In Oregon, if employees lose their job or have their work hours reduced, they may be eligible for unemployment benefits. There is information available about applying for benefits and how to appeal an unfavorable decision.
Unemployment benefits
An employee is eligible for unemployment benefits if they lost their job through no fault of their own and they must be available to work. Also, they must have earned enough wages to qualify.
The applicant will need to provide personal information, such as their driver’s license number, social security number and employment history when filing the claim. After the employee files the claim, the Oregon Employment Department will review the application and determine the employee’s eligibility for benefits.
This review may take several weeks and during this time, the applicant can continue to file weekly claims. If the claim is approved, the applicant will receive weekly unemployment benefit payments.
Appealing a decision
If the employee’s application for benefits is denied, they have the right to appeal the decision. The employee will receive a decision letter, which is important to read and understand. Then, they can file an appeal within 20 days of the mailing date of the decision.
Once the employee files the appeal, they will receive a notice with the date, time and location of their hearing. They should bring any evidence or documents to support their claim, like pay stubs and employment records. The administrative law judge will review the evidence and issue a written decision to the employee.
If the appeal is successful, the employee will receive benefits. If it is not, they may have further appeal rights.