Are you currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits and are confused by some of the terms?
Below is an alphabetical list of common terms to help you understand your benefits with resources to learn more.
Appeal
An appeal is a request to have the Idaho Department of Labor look at your determination again and reconsider your situation. Learn more about appeals.
Base period
A base period is your wages from four (4) quarters of a calendar year. There are two types of base period used by the department when reviewing your wages, described below:
- Regular base period: Your wage information from the first four (4) of the last five (5) completed calendar quarters.
- Alternative base period: Your wage information from the last four (4) completed calendar quarters.
Benefit year
A benefit year starts the Sunday following a valid claim application and ends 52 weeks later. You can’t start another benefit year in Idaho until the current one expires.
Claimant portal
The online claimant portal is where a claimant can file for unemployment insurance benefits, check the status of their claim and file weekly certifications. Learn more about the claimant portal.
Determination
The decisions made by the Idaho Department of Labor on if you are personally and monetarily eligible or not for unemployment insurance are known as determinations. You must be deemed both monetarily and personally eligible to receive unemployment insurance.
Direct deposit
Direct deposit authorizes the department to credit your bank account each week you are eligible for payment. Learn more about direct deposit.
Fraud
Fraud is making false statements or failing to give the facts on an unemployment benefit claim. Penalties for fraud include fines and felony charges. Learn more about fraud.
Hearing
A hearing is your opportunity to state your case to a hearing officer if you disagree with the determination made by the department on whether you should receive unemployment insurance benefits. Learn more about hearings.
Monetary eligibility
“Monetary” refers to wages you have earned. “Monetary eligibility” means that you have earned enough wages to start a claim. Learn more about monetary eligibility.
Overpayment
You are paid benefits based on the information you give when you file your weekly certifications. If the Idaho Department of Labor gets other information that changes your eligibility, you may have to pay back a benefit amount. Learn more about overpayments.
Pending issue
A pending issue means the department needs more information to decide your eligibility. Most pending issues delay payment until they are resolved.
Personal eligibility
Being personally eligible for unemployment insurance means you are able and available to work, are actively seeking work and are out of work through no fault of your own. Learn more about personal eligibility.
Tax withholding
Benefit payments are taxable income. You can choose to have 10% of your unemployment insurance benefits withheld for federal taxes. This is referred to as tax withholding. The department cannot withhold for state taxes. Learn more about tax withholding.
Unemployment insurance
Unemployment insurance (UI) benefits replace part of the income you lose when you become unemployed. It is a benefit for workers who are out of work through no fault of their own. UI benefits are paid through a tax on employers. Learn more about unemployment insurance benefits.
U.S. Bank ReliaCard
You will be sent a ReliaCard Visa debit card after filing a weekly certification for your first payable week. This is a bank card issued to you. Your benefit payments will be deposited on to it. Learn more about the U.S. Bank ReliaCard.
Waiting week
A waiting week is an unpaid benefit week every claimant must serve each benefit year. The first week you are eligible for credit and file a weekly certification will be your waiting week. Learn more about the waiting week.
Weekly benefit amount
The weekly benefit amount is the amount of money you will receive each week while on unemployment insurance. It is based on your wages as reported by Idaho employers. The department uses the wages you earned in the timeframe known as your base period. Learn more about weekly benefit amounts.
Weekly certification
A weekly certification is how a claimant lets the department know they are still unemployed and filing for benefits. A claimant must complete a certification each week through the online Claimant Portal. Learn more about weekly certifications.
Work search action
A work search action is an action you take toward reemployment. Valid work search actions are those accepted and recognized by the Idaho Department of Labor. Learn more about work search actions.
1099-G
A 1099-G is a tax form that records your unemployment benefit payments and is submitted by the department on your behalf to the IRS. You must check the accuracy of the form and contact the department if anything looks incorrect. Keep the form so that you can use it as a reference to fill out your tax return (Form 1049). Learn more about 1099-Gs.
If you have questions on your claim, you can visit the department’s FAQ page or speak to a claims specialist by calling 208-332-8942.