certify each week that you are still eligible in order to be paid, using the weekly benefits certification link. Accounts not signed in to within the past year are deleted for inactivity, and you must create a new one. Sign in: https://unemployment.nj.gov/; weekly certification: https://wpay.state.nj.us/DOL_W247/DOL_W247/Cont.jsp |
Where to get help in New Jersey
More New Jersey unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your New Jersey Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in New Jersey
- Unemployment After Being Fired in New Jersey
- Unemployment After Quitting in New Jersey
- How Much Unemployment Pays in New Jersey
- All New Jersey unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in New Jersey?
Create an online account and file a claim at myunemployment.nj.gov, or apply by phone. You can file once you are unemployed or your hours are reduced, not before. Verify your identity, then certify for benefits each week and actively look for work.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in New Jersey?
For claims in 2026, you must have earned at least $310 a week (a base week) in 20 or more weeks of covered employment during the base year, or at least $15,500 in total covered employment during the base year. Alternate base years may be used if you do not qualify under the standard base year.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in New Jersey?
You must make an effort to find work for each week you claim and show proof of your job search. Contacting employers each week by phone, mail, internet or in person is considered a reasonable effort. You may be asked for your work search contacts at any time during your claim, and you must keep scheduled appointments. Refusing a suitable job can disqualify you for that week and the next three weeks.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in New Jersey?
New Jersey unemployment claims are managed through the Division of Unemployment Insurance's My Unemployment site: sign in to your account to check claim status, update your information, respond to information requests on your dashboard and complete identity verification. You must certify each week that you are still eligible in order to be paid, using the weekly benefits certification link. Accounts not signed in to within the past year are deleted for inactivity, and you must create a new one.
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.