Reemployment Assistance Benefits
Work Search Requirements
Most workers filing for reemployment assistance benefits must actively complete work search activities to be eligible for benefits. This includes claimants working reduced hours. Your efforts in searching for work must reflect a genuine desire to obtain employment.
How do you know if you have to search for work?
- The filing instructions you receive will indicate if you must actively search for work to be eligible for benefits.
- If your status changes, the RA Division will send a letter (mail or Electronic Correspondence).
If you believe this is an error and you should not have to do work search, you must contact us at 605.626.2452 for a review of your situation. If you do not call and choose not to search for work, you will not be eligible for payment.
Reporting work search activities
While filing for reemployment assistance benefits, you are required to make a good faith effort to seek full-time work, unless we have told you otherwise. You must perform at least two work search activities each week you are requesting benefits.
Examples of work search activities that qualify include:- Submitting a job application online or in-person
- Submitting a resume online or in-person
- Attending a job interview
- Participating in a DLR-approved reemployment services program
When you file your weekly request for payment you will be asked to provide the following information regarding your job contacts:
- Name of business contacted
- Date the contact was made
- Contact information for the business, including phone number, address of the business, email, and web link if applicable
- Title of the position applied for
- Name of the hiring authority you contacted at the business
- Method of contact (in-person, online, etc.)
Document your job contacts for verification purposes. We have a Job Search Tracking Sheet (Employer Contacts Form) you use. You can also find this on our RA Forms page.
We will verify your reported work search with the employer. You may be selected at any time for an audit or eligibility review in which you will be asked to provide your job contact information.
Exceptions
You do not have to look for work if:
- You have a definite recall date to return to full-time work with an employer that paid 50% or more of your base period wages and, due to weather-related seasonal factors, work is not available in your primary base-period occupation and other suitable work is not available, or
- You are a member in good standing with a referring union through which you normally obtain employment, or
- You have not been working at all but will be recalled to full-time work within 10 consecutive weeks with an employer. Your employer must provide a recall date.
If you received a letter and think you fall under one of these reasons, you still must call the number on the letter so we can look into your situation. If you received a letter, do not call, and choose not to search for work, you will not be eligible for payment.
Please remember claimants working reduced hours are required to actively search for work.
Contact Customer Service at 605.626.2452 if you have questions about your work search.
Work Search Assistance and Tools Available
Contact your Job Service office to help you with your employment search and training needs.