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  2. News Room
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Tony Evers, Governor
Caleb Frostman, Secretary

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 19, 2020
CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/news/
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WIWorkforce
On Twitter: @WIWorkforce

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: How to File for Unemployment Benefits Online

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is encouraging people to go online for faster service delivery. DWD's Unemployment Insurance Division is experiencing heavy call volume and longer than normal wait times.

For fast, up-to-date information and to apply for unemployment benefits, please head to https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/ui/

For Employees

The majority of people applying for unemployment benefits can complete their claim online. Receiving unemployment benefits is a two-step process:

  1. Apply online - The week you become unemployed, file your application online and do not wait to file. For more information, instructional videos, and to apply, please visit https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/apply/
  2. File your weekly claim - After you have applied online, you will need to file a claim certification each week. This will require you to answer a series of questions. You must continue to file a weekly claim certification for each week you would like to receive benefits. You can find more information at https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/handbook/english/contentspart3.htm

DWD has a helpful claimant handbook that can be found at https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uiben/handbook/ It contains important information and instructions about your eligibility for benefits and how to protect your rights to those benefits under the Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance law.

For Employers

Employers can find information on:

DWD has a helpful Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Handbook for Employers, which can be found at https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/ui201/

If you have difficulty finding the information you need, please use the search bar located at the top of each page by typing in keywords.

Frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 Coronavirus and Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits. https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/covid19/public/ui.htm