by Maurie Backman | April 3, 2020
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Lost your job during the COVID-19 outbreak? Here's what you need to know about filing for unemployment benefits in Tennessee.
Millions of Americans have already lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 crisis, and with many businesses being forced to shut down, employers are struggling to keep handing out paychecks. If your income has taken a dive, or has gone away completely, you may be entitled to unemployment benefits. Here's what you need to know about applying in Tennessee.
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You can file for unemployment benefits in Tennessee if you:
In addition, you must have made enough in qualifying wages to file a claim. You'll need to have earned at least $780.01 in two separate quarters during the base period for your claim. If you're filing a claim in March 2020, your base period is October 2018 through September 2019. If you’re filing in April, the period would be January through December 2019.
You can file for unemployment benefits online through Tennessee's Department of Labor and Workforce Development. You'll need to provide some personal information, including your:
You'll also need to provide information about your recent employment history, including:
Your weekly unemployment benefit is calculated by taking your average wages from the two highest quarters during your base period and plugging that number into a special benefits table. The minimum weekly benefit you can collect is $30, and the maximum you can collect is $275.
You can collect unemployment benefits in Tennessee for up to 26 weeks. However, the CARES Act extends that period by 13 weeks, allowing you to collect unemployment benefits for up to 39 weeks.
If you're denied unemployment benefits, you can file an appeal online. You must do so within 15 calendar days of the date your denial decision is mailed to you.
If you've lost your job, you'll need money to pay your bills, and although you can tap your emergency fund at a time like this, you may not have enough cash in savings to cover all of your pressing expenses. The sooner you submit your claim for unemployment benefits, the sooner that money might hit your account, thereby sparing you some financial stress during an otherwise trying time.
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