Wisconsin Unemployment Information for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Recipients

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• How do I know if this court order affects me?
• What do I do if this court order affects me?
• How do unemployment benefits affect my taxes?
• Important dates
• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Due to a recent federal court order, some individuals who were ineligible for Wisconsin unemployment benefits because they received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits may now be eligible for past unemployment benefits.

How do I know if this court order affects me?

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will send you a notice by mail at the address you last provided to DWD. Please note that claim processing will take time.

If you meet both 1 and 2 above, call the Help Center at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661 during business hours.

You are not affected by this court order if you do not meet both 1 and 2 above.

For example, you are not affected if:

• Your unemployment benefits were denied, but not because you received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
• You only applied for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits, not Wisconsin unemployment benefits.

What do I do if this court order affects me?

If you meet both 1 and 2 above, call the Help Center at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661 during business hours to update your address, phone number, payment information*, and tax withholding. You need to call within 90 days of receiving your notice.

If you have already called and updated your information, you do not need to call again. DWD has begun processing these claims, but it will take time to complete the processing for all individuals who may be eligible. DWD will contact you if more information is needed.

You can update your address, phone number, payment information, and income tax withholding on your Claimant Portal. You can do this by choosing the "Profile Settings" tile on the top of your UI Home page.

• Choose "Personal Information" and the "Update" button and follow the steps to change your mailing address or phone number.
• Choose "Payment Information" and the "Update" button and follow the steps to change your payment information.
• Choose "Tax Withholding" and the "Update" button and follow the steps to change your federal or state tax withholdings.

You will not receive payments if:

• You were not eligible for Wisconsin unemployment benefits for other reasons.
  • For example: you were outside the United States, a United States Territory, or Canada for more than 48 hours.
• You have 32 or more hours of any of the following: work, missed work, holiday, vacation, dismissal, termination, or sick pay for that week.
• You earned more than $500 in a week when you are claiming Wisconsin unemployment benefits.

Helpful Tips

Have the following information ready when you call to help process your claim:

• Your personal information:
  • Your social security number.
  • Your Wisconsin driver license or identification number (if you have one).
  • Your current address and phone number.
  • Ability to verify bank account information.
• You may need to verify your identity. You can choose whether you want to verify your identity online with Login.gov or in person at a Post Office.

**IMPORTANT**

• You may need to file weekly claim certifications for weeks you were unemployed or working reduced hours.
• To file weekly claim certifications, you will need:
  • Dates you were unemployed.
  • Your work history, including:
    • Employers' business names.
    • Employers' addresses (including zip code).
    • Employers' phone numbers.
    • First and last dates of work with each employer.
    • Reason you no longer work with each employer.
  • If you worked reduced hours or hours with another employer for any week you wish to claim, have the following information:
    • Hours you worked each week,
    • Gross wages you earned each week, and
    • Name and address of the employer you worked for.

Steps

• 1st Step:  Update your address, phone number, payment information, and income tax withholding online in the Claimant Portal or call the Help Center at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661 during business hours if you cannot go online.
  • You need to update your payment information if you have not filed for benefits in the last 3 years or your bank information has changed.
• 2nd Step:  Get notice letter from DWD.
  • You need to call within 90 days of receiving your notice.
• 3rd Step:  Call DWD to file any weekly claim certifications, if needed. See above information needed to file weekly claim certifications. If you did not update your address, phone number, payment information, and income tax withholding before calling, you will be asked to do so.
  • Your bank information cannot be updated by phone. You can update it in the Claimant Portal. Otherwise, you will have to request a Direct Deposit Authorization (Form UCB-9400) be mailed to you.
• 4th Step:  DWD processes your claim.
• 5th Step:  DWD will contact you if more information is needed.
  • Make sure your voicemail is set up and able to accept messages. DWD may call you if we need additional information and we will leave you a voicemail message if you are unavailable.
  • If DWD cannot contact you by phone, we will mail any requests for additional information.
• 6th Step:  If you met all other eligibility requirements, you will receive payment.

NOTE: The court order requires DWD to share your address, phone number, and the amount of unemployment benefits you received as a result of this class action lawsuit with the attorneys representing the plaintiffs and class.

How do unemployment benefits affect my taxes?

Unemployment benefits are taxable income the year benefits were paid. The year after you receive unemployment benefits, whether past benefits under this court order or otherwise, you will get a 1099-G income tax statement through your Claimant Portal. 1099-G tax forms are typically available in January.

The state tax withholding rate is 5% and the federal tax withholding rate is 10%. You can update your income tax withholding preferences by calling the Help Center at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661 during business hours or online in your Claimant Portal. You can do this by choosing the "Profile Settings" tile on the top of your UI Home page.

• Choose "Tax Withholding" and the "Update" button and follow the steps to change your federal or state tax withholdings.

Contact your tax professional for advice.

Important dates

Sept. 8, 2015	Beginning date of claims affected by court order
Feb. 2, 2020	Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program began
Sept. 4, 2021	Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program ended
July 20, 2025	Eligible individuals were able to receive both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Wisconsin UI benefits
July 29, 2025	End date of claims affected by court order
Oct. 14, 2025	DWD started mailing notices to potentially eligible claimants
Jan. 22, 2026	Final date to call DWD under the court order

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Under federal law, you could not receive both regular unemployment benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. If you received PUA benefits, you will not be paid regular unemployment benefits for the same weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Call the Help Center at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free (844) 910-3661 during business hours with questions about your specific claim.

DWD is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. If you have a disability and need assistance with this information, please dial 7-1-1 for Wisconsin Relay Service. Please contact the Unemployment Insurance Division at (414) 435-7069 or toll-free at (844) 910-3661 to request information in an alternate format, including translated to another language.