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 Insurance in Oklahoma 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.
To learn more about Unemployment Benefits, visit the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission FAQ page.
To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in Oklahoma, you must:
You must also register on the Oklahoma job search page OKJobMatch to maintain your eligibility for benefits after your initial claim.
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 how to apply for Unemployment Insurance here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in Oklahoma, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need in the FAQs portion at the bottom of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s (OESC) homepage here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access Oklahoma’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest Oklahoma Unemployment Office location.
*Standard office hours run from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
If you have questions about the application process or require further assistance, contact the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission at:
Phone services are available from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Weekly Unemployment Benefits are calculated by using a claimant’s base period. In Oklahoma, the highest earnings amount in a claimant’s base period is divided by 23. To determine the amount you will receive each week, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission takes the highest-earning quarter in the applicant’s base period and divides that amount by 23.That amount becomes the weekly benefit a claimant receives.
The maximum weekly benefit amount is $519.
For answers to commonly asked questions on Unemployment Insurance, click 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 should 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 by scrolling to "What is a waiting period?" 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. You can do this by signing up for OKJobMatch here.
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.
You can 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 Applications 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 claim has been denied, you can file an appeal by email, by phone, by fax or in person. The contact information for filing an appeal will be available in your determination letter from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
When appealing your unemployment determination, include the following in your appeal request:
If you have any more questions about the appeals process, contact the OESC’s administrative offices at (405) 557-7100.
Continue filing weekly claims while you wait for your appeal to be processed. If you do not file for the weeks while you are waiting for a response on your appeal, you will not receive compensation for them even if your appeal is approved.
Learn more about appeals and other topics related to Unemployment Insurance in Oklahoma by reviewing the “New Claims” FAQs on the OESC website here.
For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission at (405) 525-1500 or at (800) 555-1554 toll free.
You can also visit or call a local Unemployment Office for further assistance. Find your nearest Unemployment Office location and contact information here.
The Employment Security Commission’s customer service line and local offices are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, except for the observed holidays 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.
You can contact the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s local administrative office at (405) 557-7100 or at (888) 980-9675 toll free.
For the hearing impaired, you can access the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) locally at (405) 208-4022 or at (800) 722-0353 toll free.
Applicants may also call (888) 980-9675 to find an Oklahoma Works Center in their area.
The Employment Security Commission’s customer service line and local offices are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, except for the observed holidays here.
Oklahoma has 27 Unemployment Offices. Find your nearest local Unemployment Office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number below.
| Location | Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ada | 1500 Hoppe Blvd, Suite 2 Ada, OK 74820 | (580) 332-1533 |
| Altus | 1115 N Spurgeon Altus, OK 73521 | (580) 482-3262 |
| Ardmore | 2421 Autumn Run, Suite B Ardmore, OK 73401 | (580) 223-3291 |
| Bartlesville | 210 NE Washington Blvd. Bartlesville, OK 74006 | (918) 332-4800 |
| Chickasha | 301 South 2nd Street Chickasha, OK 73018 | (405) 224-3310 |
| Duncan | 1927 W Elk Avenue Duncan, OK 73533 | (580) 255-8950 |
| Durant | 4209 Highway 70 West Durant, OK 74701 | (580) 924-1828 |
| Enid | 114 S. Independence Enid, OK 73701 | (580) 234-6043 |
| Guymon | 304 NE 4th St. Guymon, OK 73942 | (580) 338-8521 |
| Idabel | 2102 SE Washington, Suite B & C Idabel, OK 74745 | (580) 286-6667 |
| Lawton | 1711 SW 11th Street Lawton, OK 73501 | (580) 357-3500 |
| McAlester | 1414 E Wade Watts Avenue McAlester, OK 74501 | (918) 423-6830 |
| Miami | 121 N Main Miami, OK 74354 | (918) 542-5561 |
| Muskogee | 717 South 32nd Street Muskogee, OK 74401 | (918) 682-3364 |
| *Oklahoma City (Eastside) | 7401 NE 23rd Street Oklahoma City, OK 73141 (Located on NE 23rd between Air Depot and Midwest Blvd. OKC METRO Transit Route 19 stops in the parking lot) | (405) 600-9965 |
| Okmulgee | 1601 S Wood Dr Okmulgee, OK 74447 | (918) 304-3160 |
| Ponca City | 400 E. Central, Suite 103 Ponca City, OK 74601 | (580) 765-3372 |
| Poteau | 1507 S. McKenna Poteau, OK 74953 | (918) 647-3124 |
| Pryor | 403 E. Graham Ave Pryor, OK 74361 | (918) 825-2582 |
| Sapulpa | 1700 S Main Sapulpa, OK 74066 | (918) 224-9430 |
| Seminole | 229 N 2nd Seminole, OK 74868 | (405) 382-4670 |
| Shawnee | 2 John C Bruton Blvd. Shawnee, OK 74804 | (405) 275-7800 |
| Stillwater | 3006 E 6th Street (HWY 51) Stillwater, OK 74074 | (405) 624-1450 |
| Tahlequah | 1295 Skills Center Circle Tahlequah, OK 74464 | (918) 456-8846 |
| Tulsa | 201 West 5th Street, Suite 200 Tulsa, OK 74103 | (918) 796-1200 |
| Weatherford | 1516 Lera Dr. Suite 1 Weatherford, OK 73096-2664 | (580) 302-7380 |
| Woodward | 1117 11th Street Woodward, OK 73801 | (580) 256-3308 |
*The Oklahoma City location is the main office.
To find more information on Oklahoma Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:
To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:
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 Oklahoma, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need on the FAQs page here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access Oklahoma’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance in person, click here to find your nearest Oklahoma Unemployment Office location.
*Standard office hours run from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
If you have questions about the application process or require further assistance, contact the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission at:
Phone services are available from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Whether you applied online or in person, you can check the status of your Unemployment Claim by visiting the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission’s claimant portal here.
You must create an OKJobMatch account here using the username you created to file your claim right after submitting your application. If you do not do this right away, your claim may be delayed.
Typically, 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.
You can learn more about the waiting period and weekly certifications, here.
If your unemployment claim has been denied, you can file an appeal by email, by phone, by fax or in-person. The contact information for filing an appeal will be available in your determination letter from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
When appealing your unemployment determination, include the following in your appeal request:
If you have any more questions about the appeals process, contact the OESC’s administrative offices at (405) 557-7100.
Continue filing weekly claims while you wait for your appeal to be processed. If you do not file for the weeks while you are waiting for a response on your appeal, you will not receive compensation for them even if your appeal is approved.
Learn more about appeals and other topics related to Unemployment Insurance in Oklahoma by reviewing the “New Claims” FAQs on the OESC website here.
For help with an Unemployment Insurance application, or for any further questions about your Unemployment Insurance claim, call the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission at (405) 525-1500 or at (800) 555-1554 toll free.
You can also visit or call a local Unemployment Office for further assistance. Find your nearest Unemployment Office location and contact information here.
The Employment Security Commission’s customer service line and local offices are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, except for the observed holidays 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.