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 New Jersey’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 direct deposits to the beneficiary’s bank account or on a prepaid debit card.
Learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.
To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in New Jersey, you must:
Learn more about New Jersey’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 New Jersey, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access New Jersey’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment insurance by phone, call a New Jersey Reemployment Call Center (RCC) at one of the following lines below.
New Jersey RCC phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AMuntil 3:30 PM ET, except for the observed holidays listed here.
The New Jersey Unemployment Office does not accept claims in person, but you can obtain help at a One-Stop Career Center. Click here to find your nearest office location.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact your closest RCC at one of the phone numbers listed above.
The amount of Unemployment Benefits you receive is based on your past reported earnings by employers that you worked for in New Jersey. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the New Jersey Division of Unemployment Benefits takes into account 60 percent of the average weekly wage you earned in the base period. Then, for dependents, it adds 7 percent of your weekly benefit rate (WBR) for your first dependent and 4 percent each for up to two other dependents.
The maximum weekly benefit amount in New Jersey is $854.
Learn more about New Jersey’s base period and how benefits are calculated here.
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.
You must file your weekly claims according to your assigned day and time, which depends on the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN). You are assigned a 30-minute window on a specific day of the week. Click here to view the schedule and when you may file a weekly certification.
Learn more about the Waiting Week here on page 19.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
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.
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 one or more consecutive weeks or if you miss a required appointment.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal within 10 days of receiving a notice of denial. You can submit an appeal letter online here by completing the “Claimant Appeal of Benefit Determination” form and providing a reason for your appeal in the appropriate box.
To file an appeal by mail, send a letter explaining your disagreement to:
New Jersey Department of Labor
Appeal Tribunal
P.O. Box 907
Trenton, NJ 08625-0907
While your appeal is pending, you must continue to file your weekly claims to continue receiving benefits. 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 one of the New Jersey Reemployment Call Centers (RCC) at the lines below.
New Jersey RCC phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM ET, except for the observed holidays here.
You can also visit or call a local One-Stop Career 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 our free guide here.
If you have general questions about New Jersey Unemployment Benefits or an Unemployment Insurance claim, call one of the New Jersey Division of Unemployment Insurance’s Reemployment Call Centers (RCC) at one of the lines below.
New Jersey RCC phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM ET, except for the observed holidays listed here.
To email the Division of Unemployment Insurance, fill out the online form here.
You can also reach the Division of Unemployment Insurance by mail at:
Division of Unemployment Insurance
Customer Service Office
New Jersey Department of Labor
PO Box 058
Trenton, NJ 08625-0058
If you have questions about appeals, email the NJ Appeal Tribunal at appealtribunal@dol.nj.gov. Or, learn about the appeals process here.
New Jersey has 14 One-Stop Career Centers you can visit if you need additional help or have questions about Unemployment Insurance. Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below. Or, go to the New Jersey Division of Unemployment Insurance Contact Us page here.
| Location | Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hill | 101 Woodcrest Road Suite 127 Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 | (856) 549-0600 |
| East Orange | 50 South Clinton Street, 2nd Floor East Orange, NJ 07018-3120 | (973) 395-3220 |
| Elizabeth | 921 Elizabeth Avenue Elizabeth, NJ 07201-2710 | (908) 965-3930 |
| Hackensack | 60 State Street, 1st Floor Hackensack, NJ 07601-5451 | (201) 329-9600 |
| Jersey City | 438 Summit Avenue, 1st Floor Jersey City, NJ 07306-3175 | (201) 795-8800 |
| Neptune | 60 Taylor Avenue North Neptune, NJ 07753-4844 | (732) 775-1566 |
| Newark | 990 Broad Street Newark, NJ 07102-0226 | (973) 648-3370 |
| Newton | Sussex County Mall, Route 206 North Newton, NJ 07860 | (973) 383-2775 |
| Passaic | 25 Howe Avenue Passaic, NJ 07055 | (973) 742-9226 ext. 7319 |
| Paterson | 200 Memorial Drive, 1st Floor Paterson, NJ 07505 | (973) 742-9226 |
| Perth Amboy | 161 New Brunswick Avenue 3rd Floor, Suite 300 Perth Amboy, NJ 08861-4109 | (732) 293-5016 |
| Pleasantville | 2 South Main Street Pleasantville, NJ 08232-2728 | (609) 813-3900 |
| Somerville | 75 Veterans Memorial Dr. East Suite 102 Somerville, NJ 08876-2949 | (908) 704-3000 |
| Trenton | 26 Yard Avenue Trenton, NJ 08625-0954 | (609) 633-2410 |
Other One-Stop Career Centers are available throughout the state, but they do not offer Unemployment Insurance assistance filing for benefits. You can find all One-Stop Career Centers locations in New Jersey here.
If you would like to file for Unemployment Insurance benefits or need to certify to continue receiving benefits, you can file your initial claim and weekly claims by phone. You can call any of the numbers listed below, but it is encouraged to use the line that is local to your area.
| Local Area | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Camden | (856) 614-3801 |
| East Orange | (973) 680-3518 |
| Elizabeth | (908) 820-3969 |
| Hackensack | (201) 996-8021 |
| Jersey City | (201) 217-4602 |
| Neptune | (732) 775-5131 |
| New Brunswick | (732) 937-4525 |
| Newark | (973) 648-7601 |
| Newton | (973) 383-4432 |
| Passaic | (973) 458-6724 |
| Paterson | (973) 977-4307 |
| Perth Amboy | (732) 937-4525 |
| Phillipsburg | (908) 859-5467 |
| Plainfield | (908) 412-7779 |
| Pleasantville | (609) 441-7581 |
| Randolph | (973) 328-6490 |
| Somerville | (908) 704-3366 |
| Thorofare | (856) 853-4177 |
| Toms River | (732) 286-6460 |
| Trenton | (609) 292-6800 |
| Vineland | (856) 696-6591 |
To find more information on New Jersey Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:
To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:
If you have a question about New Jersey 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 our free guide here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in New Jersey, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access New Jersey’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment insurance by phone, call a New Jersey Reemployment Call Center (RCC) at one of the following lines below.
New Jersey RCC phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AMuntil 3:30 PM ET, except for the observed holidays listed here.
The New Jersey Unemployment Office does not accept claims in person, but you can obtain help at a One-Stop Career Center. Click here to find your nearest office location.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact your closest RCC at one of the phone numbers listed above.
If you have already applied for Unemployment Insurance online, you can check the status of your application by logging into your account through the New Jersey claimant portal here.
You can also check the status of your application by calling your closest New Jersey Reemployment Call Center at the phone numbers listed above.
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 on page 19.
Learn more about the Weekly Certification Application here.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal within 10 days of receiving a notice of denial. You can submit an appeal letter online here by completing the “Claimant Appeal of Benefit Determination” form and providing a reason for your appeal in the appropriate box.
To file an appeal by mail, send a letter explaining your disagreement to:
New Jersey Department of Labor
Appeal Tribunal
P.O. Box 907
Trenton, NJ 08625-0907
While your appeal is pending, you must continue to file your weekly claims to continue receiving benefits. 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 one of the New Jersey Reemployment Call Centers (RCC) at the lines below.
New Jersey RCC phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM ET, except for the observed holidays here.
You can also visit or call a local One-Stop Career 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 our free guide here.