While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the LIHEAP program and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
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 Missouri’s Unemployment Program Overview page here.
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 Money Network Visa debit cards.
Learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.
To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in Missouri, you must:
Learn more about Missouri’s monetary and personal eligibility requirements here.
Apply for benefits online here 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.
Learn more information on when to apply for Unemployment Insurance here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Missouri, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access the UInteract portal.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact your Regional Claims Center at one of the following numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays listed here.
The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you worked for in Missouri. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the Missouri Division of Employment Security takes the average of the two highest-earning quarters in the applicant’s base period, and then calculates 4 percent of that average.
The minimum weekly benefit amount in Missouri is $45. The maximum weekly benefit amount is $320.
Learn more about Missouri’s base period and how benefits are calculated here. You can use the Unemployment Benefit Calculator found here to estimate your benefit amount.
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.
Keep track of your work-search contacts. You are required to make at least three contacts per week to receive payments and waiting week credit.
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.
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.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
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.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit an appeal form to the Division of Employment Security:
Division of Employment Security
Appeals Tribunal
P.O. Box 59
Jefferson City, MO 65104
Learn more about the appeals process here.
For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call your Regional Claims Center at one of the following numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays here.
You can also visit or call a local Job Center for further assistance. Find your nearest office location and contact information here.
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 or download our free guide here.
If you have general questions about Missouri Unemployment Benefits or an Unemployment Insurance claim, call one of the Missouri Division of Employment Security (DES) Regional Claims Centers:
For specific Unemployment Insurance questions, call the following phone numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays listed here.
You can also contact the Missouri DES digitally by:
If you have questions about appeals, contact the Unemployment Hearings and Appeals Division by:
Or, learn about the appeals process here.
Missouri has 19 Job Centers. Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below. Or, go to the Missouri DES Contact Us page here.
| Location | Address | Phone Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryville Job Center | 114 W 3rd Street Maryville, MO 64468 | (660) 582-8980 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Trenton Missouri Job Center | 1104 Main Trenton, MO 64683 | (660) 359-5636 | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Kirksville Job Center | 2105 E Normal Kirksville, MO 63501 | (660) 785-2400 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| St. Joseph Job Center | 2202 Frederick St. Joseph, MO 64506 | (816) 387-2380 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Chillicothe Job Center | 601 W Mohawk Road Chillicothe, MO 64601 | (660) 646-0671 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Hannibal Job Center | 203 N Sixth Street Hannibal, MO 63401 | (573) 248-2520 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Platte County Resource Center | 11724 NW Plaza Circle Suite 500 Kansas City, MO 64153 | (816) 464-4620 | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Kansas City - Northland Job Center | 3100 NE 83rd Street Suite 2100 Kansas City, MO 64119 | (819) 468-8767 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| FEC Richmond | 1740 Paseo Kansas City, MO 64108 | (816) 471-2330 | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| The Cube (Full Employment Council) | 1722 E 17th Terrace Kansas City, MO 64108 | (816) 471-2330 | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Face Forward | 1710 E 18th Street Kansas City, MO 64108 | (816) 471-2330 | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Independence Job Center | 15301 E 23rd Street South Independence, MO 64055 | (816) 521-5700 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| South Kansas City | 6025 S Prospect Kansas City, MO 64130 | (816) 448-7601 | Monday-Wednesday, Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Thursday, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Sedalia Job Center | 515 S Kentucky Sedalia, MO 65301 | (660) 530-5627 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Columbia Job Center | 101 Park De Ville Drive Suite E Columbia, MO 65203 | (573) 441-6361 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Fulton Missouri Job Center | 512 Market Street Fulton, MO 65251 | (573) 642-7760 | Monday-Wednesday, Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Thursday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Warrenton Job Center | 111 Steinhagen Road Warrenton, MO 63383 | (636) 456-9467 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Washington Job Center | 1108 Washington Square Shopping Center Washington, MO 63090 | (636) 583-9670 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| St. Louis County Center | 715 NW Plaza Drive St. Ann, MO 63074 | (314) 615-6010 | Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
To find more information on Missouri Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:
To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:
If you have a question about Missouri Employer Unemployment Insurance:
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 or download our free guide here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Missouri, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access the UInteract portal.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact your Regional Claims Center at one of the following numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays listed here.
If you have already applied for Unemployment Insurance online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account through the Missouri claimant portal here.
You can also check the status of your application by calling your Regional Claims Center at one of the following numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays here.
Learn more about checking your claim status here.
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.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit an appeal form to the Division of Employment Security:
Division of Employment Security
Appeals Tribunal
P.O. Box 59
Jefferson City, MO 65104
Learn more about the appeals process here.
For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call your Regional Claims Center at one of the following numbers:
Missouri DES phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CT, except for the observed holidays here.
You can also visit or call a local Job Center for further assistance. Find your nearest office location and contact information here.
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 or download our free guide here.