Facts about unemployment benefits in Nebraska and Iowa:
Q. Who is eligible?
A. Applicants generally must have worked for employers that paid into the employer-funded program, been employed within the past 18 months and earned above a certain minimum amount during that time.
Q. How much do people receive?
A. The maximum weekly benefit amount in Nebraska is $308. Iowa’s ranges from $361 to $443 but will go up for new claims starting July 5 to $374 to $459. The more you made, the more you get. Iowa, unlike Nebraska, factors in dependents. The federal government also has added $25 a week in both states as part of its economic stimulus efforts. The income from unemployment benefits is taxable.
Q. When does the benefits period start?
A. It generally starts one week after the last day on the job. Someone who voluntarily quit, however, would have a 12-week waiting period before being eligible for benefits and would not receive benefits for as long as someone who was laid off.
Q. When do you file?
A. As soon as you lose your job, because of the time it takes to process a claim — three to four weeks under normal circumstances and up to six weeks now in Nebraska. If you receive severance, you still should file immediately. Unemployment starts after severance runs out.
Sources: Nebraska Workforce Development-Department of Labor; Iowa Workforce Development
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