Nevada Unemployment Benefits and Eligibility

There are two steps to filing a claim in Nevada. First, you must set up and establish an initial claim for benefits. You can do this either by calling the Nevada unemployment phone number or through the Internet Claim Filing System.

How to file an initial Nevada unemployment application

When you establish a claim you have not requested any specific week’s benefits. This will be a separate action. In addition, when you establish a claim, it will remain valid for one year, or until all of your benefits are exhausted.

Before you file an initial claim, make sure you have the following information:

• Social Security number
• Home address/Mailing address
• Telephone number
• A valid email address
• The reason why you lost your last job
• Alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
• A DD Form 214 if you were on active military for any part of the past 18 months.
• A Standard Form 8 and Standard Form 50 if you worked for the federal government at any time in the past 18 months.
• All employment information for the past 18 months, including contact information and dates worked
• Additional wages you have received from vacation, severance or other sources
• Other states where you have worked in the past 18 months.
• If you choose to have your payments made by direct deposit, you will also need to supply appropriate information for that option (bank name and address, account and routing number).

After you file an initial claim

After you file an initial claim, you will be mailed a Monetary Determination. This statement will tell you if you have enough base period wages to qualify for unemployment insurance benefits. The Nevada Employment Security Division will also review the reason why you became unemployed to make sure it is a qualifying reason.  Other factors will also be reviewed to make sure you are initially eligible.

If you are eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, payments will begin to be processed about seven days after filing your first weekly claim.

Filing a weekly claim

To receive a weekly benefit payment in Nevada, you can either call into the NESD QuickClaim phone number, or use the Internet Claim Filing System.

Claim weeks always end on Saturday at midnight. You can file a weekly claim starting the next day on Sunday and through the following Saturday to get your benefits.

The telephone QuickClaim system will accept claims for the prior two weeks, While the Internet Claim Filing System will accept claims for all weeks. However, it is important that you file your claim for the previous week within 14 days of the week ending date. If you do not, your claim may be disqualified or delayed based on the reason for your slow filing.

To be paid weekly, you must individually file for all weeks that you are eligible.

Newly unemployed?

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Where do I submit my claim?

Online

To file a Nevada unemployment claim online, go to the NESD/Nevada unemployment website. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

By phone

To file an initial claim by phone or to file a weekly benefits claim, call the QuickClaim/Nevada unemployment number for your area:

Northern Nevada: (775) 684-0350

Southern Nevada: (702) 486-0350

Rural or Interstate: (888) 890-8211

It is important to listen closely and answer each question to make sure your claim is validated and approved. You must receive confirmation that your claim has been accepted.

By mail

If you have a disability or a language barrier, NESD will allow you to request to file your weekly claims by mail. The request must be made in writing and include the reason why you can only file by mail. If approved, you will be mailed a weekly claim form that can be returned through the mail.

Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR)
500 East Third Street
Carson City, NV  89713

Regardless of how you file your claim, it will be matched against computer records to find out if you worked while claiming benefits. If you worked but did not report earnings and you file a claim, you are committing fraud. Violators will be disqualified for up to 52 weeks or until improperly received benefits are repaid. All cases of fraud can be prosecuted under the law, resulting in fines and jail time.

Nevada unemployment eligibility contacts

• Northern Nevada:  (775) 684-0350
• Southern Nevada:  (702) 486-0350
• Long Distance or Interstate:  (888) 890-8211
• TTY: Hearing Impaired Service Only
• Northern Nevada Telephone Claim Center:  (775) 687-1109
• Southern Nevada Telephone Claim Center:  (702) 486-0157
• Voice Relay:  (800) 326-6868
• Internet claim filing and account management: www.ui.nv.gov
• Appeals Office:  (702) 486-7933
• Appeals Office Toll Free:  (866) 626-0629

Nevada JobConnect Locations

For assistance with finding a job, register at a Nevada JobConnect office nearest you. To find a location near you, or to obtain more information about skill training, visit www.nevadajobconnect.com. You can also visit our guide to Nevada unemployment office locations.

1. Henderson – 4500 E. Sunset Road, #40 – (702) 486-0300
2. Las Vegas – 3405 S. Maryland Parkway – (702) 486-0100
3. North Las Vegas – 2827 Las Vegas Blvd North – (702) 486-0200
4. Carson City – 1929 North Carson St – (775) 684-0400
5. Reno – 4001 S. Virginia St – (775) 284-9600
6. Sparks – 2281 Pyramid Way – (775) 284-9520
7. Elko – 172 Sixth St – (775) 753-1900
8. Ely – 1500 Avenue F, Suite 1 – (775) 289-1616
9. Fallon – 121 Industrial Way – (775) 423-5115
10. Winnemucca – 475 West Haskell St – (775) 623-6520

How Unemployment Works in Nevada

1. If you have lost your job, don’t wait to file Nevada unemployment claims. It is important to get started as soon as possible so that you can begin receiving assistance quickly.
2. After you apply for Nevada unemployment, NESD — the Nevada unemployment department — will determine if you are eligible for benefits. This may take several days to weeks.
3. If you meet Nevada unemployment benefits eligibility and are approved, you will begin receiving payments within seven days of your first claim. You’ll need to understand the Nevada unemployment claim filing system, which is weekly proof that you are hunting for work.
4. The state also will require you to register with the Nevada JobConnect office. This program will help you find new work, and you must comply with directions to maintain your Nevada unemployment benefits eligibility.
5. Nevada unemployment benefits are available for up to 26 weeks, or until you find a new job, whichever occurs first. After this time, your benefits expire and you will no longer receive unemployment compensation.

Looking for a job while collecting unemployment benefits

One of the requirements of collecting unemployment insurance in Nevada is that you must conduct an ongoing effort to find another job. In addition to your own efforts, you must register with a Nevada JobConnect office. Failing to do so could delay or deny your benefits. If you have any questions about job hunting, filing a claim or other inquiries regarding Nevada unemployment, contact a Nevada unemployment office as soon as possible.

When you meet with a Job Connect representative, you will be advised of the specific job search requirements for the type of work you are seeking, as well as providing you with labor market information, prevailing wages and distances you may need to travel. You will also be advised if there is an issue that may affect your benefits eligibility, so that you have a chance to correct it. Some of these might be related to transportation, childcare or the refusal of suitable work.

During the meeting, you will also be given eligibility assessments by reviewing work search activities and techniques, discussing and developing a work search plan and a reemployment plan and working on your resume, if needed. You will also be able to take advantage of job matching services, referrals to open job orders and practicing interviewing techniques.

If you refuse to take part in reemployment services and do not have a justifiable reason for the refusal, it could result in a delay or denial of benefits.

You must also keep a log of your work search efforts. Your work search will be verified and you may be asked to produce this record from time to time. If you do not keep good records and do not produce them when requested, you could be denied future benefits.

Filing an appeal if your claim for benefits is denied

If your claim is denied, you have the right to file an appeal to seek if you can become qualified for benefits.  Reasons you might be denied benefits include:

• If you quit your job without good cause
• You were terminated for misconduct or because you committed a crime at work
• You worked for your last employer for less than 16 weeks
• Failing to conduct a suitable job search
• Failing to accept suitable work
• Participating in a labor dispute
• Withholding or giving false information that impacts your claim
• Drawing unemployment benefits from another state while also drawing benefits from Nevada
• Receiving disability payments for an on-the-job injury
• Receiving vacation pay, severance pay or other pay and not reporting it
• If you are not legally authorized to work in the United States
• If you are between academic terms

If you want to appeal a decision, it must be filed within 11 days of the date the decision was mailed to you.

You can file the appeal by mailing a letter to the address shown on the decision requesting an appeal. You can also submit an appeal by fax.

An appeal may take 21 days or more to resolve. During this period, you should keep filing a claim for unemployment benefits. If your benefits are approved, you can only collect them for those weeks that you have already claimed.

After you file an appeal, the Appeals Tribunal will send you a Notice of Hearing that will either be conducted in person or by phone. The Notice will also disclose what issues will be discussed as part of the hearing. You have the right to be represented by an attorney if you so choose.

Any documents that you intend to submit as potential evidence for the hearing must be submitted to the Appeals Office and any opposing party at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled hearing date. This is your only opportunity to present testimony, witnesses and documentation.

Following the hearing, a written decision will be mailed to you and all other parties, such as your former employer. If you are not happy with the decision, you have 11 days from the mailing date to file a written appeal to the Board of Review. After the Board of Review issues it’s decision, if you are still not happy with the outcome, you can petition the District Court for appeal. You have 22 days to file that level of appeal and it must be filed through a petition in the District Court in the county where the employment that caused your unemployment claim to be filed.

FAQs about Nevada unemployment

What Nevada unemployment requirements do I need to meet?

To be eligible to receive Nevada-based unemployment insurance benefits, you must meet all NESD requirements.  They include:

1. You must have lost your job through no fault of your own, such as due to a layoff or a plant closure. If you were fired, you are not automatically disqualified, but you will need to give the reason for your termination.
2. You must be mentally and physically able to work a normal work week for your profession or industry.
3. You must be available and ready to go to work. This means you could no longer meet Nevada unemployment qualifications if you take a vacation or travel out of state. You must have adequate transportation and have child care arrangements so that if you are offered a job, you can start immediately without reservations.
4. You must file your Nevada unemployment weekly claims in a timely manner.  In Nevada, this means that you must file your weekly claim within 7 days after the weekly ending date or your claim may be denied. You can file your Nevada unemployment weekly claim through the NESD automated QuickClaim system or by using the division’s Internet Claim filing system.
5. You must be actively seeking work. This means you must make a good faith effort to secure employment, using methods that are reasonable and prudent for the type of work you are seeking. Specifically, you must seek work that matches your skills and abilities and apply to employers that are likely to hire someone with your talents.
6. You must use a variety of means to secure employment, including registering for Nevada Job Connect either online or at a nearby Job Service office in your area.  When you apply for a job, you must make contact with the person who has the authority to hire and file a written application when an employer will accept it. Your contacts must take place during hours and days when hiring is normally done.
7. You must meet reporting requirements and be registered on the out-of-work list if you are a member of a union that has exclusive referrals to jobs in your occupation.
8. You must be willing to accept customary pay and hours in the area for your type of work, and you must be willing to immediately accept any offer of suitable work.
9. You will need to keep a weekly record of your job search efforts and maintain this record for as long as you are drawing benefits to substantiate your claim if required.  These records must be kept after you become employed since you may be audited to ensure you complied with job search requirements.

How much is Nevada unemployment compensation?

The Nevada unemployment benefits you will receive are based on the amount of wages you earn in your Base Period. The Base Period is defined as the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters that immediately precede your initial claim for benefits.  Quarters are defined as January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December.

The more money you make during your highest quarter of earnings, the more money you will be paid as an unemployment benefit until you reach the maximum weekly amount.

There are other wage requirements for Nevada benefits as well.

You must earn overall wages during your Base Period that are equal to or exceed one and one-half times your highest quarter earnings. Or you must have earned wages in each at least three of the last four quarters of the Base Period. In either situation, you must have earned at least $400 in the high quarter.

If you qualify for benefits, you can be paid a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment insurance of your full weekly benefit amount during a full benefit year. This may change if benefits are extended by Nevada unemployment laws. In some cases, such as when the Nevada unemployment rate is high, it may be difficult to find work. In some cases, Nevada unemployment extensions may be considered.

The Nevada unemployment amount you will receive based on your earnings will be noticed in your Monetary Determination letter mailed to you after you file your initial claim.  It is essential you check this document for accuracy and notify NESD immediately to correct any mistakes.

If you do not meet minimum wage requirements to qualify for benefits, you could be eligible to use an Alternate Base Period. The Alternate Base Period is the last four completed quarters at the time your initial claim is filed. You do not have a choice as to which period you can use.  The Alternate Base Period may only be used if you do not qualify for benefits using your Base Period wages. If you do not meet the Alternate Base Period requirements, it is unlikely that you will qualify for state of Nevada unemployment.

When and how will I be paid my unemployment?

Nevada unemployment benefits are paid through the issuance of a debit card.  When you receive benefits, the amount is loaded on to a debit card which can be used anywhere a debit card is accepted.

If you are eligible to receive benefits, your first payment will be issued within about 7 days after you file your first claim. After that, subsequent weeks will be paid and loaded within 48 hours after you file for an eligible week.

Nevada does not currently offer a direct deposit option into an existing savings or checking account.