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, or Reemployment Assistance as it is known in South Dakota, is a benefit program designed to replace part of the income of recently unemployed or underemployed workers. The program is funded by taxes that are paid by employers.
You can learn more about Unemployment in the program overview here.
Reemployment Assistance benefits are weekly payments that are given to eligible workers who apply to and are accepted into the program. These payments can be provided via a direct deposit to their bank account.
You can learn more about how Unemployment Insurance payments work here.
To qualify for Unemployment Insurance in South Dakota, you must:
If you want more information on your eligibility, including your monetary eligibility, review the Reemployment Division’s Eligibility Checker PDF 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 South Dakota, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access South Dakota’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance by phone, call the Claims Call Center at (605) 626-3179.
If you require TTY services to file your claim, dial 711 or (800) 877-1113.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, you can contact the main office at the following lines Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:20 PM:
To determine how much an applicant will receive in Unemployment Benefits each week, the South Dakota Reemployment Division takes the highest-earning quarter in the applicant’s base period and divides that amount by 26.
The maximum weekly benefit amount is $352.
To find out more about the base period and how benefits are calculated, call the Reemployment Division’s customer service line at (605) 626-2452.
You can also click here to review how benefits are calculated on the South Dakota DLR site.
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.
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.
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.
You can also file your weekly claim by phone using the Claims Call Center, which can be reached by calling (605) 626-3179.
If you need further assistance in filing your weekly claim, the Reemployment Division provides helpful video tutorials about how to apply. These videos and more helpful information can be found 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. Or, if you file and have earnings over 1 1/2 times your weekly benefit amount for two consecutive weeks.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You must file an appeal with the South Dakota Reemployment Division within 15 days of receiving your benefits determination letter. If you do not file within the allotted time frame, your appeal will be denied, and your determination will be final.
To appeal your benefit determination, you will need to write a letter to the Appeals section of the South Dakota Reemployment Division. This letter must include:
Once you have written your letter, you must mail the appeal to the following address:
Appeals Section
Reemployment Assistance Division
SD Department of Labor and Regulation
PO Box 4730
Aberdeen, SD 57402-4730
You can also fax your appeal letter to (605) 626-2322. Or, you can hand-deliver your appeal letter to your local Job Service Office, which you can find with the locator here.
Remember to continue filing weekly claims even if your claim is being appealed to receive benefits for the weeks while you are waiting for your new determination.
If you need help with an application or you have any further questions about your claim, you can call the South Dakota Reemployment Division’s customer service line at (605) 626-2452.
You can reach the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Main Office by mail at:
Reemployment Assistance Division — Benefits
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
P.O. Box 4730
Aberdeen, SD 57402-4730
You can also visit or call your nearest local office for further assistance. You can find the location nearest you and its contact information here.
The Department of Labor customer service line is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:20 PM CST, except for the observed holidays noted here. Offices, which are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CST when open.
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 South Dakota, complete the following three steps:
Learn what documents and information you need here.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance online, click here to access South Dakota’s Unemployment claim portal.
To apply for Unemployment Insurance by phone, call the Claims Call Center at (605) 626-3179.
If you require TTY services to file your claim, dial 711 or (800) 877-1113.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, you can contact the main office at the following lines Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:20 PM:
If you have already applied for Reemployment Assistance online, you can check the status of your application by logging in to the state portal here.
If you are confused as to what the status of your application means once you have logged in, look over the claim status table created by the South Dakota Reemployment Division here.
You can also check the status of your application by calling the South Dakota Claims Call Center at (605) 626-3179 or the TTY line at 711.
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 Application here.
If your Unemployment Insurance application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You must file an appeal with the South Dakota Reemployment Division within 15 days of receiving your benefits determination letter. If you do not file within the allotted time frame, your appeal will be denied, and your determination will be final.
To appeal your benefit determination, you will need to write a letter to the Appeals section of the South Dakota Reemployment Division. This letter must include:
Once you have written your letter, you must mail the appeal to the following address:
Appeals Section
Reemployment Assistance Division
SD Department of Labor and Regulation
PO Box 4730
Aberdeen, SD 57402-4730
You can also fax your appeal letter to (605) 626-2322. Or, you can hand-deliver your appeal letter to your local Job Service Office, which you can find with the locator here.
Remember to continue filing weekly claims even if your claim is being appealed to receive benefits for the weeks while you are waiting for your new determination.
If you need help with an application or you have any further questions about your claim, you can call the South Dakota Reemployment Division’s customer service line at (605) 626-2452.
You can also visit or call your nearest local office for further assistance. You can find the location nearest you and its contact information here.
The Department of Labor customer service line is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:20 PM CST, except for the observed holidays noted here. Most offices are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM CST.
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 the Unemployment Benefits provided in South Dakota, you can call the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation’s (DLR) customer service line at (605) 626-2452. This line can assist with frequently asked questions regarding claims.
If you have questions about the appeals process, you can reach the appeals line at (605) 626-2310.
If you would like to speak with a representative at the main office, call (605) 626-2301.
The phone lines for the Department of Labor and Regulation are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:20 PM CST, except for the observed holidays noted here.
South Dakota has 16 Unemployment Offices. Find your nearest local Unemployment Office’s location, hours of operation, and phone number. Or, go to the DLR Contact Us page here.
| Location | Address | Phone Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 420 S. Roosevelt Street Aberdeen, SD 57401 | Phone: (605) 626-2340 Fax: (605) 626-2228 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Brookings | 1310 Main Ave. S., Suite 103 Brookings, SD 57006-3893 | Phone: (605) 688-4350 Fax: (605) 688-6761 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Huron | 2361 Dakota Ave. S. Huron, SD 57350-4334 | Phone: (605) 353-7155 Fax: (605) 353-7305 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Lake Andes | 140 W. Highway 50 Lake Andes, SD 57356 | Phone: (605) 487-7607 ext. 1700207 Fax: (605) 487-7429 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Madison | 223 S. Van Eps Ave., Suite 101 Madison, SD 57042-2886 | Phone: (605) 256-5300 Fax: (605) 256-5306 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Mitchell | 1321 N. Main Street Mitchell, SD 57301-1354 | Phone: (605) 995-8060 Fax: (605) 995-8070 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| North Sioux | City Hall 504 River Drive North Sioux City, SD 57049 | Phone: (605) 242-5445 Fax: (605) 242-5448 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Pierre | 116 W. Missouri Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-4506 | Phone: (605) 773-3372 Fax: (605) 773-6680 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Rapid City | 2330 N. Maple Ave., Suite 1 Rapid City, SD 57701-7898 | Phone: (605) 394-2296 Fax: (605) 394-1824 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Sioux Falls | 811 East 10th St., Department 41 Sioux Falls, SD 57103-1650 | Phone: (605) 367-5300 Fax: (605) 367-5308 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Sisseton | 10 E. Hickory St., Suite 3 Sisseton, SD 57262-1526 | Phone: (605) 698-3964 Fax: (605) 698-3449 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Spearfish | 1300 North Ave. Spearfish, SD 57783-1525 | Phone: (605) 642-6900 Fax: (605) 642-6907 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Vermillion | 904 E. Cherry Street Vermillion, SD 57069-1742 | Phone: (605) 677-6900 Fax: (605) 677-6909 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Watertown | 2001 9th Ave. S.W., Suite 200 Watertown, SD 57201-4029 | Phone: (605) 882-5131 Fax: (605) 882-5152 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Winner | 325 S. Monroe St., Room 117 Winner, SD 57580 | Phone: (605) 842-0474 Fax: (605) 842-0165 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
| Yankton | 3113 Spruce, Suite 124 Yankton, SD 57078-5320 | Phone: (605) 668-2900 Fax: (605) 668-2916 | Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm |
To find more information on South Dakota Unemployment Benefits and Services, visit:
To file an Unemployment Insurance claim:
If you have a question about South Dakota Business Unemployment Insurance, visit the South Dakota DLR page 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.