- Applicants have become unemployed through no fault of their own.
- Applicants are U.S. citizens or legal residents.
- Applicants are ready and willing to accept work.
- Applicants must have earned at least $2,500 in wages.
Generally, applicants are not eligible for unemployment if they have been fired from a job for misconduct. The Colorado Department of Labor & Unemployment will contact former employers to ask about the circumstances of the dismissal. However, applicants may appeal decisions if they disagree with the employer's verdict.
How to File
To apply for unemployment online, visit the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment website. In the Denver area, call 303-318-9000 or the toll-free number at 1-800-388-5515 from the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Unemployment Claims
The amount of unemployment claims is calculated on a quarterly basis. In some cases, waiting to file until the next quarter may be beneficial if pay increased dramatically over the course of a year. In most cases, it will not make a big enough difference to worry about.
There is a one-week waiting period after applying for unemployment before applicants receive their first payment. After that, if the claim is approved, unemployment benefits are paid weekly. The maximum weekly amount for 2009 is $475, or approximately $1900 per month based on a four-week month.
Payment Methods
The Colorado Department of Labor & Unemployment no longer issues paper checks. The department will issue unemployment payments on a Visa® debit card, or unemployment payments can be direct deposited into a checking or savings account. The default choice is the debit card, unless direct deposit is specified on the application.
