New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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 a Denial of Unemployment Benefits
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.

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.

Learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.

How to Qualify for Unemployment Benefits

To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in New Mexico, you must:

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

Learn more about New Mexico’s eligibility requirements here.

When to Apply for Unemployment

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

How to Apply for New Mexico Unemployment Insurance

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in New Mexico, 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 (page 10).

2. Choose how you are going to apply, whether online or by phone.

To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access New Mexico’s Unemployment claim portal.

To apply for Unemployment insurance by phone, call (877) 664-6984, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

There are designated call days based on the last digit of your Social Security Number (SSN):

• Monday: If your SSN ends in 0-3
• Tuesday: If your SSN ends in 4-6
• Wednesday: If your SSN ends in 7-9
• Thursday and Friday: If you missed your call day above

The New Mexico Unemployment Office does not accept claims in person, but you can obtain help at a Workforce Career Center. Click here to find your nearest local office location.

3. Submit the Unemployment application, which is also known as filing a claim.

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ Unemployment Compensation customer service line at (877) 664-6984, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

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 New Mexico. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions takes your highest quarter earnings and divides that figure by 13. Then, it multiplies the result by .535 and adds $25 for each dependent for up to two dependents.

The maximum weekly benefit amount is $511.

Learn more about New Mexico’s base period and how benefits are calculated here on page 12.

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 and 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.

Learn more about the Weekly Certification 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.

How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal within 15 days of the determination date. You can submit an appeal letter to the Department of Workforce Solutions:

• Online here.
• By mail by completing the “Request for a Hearing” form provided with the determination letter and mailing it to the address listed on the form.

If you have questions about the appeal process or need to contact the New Mexico Appeals Tribunal, call one of the following numbers:

• For local calls: (505) 383-2700
• Toll-free: (800) 227-7325
• Toll-free (if outside of New Mexico): (800) 545-0533

The New Mexico Appeals Tribunal phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT.

Need More Help?

For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions at (877) 664-6984.

The New Mexico DWS phone line is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

You can also visit or call a local Workforce Connection 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 New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Unemployment Agency
2. Unemployment Offices in New Mexico
3. Need More Help?
4. View or Download Our Free Guide

Contact the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Unemployment Agency

If you have general questions about New Mexico Unemployment Benefits or an Unemployment Insurance claim, call the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (DWS) customer service center at (877) 664-6984.

The New Mexico DWS phone line is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

If you have questions about appeals or would like to submit an appeal to the DWS, you can reach the appeals line by phone at (505) 383-2700 or by fax at (505) 841-8636. Learn more about the appeal process here.

You can reach the DWS by mail at:

DWS
P.O. Box 1928
Albuquerque, NM 87103

Unemployment Offices in New Mexico

New Mexico has 23 Workforce Connection Centers. Find your nearest local office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below. Or, go to the New Mexico DWS Office Locations page here.

Need More Help?

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

• The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (DWS) website here.
• The New Mexico DWS Frequently Asked Questions page here.

To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:

• Visit the New Mexico Unemployment Insurance claimant portal here.
• Call (877) 664-6984.

If you have a question about New Mexico Employer Unemployment Insurance:

• Call (877) 664-6984.
• Email uitaxsupport@state.nm.us.
• Visit the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions 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 New Mexico Unemployment Insurance
2. How to Check Your Application Status
3. The Unemployment Benefits Waiting Week
4. How to Appeal a Denial of Unemployment Benefits
5. Need More Help?
6. View or Download Our Free Guide

How to Apply for New Mexico Unemployment Insurance

To apply for Unemployment Insurance in New Mexico, 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 on page 10.

2. Choose how you are going to apply, whether online or by phone.

To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access New Mexico’s Unemployment claim portal.

To apply for Unemployment insurance by phone, call (877) 664-6984, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

There are designated call days based on the last digit of your Social Security Number (SSN):

• Monday: If your SSN ends in 0-3
• Tuesday: If your SSN ends in 4-6
• Wednesday: If your SSN ends in 7-9
• Thursday and Friday: If you missed your call day above

The New Mexico Unemployment Office does not accept claims in person, but you can obtain help at a Workforce Career Center. Click here to find your nearest office location.

3. Submit the Unemployment application, which is also known as filing a claim.

If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ Unemployment Compensation customer service line at (877) 664-6984, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

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 New Mexico claimant portal here.

You can also check the status of your application by calling the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions’ customer service line at (877) 664-6984, Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

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 and the Weekly Certification here.

How to Appeal an Unemployment Insurance Denial

If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal within 15 days of the determination date. You can submit an appeal letter to the Department of Workforce Solutions:

• Online here.
• By mail by completing the “Request for a Hearing” form provided with the determination letter and mailing it to the address listed on the form.

If you have questions about the appeal process or need to contact the New Mexico Appeals Tribunal, call one of the following numbers:

• For local calls: (505) 383-2700
• Toll-free: (800) 227-7325
• Toll-free (if outside of New Mexico): (800) 545-0533

The New Mexico Appeals Tribunal phone lines are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM MT.

Need More Help?

For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions at (877) 664-6984.

The New Mexico DWS phone line is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM until 7:00 PM MT.

You can also visit or call a local Workforce Connection Center for further assistance. Find your nearest local 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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