2009 Claimant Handbook

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Unemployment Insurance Operations
251 East 12th Avenue, Denver, CO 80203-2272
303-318-9000 (Denver-metro area) 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area)

This handbook provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. The statutes dealing directly with unemployment insurance (UI) law (Articles 70 to 82 of Title 8, Colorado Revised Statutes) are known as the Colorado Employment Security Act (CESA). For legal interpretations or when litigation is involved, always refer to the Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS), which are published and enacted according to Article 5 of Title 2, CRS. To view the CRS online, visit Office of Legislative Legal Services at www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/ and click on Colorado Revised Statutes.

To view this handbook online, visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Information, and then click on Claimant Handbook.

If you would like to request additional copies of this publication or if you have any questions about UI benefits, call 303 318-9000 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area).

UI Program Mission: To provide UI in a fair, timely, accurate, and efficient manner to the employers and citizens of Colorado, to stabilize the workforce, and to minimize the impact of unemployment on the state’s economy.

UI Program Vision: To exceed the expectations for all customers with whom business is conducted.

UI Program Core Values: Accountability, Collaboration, Communication, Customer Service, Enthusiasm, Execution, Initiative, Innovation, Interpersonal Skills, Job Knowledge, Leadership, and Respect.

Unemployment Insurance (UI) is not a welfare program but a program to provide temporary income to help people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. The payment of UI benefits to unemployed workers serves as a stabilizing force during difficult economic times.

In Colorado, no deduction is made from your wages to finance UI benefits. UI benefits are paid from taxes employers pay to the UI Trust Fund. The UI Program collects taxes and pays UI benefits in compliance with the Colorado Employment Security Act (CESA).

The UI Program may verify all information that you provide through federal matching programs that compile information provided by private employers and government agencies. These federal matching programs include information such as name, social security number, employer name, employer address, and wages. The UI Program may share claimant data with other government participants of federal matching programs.

Visit www.coworkforce.com and click on Unemployment Information or Unemployment Online Services

303-318-9333 (ãrea metropolitana de Denver) o 1-866-422-0402 (fuera del ãrea metropolitana de Denver)

Visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Online Services, and then click on CUBLine Online

Read This Handbook—This handbook contains important information about UI benefits.

Check Your Forms—You will receive various forms that contain important information about your claim for UI benefits. Carefully read and understand every form you receive (see “Forms to Expect After Filing Your UI Benefit Claim” for more information). If you have any questions about these forms, call the Customer Contact Center.

Look for Work and Record Your Job Contacts—You are required to look for work in order to receive UI benefits. You may be asked to provide a record of your work-search efforts; so it is important to maintain a record of your job contacts (click here for a sample work-search log). You may photocopy additional work-search logs. Additional work-search logs are also available to download and/or print at www.coworkforce.com. Click on Unemployment Information, then click Claimant Handbook, select Web Version, and then select Work-Search Log from the Table of Contents.

Register With Your Local Workforce Center—For in-state registration, go to www.connectingcolorado.com or visit your local workforce center. For out-of-state registration, follow the instructions on the employment-registration notice.

Request Benefits by the Date Provided by UI Operations—You must request payment by visiting Colorado Unemployment Benefits Line (CUBLine) Online or by calling CUBLine (see “CUBLine Online and CUBLine”). Payment is made only if you have requested payment for that week and if you are found to be entitled for UI benefits.

The Length of Time to Process a Claim—No benefit payments are released until your claim for UI benefits is processed. Processing your claim takes four to six weeks.

Waiting Week—The first week you are eligible for UI benefits is an unpaid waiting week. You must meet all the weekly eligibility requirements during this week to receive credit for an unpaid waiting week (see “Weekly Eligibility Requirements” for more information).

Deleting a Claim—You have 12 calendar days from the date you file your new UI claim to delete the claim. If you do not delete the claim within 12 calendar days, the claim is valid for your benefit year (see “Your Benefit Year” for a detailed explanation). You cannot establish a new claim for UI benefits until your benefit year ends, but you can reopen the existing claim. You are paid only if UI benefits are still available.

Form UIB-1, Claim for Unemployment Insurance Benefits, provides basic information obtained when you filed your UI claim. On this form, you must affirm that you are a U.S. citizen, are a legal permanent resident, or are otherwise lawfully present in the U.S.

You must use your legal name when filing your UI claim. You must possess and provide information about one of the following forms of identification (ID):

If you live outside Colorado and you do not possess a form of identification listed above, you must provide proof of a valid driver’s license or ID card issued in the state where you live or in Canada.

Make sure the information on the form is correct. Provide all requested information. Cross out any incorrect information and clearly mark the change. Complete, sign, and return this form by the due date on the form. If you return the form late, you are not paid benefits for the weeks before the week in which the form is received unless you show good cause as defined by the Regulations Concerning Employment Security 12.1.8.

Form UIB-571, Personal Identification Number, provides every claimant a personal identification number (PIN) for use on a UI claim. If you do not receive a PIN within seven days of filing your claim for UI benefits, call the Customer Contact Center.

Only you should know your PIN. Keep your PIN confidential and in a safe place. Your PIN ensures only you have access to your claim when using CUBLine Online, CUBLine, or performing other electronic functions concerning your UI benefit claim. You are responsible for all actions involving your PIN. If you lose your PIN or need a new one, call the Customer Contact Center. Your PIN is valid for your entire benefit year.

Form UIB-388, Notice of Income-Tax Withholding, confirms the income-tax withholding option you selected when you filed your claim for UI benefits.

Make sure the Notice of Income-Tax Withholding states the option you selected. You may call the Customer Contact Center to change your withholding option only once during your claim for UI benefits.

Form UIB-5, Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits, shows the wages used to calculate the weekly benefit amount and the maximum benefit amount for which you may be eligible.

Review the Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits carefully. All items are described in detail on the reverse side of the form.

Being monetarily eligible does not automatically entitle you to receive UI benefits. Separate decisions about issues such as vacation pay, severance pay, and job separations must be made to decide your entitlement to UI benefits. A claim for UI benefits is based on a 12-month period, set by law, called a base period. Wages paid to you during this period are used to determine your potential weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount.

Weekly Benefit Amount—The weekly benefit amount is the amount of UI benefits you are eligible to receive each week before taxes and other deductions, if it is decided you are eligible to receive UI benefits.

Maximum Benefit Amount—The maximum benefit amount is the total amount of UI benefits you are eligible to receive during your benefit year, if it is decided you are eligible to receive UI benefits. Divide your maximum benefit amount by your weekly benefit amount to calculate the number of weeks of UI benefits available to you.

NOTE: More information on how your weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount are calculated is available at http://www.coworkforce.com. Click on Unemployment Online Services, and then click on Benefits Estimator.

Base Period and Base-Period Wages—The base period is composed of four calendar quarters (12 months). Base-period wages are the gross wages paid to you during the base period. This 1-year period of wages is used to determine your potential weekly benefit amount and maximum benefit amount (see “Base Period”).

If any base-period employers or wages are missing, or if the wages reported on this form are incorrect, follow the instructions on the reverse side of the form. You will receive a new Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits once the wages are added to, corrected on, or deleted from your claim. Notify the Customer Contact Center if you need assistance.

If you live outside Colorado and are not job-attached (see “Job-Attached Status”), you receive Form B-569, Notice to Register for Work. This notice instructs you to register with the local workforce center in your resident state. You must return this completed form once you have registered.

You may receive Form UIB-183, Request for Job-Separation Information. You receive this form only if you did not provide the details of why you no longer work for an employer when you filed your claim. In this situation, you receive a Request for Job-Separation Information for every employer on your claim. Look at the employer name at the top of the form, and give as many details as possible about why you no longer work for that employer. Complete the section that asks whether you received vacation, severance, or any kind of pay other than your wages from that employer. UI Operations uses this information, along with information from the employer, to decide whether you are entitled to benefits.

When a decision on your entitlement or eligibility for UI benefits is made, Form UIB-6, Notice of Decision, is mailed. You may receive more than one Notice of Decision, as each notice addresses a separate issue.

If you do not understand a Notice of Decision or how it impacts your claim, contact the Customer Contact Center immediately. A customer-service representative will help you to understand the decision and its impact on your claim.

UI benefits are taxable and must be reported on your federal and state income-tax returns. Direct any questions about how your withholding option may impact your income tax returns to either the Internal Revenue Service (for federal income-tax returns) or to the Colorado Department of Revenue (for state income-tax returns).

In January UI Operations mails Form UIB-1099-G, Certain Government Payments, which shows the amount of UI benefits paid to you during the previous year. Inform the Customer Contact Center of any address changes during your benefit year to ensure Certain Government Payments is mailed to your correct address.

You must request payment of UI benefits by visiting CUBLine Online or calling CUBLine every two weeks. CUBLine Online allows you to request payment via the Internet. CUBLine is a computerized telephone-response system that allows you to request payment via a touch-tone telephone. CUBLine Online and CUBLine are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You have 14 days immediately following the two weeks for which you are requesting payment to complete your CUBLine filing. You may request your benefit payments any time within those 14 days but no later than 11:59 p.m. on the 14th day (Saturday).

You are responsible for knowing when you are scheduled to request payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine. For your convenience, a 3-year calendar is available here. Important CUBLine filing information includes:

You must call the Customer Contact Center at 303-318-9000 (Denver-metro area) or 1-800-388-5515 (outside Denver-metro area) to reopen your claim if it is inactivated.

CUBLine Online allows you to request payment of UI benefits online and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Online Services, and then click on CUBLine Online. Read the opening statement, and click the box to the right of I have read and understand all of the above statements. Type your social security number and PIN in the appropriate boxes. Click on Proceed.

CUBLine is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 303-813-2800 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-550-2800 (outside Denver-metro area). It is very important that you listen to the choices you are given on CUBLine. Though the information being given or being requested is basically the same, options and wording may change. Be sure to listen carefully and follow the instructions given.

When you contact CUBLine Online or CUBLine to request payment of benefits, you are asked a series of questions for each week for which you are requesting payment. Be sure to carefully listen to or read the questions because the questions may change. Follow the instructions given and enter information when asked to do so. If you call CUBLine, follow the instructions for answering “yes” or “no.”

NOTE: If you do not have an established claim, visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Online Services, and then click on File a Claim. You may also call the Customer Contact Center to file a new claim.

If you worked during either week, you must be prepared to report for each week:

You must verify the responses you entered. This is your opportunity to change any responses.

You must confirm your answers with CUBLine Online or CUBLine. Do not exit from CUBLine Online until after you receive a confirmation message. Do not hang up until CUBLine tells you that your claim for UI benefits for the weeks filed has been accepted. If you exit before receiving your confirmation statement, you are not paid UI benefits for which you may be eligible and must file again through CUBLine Online or CUBLine by the end of the filing period.

Payment of UI benefits is made only if you have requested payment for that week and if you are found to be entitled to UI benefits. It is important to request payment with CUBLine Online or CUBLine for any week you wish to receive payment even though benefits may not be paid at the time of your CUBLine Online or CUBLine filing because:

You must contact CUBLine Online or CUBLine to request payment if you are job attached or have received a waiver of the work-search requirement.

Stop visiting CUBLine Online or calling CUBLine when you return to full-time work.

Keep a record of your visits to CUBLine Online or your calls to CUBLine. Your record should include the date and time you contacted CUBLine Online or CUBLine and the number of weeks you claimed. For your convenience, a sample CUBLine Contact Log is available here. Additional CUBLine contact logs are available at www.coworkforce.com. Click on Unemployment Information, then click on Claimant Handbook, select Web Version, and then select CUBLine Contact Log from the Table of Contents.

For your convenience, an earnings log is available here . Additional earnings logs are available at www.coworkforce.com. Click on Unemployment Information, then click on Claimant Handbook, select Web Version, and then select Earnings Log from the Table of Contents.

For your convenience, a work-search log is available here. Additional work-search logs are available at www.coworkforce.com. Click Unemployment Information, then click on Claimant Handbook, select Web Version, and then select Work-Search Log from the Table of Contents.

UI benefits are paid every two weeks. Benefit payments are issued either to a Visa® debit card referred to as the Colorado Automated Payment (CAP) Card or by direct deposit into a checking or savings account of your choice.

Your CAP Card is the default payment method. The UI Program automatically deposits benefits to your CAP Card unless you request the direct-deposit payment method from the Payment Method Selection Web page located under the Unemployment Online Services link at www.coworkforce.com (see “Payment Method Selection Web Page”).

Provided you are eligible for payment, the UI Program deposits your entire UI benefit payment amount to the payment method of choice (CAP Card or direct deposit) on file as of 5:30 p.m. on the day you request payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) issues the CAP Card through its agent, Chase Bank (Chase). Your CAP Card account is automatically created when you file for UI benefits.

When a UI claim is filed, you automatically authorize CDLE to release the necessary records and information to CDLE’s financial institution to obtain the CAP Card. You release CDLE and its employees from all liability for supplying such information pertaining to yourself.

Your CAP Card arrives in a plain, white, window envelope. Do not throw away this envelope. Carefully read the CAP Card information you receive. You receive the CAP Card and the CAP Card information only if you are a first-time recipient of the CAP Card, if you notify CDLE of a name change, or if you request a replacement CAP Card from Chase.

You must call Chase Customer Service at 1-866-316-3925 (toll free) to activate your CAP Card as soon as you receive it. To activate your card, you must establish a 6-digit access code. You need this access code for contact with Chase Customer Service. Once you receive confirmation that your CAP Card has been activated, request “change and select PIN” from the main menu (voice command) and follow the instructions for your Chase 4-digit PIN. The Chase PIN is needed to use your CAP Card at point-of-sale machines and ATMs. Keep your Chase PIN confidential. The PIN you use for your CAP Card is different from the PIN you use for your UI claim.

Benefit payments are deposited to your CAP Card only if you are eligible for UI benefits. As the cardholder, you are the only authorized user of the CAP Card and are liable to repay UI benefits if the CAP Card is used fraudulently.

A CAP Card is valid for three years. Even if you choose the direct-deposit payment method, you must keep your CAP Card through the expiration date on the card for a potential future UI benefit claim. If you choose to appeal any decision issued to you, or if you reopen a current UI claim and are eligible for benefits, you may need the CAP Card that was issued to you at the time you filed your initial claim.

Replacement cards are available through Chase. You may be charged a fee for the replacement card (see Chase’s fee schedule).

For questions about your CAP Card, contact Chase Customer Service at 1-866-316-3925 (toll free) or visit their Web site at www.myaccount.chase.com. The UI Customer Contact Center cannot answer questions about your CAP Card account.

You may also refer to Chase’s informational brochure, Information About Your Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Colorado Automated Payment Card, for answers to more specific questions you may have about your CAP Card.

Visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Information, and then click on Colorado Automated Payment Card.

The UI Program automatically deposits benefits to your CAP Card unless you request direct deposit on the Payment Method Selection Web page. Visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Online Services, and then click on Payment Method Selection. When you choose direct deposit as your payment method from the Payment Method Selection Web page, the UI Program uses an automated electronic transaction to deposit UI benefits directly to an existing checking or savings account you select (see “Payment Method Selection Web page”).

To select direct deposit from the Payment Method Selection Web page, you must enter the bank name, bank routing number, and checking or savings account number before confirming your choice of direct deposit.

NOTE: Some credit union (CU) or savings and loan (S&L) routing numbers are not compatible with direct deposit. You may need to contact your CU or S&L to request their American Banking Association number as an alternative. You may also locate or confirm a compatible bank routing number by visiting the Federal Reserve E-Payment Routing Directory at www.fededirectory.frb.org/search_ach.cfm. Enter the requested search information under the heading Search for FedACH®Participant RDFIs.

On the Payment Method Selection Web page (see “Payment Method Selection Web Page”), you must click on the I Agree button to authorize the UI Program to route UI benefits to your selected bank account. The authorization statement reads:

For more information, visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Information, select Frequently Asked Questions, and then click on Direct Deposit Frequently Asked Questions.

The Payment Method Selection Web page is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. From the Payment Method Selection Web page, you may select direct deposit or the CAP Card as your payment method. You may change between direct deposit and the CAP Card as your preferred payment method at any time.

You may visit the Payment Method Selection Web page only after receiving your UI issued 4-digit PIN (see “Form UIB-571, Personal Identification Number” ). Enter your social security number and UI issued 4-digit PIN to log on.

Your claim is valid for a 52-week period called a benefit year. This is the time frame during which you may collect the maximum amount of UI benefits payable on your claim. You may exhaust your UI benefits before the benefit year expires.

The day on which you file a new claim determines the base year beginning (BYB) date of your claim. Your claim is valid for a full year from the BYB date. The last day on your claim is known as the base year ending date. If you file on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, the BYB date is the Sunday at the beginning of that week. If you file on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, the BYB date is the Sunday at the beginning of the following week.

Call the Customer Contact Center to reopen your claim if you return to work and then become unemployed. Be prepared to give detailed information about why you no longer work for any employers for whom you have worked since you last received benefits.

Call the Customer Contact Center to reopen your claim if you stop requesting payment of UI benefits during your benefit year and you wish to request payment again. If you complete a request for payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine before your filing date, your claim will be inactivated and you will need to reopen your claim.

If you reopen an existing claim, you may need to renew your registration with the local workforce center.

If you call the Customer Contact Center to reopen an existing claim on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, the effective date is the Sunday at the beginning of that week. If you reopen an existing claim on Thursday or Friday, the effective date is the Sunday at the beginning of the following week.

UI benefits are based on wages earned in covered employment and paid during a 12-month period called the base period. Covered employment is employment for which your employer is required to pay UI taxes. Most employment in Colorado is covered.

The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters at the time you file your initial claim for UI benefits. A calendar quarter is a 3-month period; a completed calendar quarter is a quarter in which all three months are in the past.

To determine your base period, locate the month in which you filed your claim for UI benefits in one of the boxes containing an asterisk (*). The base period of your claim consists of the four quarters to the left of the arrow.

OCT NOV DEC	JAN FEB MAR	APR MAY JUN	JUL AUG SEP		*JAN FEB MAR
	JAN FEB MAR	APR MAY JUN	JUL AUG SEP	OCT NOV DEC		*APR MAY JUN
		APR MAY JUN	JUL AUG SEP	OCT NOV DEC	JAN FEB MAR		*JUL AUG SEP
			JUL AUG SEP	OCT NOV DEC	JAN FEB MAR	APR MAY JUN		*OCT NOV DEC
Year	Last Year				This Year

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ENTITLEMENT TO RECEIVE Unemployment INSURANCE BENEFITS

The reason you no longer work for (are separated from) an employer determines whether you are entitled to receive UI benefits. The reasons for the job separations from all base-period employers and from your most recent employer impact your entitlement to UI benefits. UI Operations gathers information from you and from your employers about the reasons for separation from each employer. UI Operations then reviews the information received and decides your entitlement in accordance with CESA. UI Operations mails Form UIB-6, Notice of Decision, to notify you of your entitlement to UI benefits based on each individual employer.

You may appeal any decision with which you do not agree (see “Disagreement With a Decision”).

Full Award

If you are out of work through no fault of your own (such as laid off), you are entitled to UI benefits. If you were laid off due to a lack of work, you may not receive a Notice of Decision but are entitled to a full award.

Disqualification

If you are found to have been responsible for the job separation, a disqualification is imposed. Your UI benefits may be postponed and/or your maximum benefit amount may be reduced.

REGISTER FOR WORK

You must register with a workforce center in Colorado or in the state in which you live in order to collect UI benefits. Register for work in Colorado at www.connectingcolorado.com or by visiting your local workforce center. If you live outside Colorado, review Form B-569, Notice to Register for Work, for instructions on how to register with a local workforce center.

You are not required to register for work if you are job-attached (see “Job-Attached Status”).

WEEKLY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

You must meet all the eligibility requirements during any given week in order to receive UI benefits for that week. You must contact the Customer Contact Center any time you do not meet these requirements. The eligibility requirements are as follows:

Able to Work―You must be mentally and physically able to work your normal workweek. If you worked full-time hours for the base-period employers on your claim, you must be able to work full-time now.

Available for Work―You must make the necessary arrangements for family care, transportation, or any other issue that prevents you from being available to report to work immediately in the event you are offered work.

Actively Seek Work―You must try to find suitable employment. You are required to contact a specific number of employers each week. The purpose of a job contact is to see whether an employer has available jobs. The contacts you make must be for work you are reasonably qualified to perform and are willing to accept.

Actions that are considered an active search for employment include completing job applications, faxing or mailing resumes, telephoning employers, or visiting the employers.

You are not required to look for work if you are job-attached (see “Job-Attached Status”).

Accept Suitable Work―Suitable work includes work of an equal or higher skill level than your past employment. You must be willing to accept suitable work. There are penalties for refusing to accept suitable work when it is offered as well as for refusing referrals that could lead to a job offer.

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RETURN TO FULL-TIME WORK

If you return to full-time work (32 or more hours), stop visiting CUBLine Online or calling CUBLine. There is no need to notify the Customer Contact Center. Be sure to request payment for any week in which you did not work full-time or did not have gross earnings greater than your weekly benefit amount.

CONTACT THE CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTER

Call the Customer Contact Center if you:

Need to request payment of UI benefits but have not requested payment in three or more weeks.
Become self-employed or an officer of a corporation.
Begin attending school or are considering going to school.
Begin to perform volunteer work.
Move out-of-state.
Become unable to work for any reason.
Become unavailable for work for any reason.
Begin to receive workers’ compensation.
Separate from a job.
Receive other pay (e.g., severance, vacation, social security, pension or retirement, sick pay) that you have not previously reported to UI Operations.
Cash out a 401K or other retirement account that was contributed to by your employer.
Are instructed by CUBLine Online or CUBLine to do so because of an issue with your claim.
Complete a request for payment on CUBLine Online or CUBLine before your next filing date.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This section provides information related to:

Job-Attached Status
Claims Based Upon Federal-Civilian Wages
Claims Based Upon Military Service
Claims Based Upon Wages From More Than One State
Trade Readjustment Allowance and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance Benefits
Working During the Benefit Year
Disagreement With a Decision
Serving in the National Guard or the Military Reserves
Seasonal Workers
Being Overpaid
Detecting Fraud
The National Directory of New Hires Program
The Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program
America’s Service Locator

Job-Attached Status

Having job-attached status means you are not required to look for work or register for work with the workforce center. Job-attached status may be approved if you:

Are unemployed due to a lack of work from your most recent employer, have a recall date within 16 weeks from the week in which you became unemployed, and are available for immediate recall.
Obtain work through a union hiring hall, are properly registered with such hall, and are available for immediate recall.
Have accepted new employment that begins within two weeks from the date the job offer was accepted.

You must continue to request payment of UI benefits via CUBLine or CUBLine Online and meet all other eligibility requirements.

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Claims Based Upon Federal-Civilian Wages

The federal government does not report wages to the states. Colorado requests the wages when a claim based on federal-civilian wages is filed. Your wages are added when they are verified by the federal agency for which you worked. You receive a new Form UIB-5, Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits, when wages are added to the claim (see “Form UIB-5, Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits”).

You must sign and return Form ES-935, Claimant’s Affidavit of Federal-Civilian Service, Wages, and Reason for Separation.

Claims Based Upon Military Service

You must send a copy of your DD Form 214, Member 4, so that UI Operations can process your claim. Wages are not added until that copy is received. Mail the copy to: Unemployment Insurance Operations, P.O. Box 400, Denver, CO 80201-0400. You may also fax it to 303-318-9014. Notarized copies are not required.

You receive a new Form UIB-5, Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits, when wages are added to the claim (see “Form UIB-5, Monetary Determination of Unemployment Insurance Benefits”).

Once your claim has been processed, an entitlement decision is issued on Form B-6UCX, Notice of Decision – UCX. If you disagree with the Notice of Decision – UCX, you must submit your appeal to the appropriate military-service branch at the address shown on the reverse side of the form.

Claims Based Upon Wages From More Than One State

If you worked in covered employment in more than one state, your Colorado claim may be based on wages from all those states. A combined-wage claim results from employment in multiple states, provided you:

Have wages earned in Colorado in your base period (see “Base Period”).
Qualify for UI benefit payments in Colorado using combined employment and wages.

If you do not qualify for a combined-wage claim in Colorado, you may qualify for benefits in another state in which you worked. For information about UI programs in other states, including contact information, visit the America’s Service Locator (ASL) Web site at www.servicelocator.org/OWSLinks.asp (see “America’s Service Locator”).

UI Operations must request your out-of-state wages from the appropriate state or states. These wages are added when received.

Trade Readjustment Allowance and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance Benefits

Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) and Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) benefits are provided to workers who lose their jobs or whose hours of work and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports, or whose jobs were exported offshore (trade-affected workers). TRA and ATAA are a part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program administered by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). The states serve as agents to USDOL in administering the TAA Program. TRA benefits are payable only to eligible workers who exhaust their UI benefits. To meet application requirements for TRA or ATAA benefits, the eligible worker must have worked for an employer that is USDOL certified as a TAA employer, and the eligible worker must meet deadlines and other requirements for TRA and ATAA benefits. For more information about the TAA Program, visit www.coworkforce.com/emp/taa.asp.

Payment Method

TRA and ATAA benefits are deposited to your CAP Card as the default method of payment. Direct deposit is offered as an alternative to the CAP Card. Your TRA and/or ATAA packet includes information about available payment methods. Contact a TRA or ATAA representative at 303 318 8940 (Denver-metro area) or 1-888-641-9106 (outside Denver-metro area) for additional information.

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Payment Authorization

TRA and ATAA benefit payments are issued on a CAP Card as the default payment method. You authorize CDLE to release the necessary records and information to CDLE’s financial institution to obtain the CAP Card. You release CDLE and its employees from all liability for supplying such information pertaining to yourself.

Keep Your Colorado Automated Payment Card

You must keep your CAP Card through the expiration date on the card for your current TRA or ATAA benefit claim and for payment on a potential future TRA or ATAA benefit claim.

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Working During the Benefit Year

Any employment (full-time, part-time, temporary assignments, short-term contracts, or cash-in-hand jobs, such as mowing lawns and babysitting) must be reported when you request payment through CUBLine Online or CUBLine. Working 32 or more hours in a week is considered full-time employment.

UI benefits cannot be paid for a week during which you work 32 or more hours or for a week in which your earnings are equal to or more than your weekly benefit amount. UI benefits that cannot be paid based on hours or earnings remain available for you to claim during the benefit year.

If you work part-time while continuing to request UI benefits based on full-time earnings, you must continue to seek full-time work and meet all the other eligibility requirements in order to receive partial payment for the week.

You may earn, in gross wages, up to 25 percent of your weekly benefit amount in any given week without affecting UI benefits for that week. Earnings over 25 percent of your weekly benefit amount are subtracted dollar-for-dollar from that week’s UI benefits.

EXAMPLE:
Your weekly benefit amount is $200 (25 percent = $50).
If you earned:

$50 or less, your UI benefit amount for that week is not affected (you receive the full amount).

$51, your UI benefit amount for that week is $199.

$200 or more, UI benefits for that week are not paid.

Not Reporting Earnings

Not reporting earnings for any week in which UI benefits are claimed may cause an overpayment of UI benefits and may be considered fraud. Penalties may be assessed if fraud is involved.

Disagreement With a Decision

If you disagree with a Notice of Decision, you have the right to appeal that decision. Each decision must be appealed separately. For further appeal instructions, see “Form UIB-6 Reverse.”

If you file an appeal, you must continue to request payment via CUBLine Online or CUBLine in order to receive payment if you win the appeal.

Form UIB-6 Reverse

Carefully read the reverse side of the Notice of Decision. Your written appeal must be received in the UI Appeals branch within 20 calendar days of the date the Notice of Decision was mailed. If the 20th day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the appeal must be received by the following business day.

If you file a late appeal, you must demonstrate that you had good cause for filing late. See the Regulations Concerning Employment Security, Part XII Good Cause, for more information about good cause. Go to www.coworkforce.com, and click on Unemployment Insurance, and then click on Unemployment Regulations.

You must file your appeal by mail or fax; do not do both. The mailing address and the fax number are on the Notice of Decision. Submit both sides of the Notice of Decision. Keep a copy of your appeal, including both sides of the Notice of Decision, for your records.

Answer the general questions on the form. Provide specific, factual information as to why you disagree with the decision. You must sign the appeal in order for UI Appeals to accept it as a valid appeal.

For more information about UI appeals, visit www.coworkforce.com, click on Unemployment Insurance then click on The Appeals Process.

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Serving in the National Guard or the Military Reserves

If you are in the National Guard or the Military Reserves and are on active duty, do not report any earnings for the first 72 hours of service within a calendar month. You are not required to look for work during those 72 hours. In addition, do not report your military pay for the two weeks of annual training required as part of your duty.

With the exception of the 2-week training, you must report any wages earned after 72 hours of service per calendar month.

When you call visit CUBLine Online or call CUBLine to request payment of benefits, answer “yes” to the question about ability to and availability for work and answer “yes” to the question about job contacts. Enter “National Guard and Military Reserves” in the space labeled Job Contacts on CUBLine Online. Also, log this information in your work-search log.

Seasonal Workers

A seasonal worker is a person who works for an employer who conducts business only during a defined period of time or who is hired in an occupation that operates only for a defined period of time. Examples of seasonal workers include ski instructors employed during the ski season and tax preparers employed during the peak season for the filing of income-tax returns.

Seasonal workers cannot collect UI benefits based on wages paid for the seasonal employment unless they are out of work during the season. Seasonal workers who work outside the season are no longer considered seasonal workers and may collect UI benefits based on the seasonal wages.

EXAMPLE:
You are a chairlift operator, and your employer’s designated season for your occupation is October 15 through April 15. You must be out of work between October 15 and April 15 in order to collect UI benefits based on the wages paid for the seasonal employment. If you are laid off at the end of the season on April 15, you cannot collect UI benefits between April 16 and October 14 based on wages paid for this employment.
If your employer’s season ends on April 15, and you work through April 16, you are no longer a seasonal worker, and you may be entitled to UI benefits based on the wages you received from this employer.

Being Overpaid

Sometimes claimants receive UI benefits to which they are not entitled. This results in an overpayment of UI benefits. If this occurs on your UI claim, you are responsible to repay the full amount of any overpaid UI benefits, including any taxes that were withheld.

Overpayments occur for a variety of reasons, such as:

You were unable to work or unavailable for work.
You did not actively look for work or refused an offer of suitable work.
You reported a payment late or inaccurately.
You did not report earnings, you underreported earnings, or you reported earnings late.
You did not report a job separation.
Upon appeal, a full award of UI benefits was reversed.

Staff within UI Integrity, Benefit Payment Control (BPC) review UI claims. If an overpayment occurs, BPC notifies you of your rights and responsibilities concerning the overpayment. Some or all future UI benefits may be withheld to repay the overpayment. If you do not make and keep arrangements to repay the overpaid UI benefits, you may have to pay additional fees, and you may be reported to the credit-reporting agencies. If you are overpaid UI benefits, contact BPC at 303-318-9035 (Denver-metro area) or 1 877-464-4622 (outside Denver-metro area) for a more complete explanation of your options for repayment.

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Detecting Fraud

Detecting and prosecuting fraud is a high priority for Colorado’s UI Program. Knowingly making a false statement or withholding information in order to receive UI benefits is fraud. The penalty for fraud can include a 4-week postponement of future UI benefits for each week in which you fraudulently requested payment of UI benefits. You must also repay the entire amount of UI benefits fraudulently received and pay a monetary penalty of 50 percent of that amount. Additional collection activities may include civil and criminal prosecution, including court costs, fines, and/or imprisonment.

The National Directory of New Hires Program

The National Directory of New Hires was established under federal law. Employers must report all newly hired employees so that individuals who are not paying their child support can be found. Colorado’s UI Program performs cross matches using new-hire information and current UI-claim information to determine whether claimants are attempting to receive UI benefits while working.

The Benefit Accuracy Measurement Program

The Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) program is a federally mandated program with investigators that review randomly selected claims to determine whether UI benefits payments were properly paid or denied.

You are notified if your claim is selected for review. You must respond to a detailed questionnaire by mail or telephone, if you are selected for review.

You can assist by providing:

Accurate records of your work history that include dates of employment, reason for any job separation, wages earned, employer addresses and telephone numbers, and rates of pay.
Records of any money earned during each week for which you have requested payment of UI benefits.
Detailed records of your work-search activities.
NOTE: You may use the Work-Search Log in this handbook to record your work-search contacts. Additional work-search logs are available to download and/or print at http://www.coworkforce.com. Click on Unemployment Information, then click on Claimant Handbook, select Web Version, and then click on Work-Search Log in the Table of Contents.

America’s Service Locator

America’s Service Locator (ASL) is a Web site that contains information on agencies that provide employment and training services. ASL partners with America’s Workforce Network (AWN) to provide information about the services available for workers and employers. You can find information on services, including One-Stop Career Centers, child-care providers, and transportation services. Visit ASL’s Web site at www.servicelocator.org or contact AWN’s toll-free help line at 1-877-872-5627.

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CUBLINE ONLINE Y CUBLINE (EN ESPAñOL)

Usando CUBLine Online

La línea de beneficios del seguro de desempleo de Colorado (CUBLine, por sus siglas de inglés) Online le permite solicitar pago de los beneficios del seguro de desempleo por Internet y es disponible 24 horas al día, 7 días por semana. Visite www.coworkforce.com, haga clic en Unemployment Online Services, y luego haga clic en CUBLine Online. Lee la primer oración, y luego haga clic en el cuadro al lado derecha de I have read and understand all of the above statements. Escribe su número de seguro social y número personal de identificación (PIN, por sus siglas de inglés) en los cuadros pertinentes. Clic en Proceed.

Conteste todas las preguntas. Estos son igual a las preguntas de CUBLine (véase “CUBLine Online y CUBLine Preguntas”).

Usando CUBLine

CUBLine esta disponible 24 horas al día, 7 días por semana a 303-813-2800 (área metropolitana de Denver) o 1-888-550-2800 (fuera del área metropolitana de Denver). Escucha cuidadosamente para escoger la opción que necesita usted.

CUBLine le permite seleccionar entre varias opciones en su reclamo. Puede:

Cambiar su dirección.
Cambiar su PIN.
Comprobar el estado de su reclamo y pago.
Escuchar las respuestas a las preguntas que se hacen más frecuentes.
Solicitar pago de beneficios.
Comprobar el balance de su reclamo.

Regreso al principio

CUBLine Online y CUBLine Preguntas

Cuando solicite su pago de beneficios, CUBLine Online y CUBLine le hacen las siguientes preguntas para determinar su elegibilidad. Tiene que responder dos veces a cada pregunta – una vez por cada una de las dos semanas que está reclamando.

Las preguntas son sobre si, durante cada semana, Usted:

Estaba hábil y dispuesto a trabajar.
Recibió algún pago, aparte de ganancias, que no haya reportado previamente al Departamento de Desempleo.
Asistió alguna escuela o entrenamiento que no haya reportado previamente al Departamento de Desempleo.
Hizo el número de contactos de trabajo requerido.

NOTA: Si esta atado a la compañía o atado a una unión, no es obligatorio hacer ningún contacto de trabajo. Responda que “sí” si está disponible para trabajar inmediatamente si la compañía o la unión le llame.

Se separó de un trabajo que no haya reportado previamente al Departamento de Desempleo.
Se negó una oferta de trabajo que no haya reportado previamente al Departamento de Desempleo.
Recibió un pago de comisión que no haya reportado previamente al Departamento de Desempleo.
•Trabajó o recibió pago por un día feriado.

Si trabajó durante cualquiera de las dos semanas, debe estar preparado para reportar los datos siguientes por cada semana aparte:

Las horas que usted trabajó. Si trabajó parte de una hora, redondee a la hora más cercana.
La cantidad en bruto (antes de impuestos o deducciones) que fue pagado o que va ser pagado. No incluye los centavos – redondee al dólar más alto.

NOTA: Tiene que reportar los ingresos en la semana trabajada, no cuando reciba su cheque de la compañía.

Debe de completar su solicitud por CUBLine Online o en CUBLine dentro de 14 días inmediatamente después de las dos semanas para las cuales está solicitando el pago. Usted puede solicitar sus pagos de beneficios del seguro de desempleo a cualquier hora dentro de los 14 días empezando con el domingo después de la segunda semana, pero no más tarde de las 11:59 de la noche en el decimocuarto día (el sábado).

Usted es responsable de saber cuando está programado para solicitar el pago en CUBLine Online o CUBLine. Para su conveniencia, esta guía incluye un calendario de 3 años en la portada posterior de la guía.

Si se termina la sesión con CUBLine Online o desconecta la llamada en CUBLine antes de confirmar sus respuestas, su reclamo por su pago de beneficios no será registrado en el sistema.

NOTA: Si entregue sus respuestas en CUBLine Online o llama a CUBLine tarde, es posible que no reciba los beneficios por las semanas que reclamó tarde.

Continúe usando CUBLine Online o llamando a CUBLine:

Mientras que su reclamo está siendo procesado por el Programa del Seguro de Desempleo.
Si apeló alguna decisión en su reclamo y está esperando el resultado.
Si está esperando una re-determinación de sus ganancias reportadas en el período base.
Aún si está “job attached” (atado a su trabajo) o tiene permiso de no buscar trabajo.

Deje de usar CUBLine Online o de llamar a CUBLine cuando regrese al trabajo por tiempo completo. Comuníquese con el Centro de Servicio al Cliente si tiene preguntas.

CUBLine Contact Log
Earnings Log

Work-Search Log