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The state of Minnesota offers unemployment payments to people that are eligible in the state of Minnesota through the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program provided by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.  If you are eligible, this program allows you to receive payments every week or every other week while you are unemployed.  You can file for unemployment benefits in Minnesota over the phone or online.  Here are the steps.

You need to get the following information to apply for unemployment benefits in Minnesota: social security number, drivers license or state government ID number, contact information including address and phone number, birthday, union name and number, and bank account number if you want to use direct deposit.

You will need to have a record of your employment history for past 18 months including your employer’s name, address, and telephone number, start and end dates with each employer, pay rate, and reason you are no longer working.

You can file over the telephone by calling the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program Applicant Self-Service System at 1-877-898-9090 in the Greater Minnesota area, or by calling 651-296-3644 in the Twin Cities area.  Choose your language and enter your social security number to start the process.  Provide the information collected in Step 1 and Step 2 to file your claim.

You can also file online with the Application Self-Service System at the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance website.  Click on “Apply for UI Benefits”.  The system is only available on weekdays from 6 AM to 6 PM.  At the login screen, enter your social security number and click on “Submit”.  Click  on “Start the Unemployment Benefit Application” and fill out the form using the information you collected in Step 1 and Step 2.  When you are done with the form, click on “Submit the Unemployment Benefit Application”.

If your claim is approved, you will receive further instructions for receiving weekly unemployment benefit payments.  You can file a weekly payment request using the telephone or online.  You will receive your first payment the second week your benefits are approved.