How to File for Unemployment in Wisconsin
How to apply for unemployment in Wisconsin, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: Apply online through DWD's Claimant Portal at dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/apply. Help is available at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661. Wisconsin DWD, Claimant Handbook UCB-10-P (R. 06/16/2026)
| How to apply | Apply online through DWD's Claimant Portal at dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/apply. Help is available at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661. After you apply, file a weekly claim certification for each week, reporting wages in the week you earned them along with any other income. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | You must have covered wages in at least two quarters of your base period and a weekly benefit rate of at least $54. Your wages in the three lowest-paid base-period quarters combined must be at least 4 times your weekly benefit rate, and your total base-period wages must be at least 35 times that rate. If you were paid benefits in an earlier benefit year, you must have worked and earned at least 8 times your weekly benefit rate since that benefit year began. Source: Wisconsin DWD, Qualifying Wages |
| Work search requirements | Perform at least four valid work search actions each week, document them on your weekly claim certification, and keep proof for one year. You must also register for work with the Job Center of Wisconsin, including completing and activating a resume, within 14 days of completing your initial claim. If you miss that deadline, you can be denied benefits for the weeks before you register. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Claimant Portal at my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov is where you file weekly claims, check claim status, view or print payment history, check eligibility issues or appeals, and view or print determinations. Online weekly filing is available Sunday 9 a.m.-midnight, 24 hours Monday-Friday, and Saturday midnight-3 p.m. For help using online services, or if you can't go online, call (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661. |
Where to get help in Wisconsin
More Wisconsin unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Wisconsin Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Wisconsin
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Wisconsin
- Unemployment After Quitting in Wisconsin
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Wisconsin
- All Wisconsin unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Wisconsin?
Apply online through DWD's Claimant Portal at dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/apply. Help is available at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661. After you apply, file a weekly claim certification for each week, reporting wages in the week you earned them along with any other income.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Wisconsin?
You must have covered wages in at least two quarters of your base period and a weekly benefit rate of at least $54. Your wages in the three lowest-paid base-period quarters combined must be at least 4 times your weekly benefit rate, and your total base-period wages must be at least 35 times that rate. If you were paid benefits in an earlier benefit year, you must have worked and earned at least 8 times your weekly benefit rate since that benefit year began.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Wisconsin?
Perform at least four valid work search actions each week, document them on your weekly claim certification, and keep proof for one year. You must also register for work with the Job Center of Wisconsin, including completing and activating a resume, within 14 days of completing your initial claim. If you miss that deadline, you can be denied benefits for the weeks before you register.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Claimant Portal at my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov is where you file weekly claims, check claim status, view or print payment history, check eligibility issues or appeals, and view or print determinations. Online weekly filing is available Sunday 9 a.m.-midnight, 24 hours Monday-Friday, and Saturday midnight-3 p.m. For help using online services, or if you can't go online, call (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661.
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.