One of the biggest AFSCME wins at the Capitol in recent years was extending Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to school workers. This change follows decades of work by AFSCME 65 and other unions to make it easier for workers to stay in our schools. Members testified before the legislature and campaigned hard to achieve this.

Hourly school workers are now to use UI like everyone during the summer break. The only way to be sure whether you qualify for unemployment benefits and what your benefit amount will be is to apply once you are laid off and answer the questions honestly.

What You Need to Know about Unemployment Insurance

Apply For UI Now

Frequently Asked Questions

School workers are now eligible to apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the summer break. There are multiple factors used to determine your eligibility. The only way to know for sure if you qualify when break begins, is to go to www.uimn.org, select Applicants, and then Apply for Benefits. Answer all questions as accurately as possible. False information can delay an application or disqualify you from the program. You can see more information on how to apply below,  check out our School Worker UI FAQ below or visit www.uimn.org.

• Apply as soon as you are unemployed for the summer.
• You must apply every week in which you are unemployed or have reduced hours. 
• You will not receive benefits until the second week you apply. 
• You must accept comparable work if offered it.
• You may be eligible for partial UI benefits if you have take a second job. 
• The only way to know for sure if you qualify when break begins, is to go to www.uimn.org, select Applicants, and then Apply for Benefits.
• If you are denied benefits you may appeal. 

APPLY ONLINE

You can apply online Sunday - Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Go to www.uimn.org, select Applicants, and then Apply for Benefits.

APPLY BY PHONE

Call on Monday - Friday from 8:00  a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Choose: English, Spanish, Hmong, or Somali. 

• Twin Cities area: 651-296-3644
• Greater Minnesota: 1-877-898-9090
• Teletypewriter (TTY) users: 1-866-814-1252

*We are providing the best information we can to help members understand the resources available to them. However, each person will have to consider their specific situation to determine if they can and should apply for UI benefits. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Where do I apply for unemployment benefits?
A: mn.gov/uimn

Q: When should I apply for Unemployment Benefits?
A: You should apply for benefits the week you become unemployed or your hours are greatly reduced. 

Q: When can I expect to start receiving benefits.
A: The first week you apply for and request UI benefits is considered your "Non-Payable Week", if your application is approved benefits should begin during your second week.  

Q: After I apply what do I do?
A: You should request a payment each week you are unemployed or your hours are greatly reduced. Request a payment even if DEED is determining your eligibility or you are awaiting an appeal. You may lose payments for weeks you do not request on time.

You can request a payment online Sunday-Friday from 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. by going to mn.gov/uimn select Applicants and then Apply for Benefits. Phone options are listed on the UI website. 

Q: Should I apply for unemployment benefits this summer?
A: Yes, if you are not working this summer or are working a significantly reduced schedule, you should apply.

To be eligible for unemployment benefits you must be actively looking for work and you must accept suitable offers of employment. We encourage you to accept jobs that are offered to you – especially summer school and extended school year positions with your district – AND apply for unemployment, as you may be eligible for a partial benefit.

Q: I am still working 10 hours a week and provide one of the following services: summer meals, meal delivery, childcare or education support with the School District. Will I be eligible for unemployment?
A: The only way to know whether you’re eligible for UI benefits is to apply and answer the questions honestly. Unemployment offers a partial benefit for individuals who work at jobs where they make less. It’s probably in your self-interest to work summer school and collect the partial unemployment payment.

Things to consider: Should there be a break between the end of the school year and before summer school starts you should apply for unemployment as there are 5 weekdays without work that must be served before unemployment eligibility may begin. When working at summer school should your hours drop in a week, and you were not eligible before you may be now and should apply. If there are weekdays after summer school ends and school begins you should apply as you may be eligible.

Q: Am I eligible for unemployment this summer even though I have never been eligible in the past?
A: On May 28, 2023, the law changed, unemployment now works the same for hourly school employees as it does for all other workers. You can now apply for and receive unemployment compensation so long as you meet all the other eligibility criteria.

Q: I’ve worked at Summer School for several years, and this year I did not sign up to work at summer school. Am I still eligible for unemployment?
A: The only way to know whether you’re eligible for UI benefits is to apply and answer the questions honestly. Unemployment offers a partial benefit for individuals who choose to work at jobs where they make less. It’s probably in your self-interest to work summer school and collect the partial unemployment payment.

Q: I work a second job outside the school district. Should I still apply for unemployment benefits this summer?
A: The only way to know whether you’re eligible for UI benefits is to apply and answer the questions honestly. Unemployment offers a partial benefit for individuals so you may still be eligible based on your reduced work hours from the school district.

Q: Do I have to look for work if I’m going to apply for unemployment?
A: To apply for unemployment there is an expectation that you are looking for work (online, in the newspaper and so on). Generally, that is similar work, and there is no expectation you will take a position that pays significantly less.

Other Frequently Asked Questions about how to apply:

Q: Is this a member’s benefit only?
A: No, unemployment now works the same for hourly school employees as it does for all other workers.

Q: My salary is paid year around 12-months (annualized pay) with the school district. Am I still eligible for unemployment?
A: Salary paid for work prior to the unemployment benefit reporting period you are applying for is not counted as income against your unemployment benefit for purposes of unemployment. 

Q: The District contributes or pays my health insurance and/or other insurance premiums during the summer? Will I lose my insurance benefit if I apply for unemployment insurance, and/or do I have to report the district’s insurance contribution as income?
A: Filing for unemployment does not impact your insurance benefits, and insurance contributions are not considered income for purposes of unemployment.

Q: One of the questions you will respond to when applying for unemployment is a union related question.
A: Our union is not listed. You should select “other.” This question is related only to those workers who part of a “hiring hall” union. Hiring hall unions directly place their members with their employers. Hiring Hall unions only exist in the building trades and do not represent school employees.

Q: How long does it take to apply for unemployment and file a claim weekly?
A: The first time can take a while (but often takes as little at 15 minutes) as you must set up an account and answer a significant number of questions. The best thing to do is apply online and to answer all the questions fully and honestly. The UI program does have a call center in case you have questions, but they are expecting to be busy and wait times could be longer than normal.

Weekly claims after that: This is quick. You answer 6 or 7 questions. It is important that you answer “yes” to the first question if you worked at all during the week for which you are requesting benefits.

Q: Are we considered “seasonal” employees?
A: No, school employees are not considered "seasonal" employees for UI purposes.

Q: For the reason I am filing, options are termination, quit, layoff, or seasonal.
A: If your work ended because of the end of the school year, you are considered laid off. If you did quit or were terminated, you need to say that when you apply.

Q: Is this taxable income?
A: Yes

Frequently Asked Questions about the Appeals Process

Q: I’ve been denied unemployment and their letter says I can appeal. What should I do?
A: For any week you intend to receive unemployment benefits you must request benefits. Follow all the steps and timelines in the process (even if you are denied many times). This includes responding to all communication they send you and filing the appeal.

Q: Do I have to file for unemployment every week even if I’m denied?
A: For any week you intend to receive unemployment benefits, you must request benefits (even if you are denied many times) eligibility is determined on a week-by-week basis. Unemployment compensation is only available for the weeks you file a claim. You should request benefits every week.

Q: If I am initially denied, but then win on appeal, will any unemployment compensation be paid retroactively?
A: If you win on appeal, unemployment compensation may be paid retroactively to the first date you applied for it. However—and this is very important to remember—you must continue to request benefits each week throughout the appeal process. If you don’t apply each week, you likely will not receive any retroactive unemployment compensation.

As your union we are providing you with the information we have and will update information on our website as we receive additional information. It’s up to you to decide if you want to apply for unemployment benefits. The only way to determine your eligibility is to apply and answer all questions accurately.