How Do I Claim Weekly Benefits?

Each week you are unemployed and want to claim benefit payments, you must certify that you:

are unemployed or working reduced hours;
are able and available for work;
have not refused any job offers or referrals to a job;
are actively looking for work (unless waived); and
are reporting any pay or private pension you may be receiving.

To file your weeklycontinued claim by telephone, just call the continued claims reporting system at (800) 8505627 (outside the Des Moines area) or 2816231 (in the Des Moines calling area). An Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR) will answer and will ask you the eligibility questions one at a time.