Colorado Unemployment FAQ Sheet

1. What Is Unemployment Insurance?
2. What Are Unemployment Insurance Benefits?
3. How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits
4. When to Apply for Unemployment
5. How to Apply for Colorado Unemployment Insurance
6. How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated
7. I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?
8. What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?
9. How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial
10. Need More Help?
11. View or Download Our Free Guide

What Is Unemployment Insurance?

Unemployment Insurance is a benefit program designed to replace part of the income of recently unemployed or underemployed workers. Unemployment Insurance is available to workers who are out of work through no fault of their own.

Learn more about Unemployment on Colorado’s Unemployment Program Overview page here.

What Are Unemployment Insurance Benefits?

Unemployment Insurance Benefits are weekly payments given to eligible workers who apply to and are accepted into the program. These payments are typically provided via direct deposits to the beneficiary’s bank account or a prepaid debit card.

Learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.

How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in Colorado, you must:

• Have lost your job due to no fault of your own.
• Be able to work.
• Be actively seeking work.
• Meet Colorado’s monetary and personal eligibility requirements.

Learn more about Colorado’s monetary and personal eligibility requirements here.

When to Apply for Unemployment

Apply for benefits online during the week you are seeking payment, when your hours have been reduced or when you are no longer employed. Do NOT wait until the week is over.

File a Regular Unemployment Claim here.

Learn more information on when to apply for Unemployment Insurance here.

How to Apply for Colorado Unemployment Insurance

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Colorado, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the documentation related to your previous employment and information you will need for the application.
   Learn what documents and information you need here.
2. Submit the Unemployment application online, which is also known as filing a claim.

File a Regular Unemployment Claim here.

3. **Register at your local Workforce Center.**Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number here.

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Unemployment Compensation customer service line Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM MT at the following numbers:

• Denver-metro area (English): (303) 318-9000
• Denver-metro area (Spanish): (303) 318-9333
• Outside Denver-metro area: (800) 388-5515
• Toll-free and Spanish: (866) 422-0402
• TTD Denver-metro area: (303) 318-9016
• TTD toll-free: (800) 894-7730

How Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amounts Are Calculated

The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you worked for in Colorado. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment takes the average of the wages of the two highest-earning quarters in your base period and divides that by 26.

The minimum weekly benefit amount in Colorado is $25. The maximum weekly benefit amount is $781.

Learn more about Colorado’s base period and how benefits are calculated here.

I Just Applied for Unemployment Insurance. Now What?

1. Report Your Waiting Week

The week after you file your unemployment claim is called the Waiting Week. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant portal here and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.

Learn more about the Waiting Week here.

Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.

2. Start Looking for Work

Keep track of your work-search contacts. You are required to make at least two contacts per week to receive payments and waiting week credit.

3. Discuss Possible Issues

If you were discharged or quit your last job, expect a call (or email if that is your preferred contact method) to determine if you are eligible for unemployment insurance.

Learn more about what to expect after applying here.

What Happens After You Are Approved for Unemployment Benefits?

You must file a Weekly Certification Application every week you are receiving Unemployment Benefits until you are employed again. This weekly claim is like a follow-up application that certifies your continued eligibility for the program and proves you are actively applying for new jobs.

File your Weekly Certification Application here.

It’s important to remember that you will stop receiving Unemployment Benefits and your Unemployment Claim will be canceled if you have not filed Weekly Certifications for two or more consecutive weeks.

How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit an appeal letter to the Department of Labor and Employment:

• Online by logging into your MyUI account here.
• By fax to (303) 318-9248.
• By mail to:

Unemployment Appeals Section
PO Box 8988
Denver, CO 80201-8988

If you have questions about appeals, call the Division of Unemployment Insurance Appeals at (303) 318-9299 from Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT, except for the observed holidays listed here.

You may not file an appeal by phone, as appeals must be in writing. Learn about the appeals process here.

Need More Help?

For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment at (303) 318-8000.

All Colorado DLE phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT, except for the observed holidays listed here.

You can also visit or call a local Workforce Center for further assistance. Find your nearest office location and contact information here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

1. Contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
2. Unemployment Offices in Colorado
3. Need More Help?
4. View or Download Our Free Guide

Contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment

If you have general questions about Colorado Unemployment Benefits or an Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (DLE) customer service center at the following numbers:

• Denver-metro area (English): (303) 318-9000
• Denver-metro area (Spanish): (303) 318-9333
• Outside Denver-metro area: (800) 388-5515
• Toll-free and Spanish: (866) 422-0402
• TTD Denver-metro area: (303) 318-9016
• TTD toll-free: (800) 894-7730

If you have a question about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in Colorado, you can call (303) 536-5615.

If you have questions about appeals, call the Division of Unemployment Insurance Appeals at (303) 318-9299. Or, learn about the appeals process here.

All Colorado DLE phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT, except for the observed holidays here.

Unemployment Offices in Colorado

Colorado has 52 local Workforce Centers. Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below. Or, go to the Colorado DLE Contact Us page here.

Need More Help?

To find more information on Colorado Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:

• The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (DLE) website here.
• The Colorado DLE Frequently Asked Questions page here.

To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:

• Visit the Colorado Unemployment Insurance claimant portal here.

If you have a question about Colorado Employer Unemployment Insurance:

• Call (303) 318-9100
• Call toll-free (800) 480-8299
• Visit the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Employer Registration page here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

1. How to Apply for Colorado Unemployment Insurance
2. How to Check Your Application Status
3. The Unemployment Benefits Waiting Week
4. How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial
5. Need More Help?
6. View or Download Our Free Guide

How to Apply for Colorado Unemployment Insurance

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Colorado, complete the following three steps:

1. Gather the documentation related to your previous employment and information you will need for the application.
   Learn what documents and information you need here.
2. Submit the Unemployment application online, which is also known as filing a claim.

File a Regular Unemployment Claim here.

3. **Register at your local Workforce Center.**Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number here.

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Unemployment Compensation customer service line Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM MT at the following numbers:

• Denver-metro area (English): (303) 318-9000
• Denver-metro area (Spanish): (303) 318-9333
• Outside Denver-metro area: (800) 388-5515
• Toll-free and Spanish: (866) 422-0402
• TTD Denver-metro area: (303) 318-9016
• TTD toll-free: (800) 894-7730

How to Check Your Application Status

If you have already applied for Unemployment Insurance online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account through the Colorado claimant portal here.

You can also check the status of your application by calling the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s customer service line at the following numbers:

• Denver-metro area (English): (303) 318-9000
• Denver-metro area (Spanish): (303) 318-9333
• Outside Denver-metro area: (800) 388-5515
• Toll-free and Spanish: (866) 422-0402
• TTD Denver-metro area: (303) 318-9016
• TTD toll-free: (800) 894-7730

The Unemployment Benefits Waiting Week

You will not begin receiving Unemployment Benefits immediately after submitting the application. By law, you must wait one week before finding out whether you will begin receiving benefits. This is called the Waiting Week.

The Waiting Week is the week after you file your unemployment claim. During the Waiting Week, you must file a Weekly Certification Application through the claimant portal here and the Unemployment Office will make sure you are still unemployed or underemployed, and meet all other eligibility requirements. If approved, you will begin receiving your weekly benefits the following week. You are not paid for the Waiting Week, but you do receive a Waiting Week credit.

Learn more about the Waiting Week here.

How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit an appeal letter to the Department of Labor and Employment:

• Online by logging into your MyUI account here.
• By fax to (303) 318-9248.
• By mail to:

Unemployment Appeals Section
PO Box 8988
Denver, CO 80201-8988

If you have questions about appeals, call the Division of Unemployment Insurance Appeals at (303) 318-9299 from Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT, except for the observed holidays listed here.

You may not file an appeal by phone, as appeals must be in writing. Learn about the appeals process here.

Need More Help?

For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment at (303) 318-8000.

All Colorado DLE phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT, except for the observed holidays listed here.

You can also visit or call a local Workforce Center for further assistance. Find your nearest office location and contact information here.

View or Download Our Free Guide

While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Unemployment Insurance program and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.

Our free Unemployment Insurance Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility requirements and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.

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