Source: Telemundo / Telemundo
The state officially was allowing people to list COVID-19/Coronavirus, as a reason for unemployment.
Thousands of North Carolinians have filed for unemployment benefits since Gov. Roy Cooper ordered bars and restaurants to shut down statewide, except for takeout and delivery.
Also under Gov. Cooper’s order, people who don’t entirely lose their jobs due to coronavirus closures but do see their hours cut will in some cases be able to qualify for unemployment benefits.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for unemployment, people will need to go to the N.C. Department of Commerce’s website to get more information on what they’ll need to prove their claim — and what they’ll need to do to continue being eligible if they do initially qualify.
“Not everyone who applies for unemployment benefits will qualify,” the N.C. Department of Commerce says on its website. “Certain conditions must be met in order to meet initial eligibility requirements and to remain eligible to receive benefits.”
Applying for unemployment benefits requires several key pieces of information, including your Social Security number, a working email address, a detailed work history from the last two years, details about any severance pay you might receive and more.
The full list of what people need to apply, and how to qualify, can be found online here.
People who want to apply for unemployment benefits can call 888-737-0259 or go online to www.des.nc.gov. The online application site is always available, but the phone line is only open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
People who aren’t able to use either the phone line or the website can also go in person to one of the state’s NC Works Career Center offices.
Not all NC Works offices are open during all regular business hours even under normal circumstances, however. And a few have closed down entirely, due to the coronavirus. Others are operating on limited hours or requiring people to make appointments before dropping in.
To find an office near you, go to the “Find a center” page on the http://www.ncworks.gov website.
Source: N&O
