Part 4: Work Search
When You Must Look for Work
You must look for work each week unless the department clearly tells you that your work search is “waived” and that you do not have to look for work.
You must contact two employers every week if you are told that you have to look for work.
You may be told that you do not have to look for work if you are definitely returning to full-time work for a recent employer or if you are a member (in good standing) of a trade union that operates a hiring hall or referral system and has signed an agreement with the department.
In some cases, you will not have to look for work if you are working part-time. Do not stop looking for work just because you start working part-time. Call a Claims Specialist to find out if your part-time work allows us to waive your work search.
Remember, if you do not make an adequate search for work, you may lose benefits. If applying for Wisconsin UI Benefits from another state and Wisconsin tells you to register for work or report in person, you should go to the public employment office nearest your home.
Weekly Work Search
If you have to look for work, the claim confirmation document will provide you with detailed work search instructions.
The back of the claim confirmation form provides an example of the information needed to document your work search. Be sure to include all of the required information.
We may ask to review your work search, so be sure to keep a good record. Falsely reporting any information on your work search form may be an act of concealment. (See Part 7 for more information about fraud control.)
Help in Finding Employment
For work registration or other reemployment services logon to http://jobcenterofwisconsin.com or contact your nearest job center. To locate the nearest job center call 1-888-258-9966 toll free or search online at http://wisconsinjobcenter.org/directory/. If you reside in another state contact the nearest public employment office.
Reemployment Programs
If you do not have a recall date to return to work for any employer, you may have to participate in special reemployment programs which are intended to help you find a new job early in your claim.
Participation in any of these required reemployment programs will satisfy your work search for the week in which you participate. However, attending other employment workshops on your own can only be considered one work search contact, even if the workshop is conducted by a Job Center.
Once you have been notified, you must participate in these reemployment programs. If you have been scheduled for a reemployment program and you do not go, you may lose benefits. If you cannot attend a scheduled program or have already missed one, contact the Job Center immediately to reschedule.