CI-9 English Page 5 of 14
If you move, YOU MUST TELL US YOUR NEW ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY. Changing your
address with the U.S. Postal Service does NOT change your address with us. You may
change your address online through HIRE at www.louisianaworks.net/HIRE. If you do not have
internet access, you can call us at 1-866-783-5567. Please refer to the “Do You Have
Questions?” section on Page 12 of this document for your designated call-in day.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY
Unemployment insurance is funded by a tax on employers. You do not pay anything for
unemployment insurance while you are working. Unemployment insurance is for individuals
who earn wages from an employer who is required by law to pay the unemployment insurance
tax. It does not include self-employment. Any employer that you worked for in the past 18
months is notified immediately when you file for unemployment benefits. Your employer(s) tell
us why you are no longer working for them (for example: laid-off, quit, discharged/fired, etc.)
The reason why you left that employer(s) could make a difference to your claim. See the
“Nonmonetary Issues – Disqualification” section later in this document for more information.
To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must meet the following requirements:
a) You must no longer be working through no fault of your own OR your work hours MUST
have been reduced. If you quit or were fired, you may not be eligible for benefits. You may
be eligible if you are working less than full-time and earning less than what you would receive
in weekly unemployment benefits. You MUST report ANY earnings for the week you work,
even if you’ve not yet been paid. Include all income, commissions, tips and gratuities.
Report the gross amount before deductions.
(b) During your benefit year, you may be required to report to your nearest American Job Center
to participate in reemployment assistance activities The goal of these activities is to help you
become reemployed. Failure to report as instructed may result in a denial of benefits.
(c) You must file a weekly claim to receive benefits. You can file online through HiRE at
www.louisianaworks.net/HIRE or by phone at 866-783-5567. Please refer to the “Do You
Have Questions?” section on Page 12 of this document for your designated call-
in day. Continue to file for each week as long you do not have a job. You cannot be paid for
any week(s) that you do not claim.
(d) You must be able to go to work each day. If you are sick, in the hospital or otherwise
unable to work even one day of a week, you cannot claim benefits for that week.
When you are able to work each day again, you will need to reopen your claim.
See the “New/Additional/Reopened Claims” section later in this document for more
information.
(e) You must be available for full-time work. If you were offered a job today, you must be able
to accept. If there is any time that you cannot accept work, it is your responsibility to tell us.
(f) You must actively look for work by contacting at least THREE different employers about job
openings during EACH week that you claim benefits. You MUST contact DIFFERENT
employers each week. You should keep a list of your work searches, including the
employer’s name, address (mailing, web, or email), phone number, date of contact, person
contacted, method of contact, and results. Union members and those on temporary layoff
with a definite date of return may not have to follow this rule. More details about your work
searches can be found in the “Reporting Work Search Contacts” section in this document.