Section 10. Total and part-total unemployment

A. An individual's week of total or part-total unemployment shall consist of the seven-consecutive-day period beginning with the Sunday prior to the first day he files his claim at the field office and registers for work, except as provided in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection; and, thereafter, the seven-consecutive-day period following any week of such unemployment, provided the individual reports as required by subsection C of this section. An initial claim may be filed in person at a field office, or at the discretion of the commission, by telephone or Internet. Upon implementation of Internet and telephonic claims processes, a claimant may file an initial claim for benefits by any of the three methods described herein.

1. A week of total or part-total unemployment of an individual located in an area served only by the itinerant service of the commission shall consist of the seven-consecutive-day period beginning with the Sunday prior to the first day of such individual's unemployment, provided that such individual registers in person with such itinerant service at the first available opportunity following the commencement of his total or part-total unemployment except as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection; and, thereafter, the seven-consecutive-day period following any week of such unemployment provided the individual reports as required by subsection C of this section.

2. A week of total or part-total unemployment of an individual affected by a mass separation with respect to which arrangements are made for group filing by the employer shall consist of the seven-consecutive-day period beginning with the Sunday prior to the first day of his unemployment provided that the group filing is conducted within 13 days following the first day of unemployment.

B. Whenever an employing unit receives an Employer's Report of Separation and Wage Information form from the commission informing it that an individual has filed a claim for benefits, such employing unit shall, within eight days from the date of mailing, complete the report and return it to the office from which the informatory notice was sent. That portion of the Employer's Report of Separation and Wage Information to be completed by the employing unit shall set forth:

1. The date the worker began working;

2. The last day on which he actually worked;

3. A check mark in the block indicating the reason for separation and a brief statement of the reason for the separation;

4. Such other information as is required by such form. The employing unit's official name and account number, if any, assigned to such employing unit by the commission shall appear on the signed report;

5. The name and title of the official signing the report shall be provided as well as certification that the information contained in the report is accurate and complete to the best knowledge of that official.

C. In cases involving a mass separation, as defined in 16VAC5-10-10, an employer shall not be required to file individual reports for such workers as otherwise provided by this section if such employer files a list of workers involved in the mass separation with the commission as soon as possible, but in no case later than 24 hours after the date of separation. Such list shall include the workers' social security account numbers and any other information the commission may require.

D. To file a claim for benefits, a claimant shall report in a manner prescribed by the commission, and shall file a claim for benefits setting forth (i) his unemployment and that he claims benefits, (ii) that he is able to work and is available for work, and (iii) such other information as is required. A claim for benefits, when filed, may also constitute the individual's registration for work.

Upon written request by the claimant, an initial claim for benefits, not to include combined-wage claims, may be canceled if (i) the request is made within the appeal period shown on the monetary determination; (ii) there has been no payment made on the claim; and (iii) the deputy has not rendered a determination based on the claimant's separation from employment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a claim that was filed in error by an employer on behalf of a claimant may be canceled upon the claimant's written request. All records of a canceled claim shall be deleted from the agency's automated benefits database. Upon written request by the claimant, a claim may be withdrawn if the commission determines that the provisions of § 60.2-107 of the Code of Virginia have been met and any benefits paid the claimant have been repaid.

Combined wage claims may be canceled under the provisions set forth in 16VAC5-70-20 B.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section the claimant shall continue to report as directed during a continuous period of unemployment.

2. The commission shall permit continued claims to be filed by mail, or such other means as the commission may authorize, unless special conditions require or allow in-person reporting. Such special conditions may include:

a. When a claimant is reporting back to claim his first week(s) after filing an initial, additional, or reopened claim and he has not returned to work in the meantime;

b. When a claimant needs assistance in order to completely and accurately fill out his claim forms so as to avoid delays in processing his claims by mail;

c. When, in the opinion of the field office manager or deputy, there is a question of eligibility or qualification which must be resolved through an in-person interview;

d. When a claimant who would normally be reporting by mail receives no additional claim forms and he wishes to continue claiming benefits;

e. When a claimant requests to report in person due to problems associated with the receipt of mail.

E. All initial total or part-total unemployment claims shall be effective consistent with the provisions set forth in subsection A of this section, except that an earlier effective date may apply for late filing of claims in the following cases:

1. The commission is at fault due to a representative of the commission giving inadequate or misleading information to an individual about filing a claim;

2. A previous claim was filed against a wrong liable state;

3. Filing was delayed due to circumstances attributable to the commission;

4. A transitional claim is filed within 14 days from the date the Notice of Benefit Year Ending was mailed to the claimant by the commission;

5. When claiming benefits under any special unemployment insurance program, the claimant becomes eligible for regular unemployment insurance when the calendar quarter changes;

6. The wrong type of claim was taken by a field office;

7. With respect to reopened or additional claims only, the claimant can show circumstances beyond his control which prevented or prohibited him from reporting earlier.

F. In order to claim benefit rights with respect to a given week, the claimant must file a continued claim form for such week. The first continued claim form must be filed within 28 days of the day the initial claim was filed. Thereafter, subsequent continued claim must be filed within 28 days after the week ending date of the last week claimed. If filing by mail, the postmark date constitutes the date of claim filing with the commission. If no postmark appears on the envelope, the continued claim shall be presumed to be filed on the date it was received by the commission. If the 28th day falls upon a date when the field office is closed, the final date for filing shall be extended to the next day the office is open. Failure to file a continued claim within the 28-day period will result in the denial of benefits for the weeks in question unless good cause is shown, and an additional or reopened claim must be filed in order to initiate any further claim for benefits. Good cause for a delay in filing may be shown for any of the following reasons:

1. The commission is at fault due to a representative of the commission giving inadequate or misleading information to an individual about filing a claim;

2. Filing was delayed due to circumstances attributable to the commission; or

3. The claimant can show circumstances beyond his control which prevented or prohibited him from filing earlier.

G. Normally, all claimants whose unemployment is total or part-total must make an active search for work by contacting prospective employers in an effort to find work during each week claimed in order to meet the eligibility requirements of § 60.2-612 of the Code of Virginia. A claimant who is temporarily unemployed with an expected return to work date within a reasonable period of time as determined by the commission which can be verified from employer information may be considered attached to his regular employer so as to meet the requirement that he be actively seeking and unable to find suitable work if he performs all suitable work which his regular employer has for him during the week or weeks claimed while attached. Attachment will end if the claimant does not return to work as scheduled or if changed circumstances indicate he has become separated.

H. In areas of high unemployment as defined in 16VAC5-10-10, the commission has the authority, in the absence of federal law to the contrary, to adjust the work search requirement of the Act. Any adjustment will be made quarterly within the designated area of high unemployment as follows:

1. The adjustment will be implemented by requiring claimants filing claims for benefits through the office serving an area experiencing a total unemployment rate of 10% through 14.9% to make one job contact with an employer each week.

2. The adjustment will be implemented by waiving the search for work requirement of all claimants filing claims for benefits through the office serving an area experiencing a total unemployment rate of 15% or more.

3. No adjustment will be made for claimants filing claims for benefits through the office serving an area experiencing a total unemployment rate below 10%.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR300-01-6 § 1, eff. December 14, 1994; amended, Volume 18, Issue 26, eff. November 3, 2002.

Statutory Authority

§ 60.2-111 of the Code of Virginia.