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Work Search and Your Eligibility for Unemployment Benefits

Requirements:

To be considered eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week, claimants must engage in a systematic and sustained effort to search for work:

  • On at least 4 different days each week, AND
  • Making at least 4 work search contacts each week.

DES may audit your work search submissions for up to two years from the effective date of your claim to check that you met all eligibility requirements for each week in which you claimed benefits. 

To learn more read the following documents:

How to Submit Work Search Activities for UI and PEUC

What is Pandemic Unemployment Assistance?

This video is available in American Sign Language.

Examples of Work-Search Activities

The list below includes examples of valid work-search activities for claimants receiving UI, PUA or PEUC benefits:

  • Applying for a job with former employers;
  • Applying for a job with employers who have or may reasonably be expected to have openings suitable to the claimant;
  • Making contacts or in-person visits to employers that have, or are reasonably expected to have, job openings;
  • Responding to appropriate “want ads” for work which appears suitable to the claimant;
  • Going on interviews with employers (virtually or in-person);
  • Registering and continuing active checking with the claimant’s union hiring or career placement facility;
  • Registering with a career placement facility connected with a professional organization in the claimant’s field;
  • Registering with a job placement facility of a school, college, or university;
  • Registering for suitable work with a private employment agency or an employer’s placement facility;
  • Registering with a temporary work agency;
  • Applying for or taking an exam for an opening in government civil service;
  • Creating a reemployment plan;
  • Creating a resume;
  • Uploading a resume to online job boards;
  • Registering for work with Arizona Job Connection (AJC);
  • Documented use of online career tools;
  • Logging on and looking for work in AJC or another online job matching system;
  • Using reemployment services at an ARIZONA@WORK location, or completing similar online or self-service activities (e.g. obtaining and using labor market and career information, participating in Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) activities, participating in skills assessment for occupational matching, instructional workshops, or other specialized activities);
  • Following through on job referrals or job development attempts, as directed by state workforce or UI staff;
  • Applying for and/or participating in employment and training services provided by partner programs at an ARIZONA@WORK location;
  • Creating a personal user profile on a professional networking site;
  • Participating in work-related networking events (e.g. job clubs, job fairs, industry association events, networking groups, etc.).

In addition to the above, PUA claimants who were self-employed prior to their unemployment that was a direct result of COVID-19 can complete the following activities:

  • Reporting documented efforts to expand their business beyond the services typically performed, including attending a webinar or workshop to develop business-related skills or to learn a new marketable trade;
  • Reporting documented efforts to market their business to new and reasonably available customers, including submitting bids or proposals or making cold calls to former or potential clients;
  • Accessing small business services with the Arizona Commerce Authority.
  • You are required to complete work search activities that are meant to help you return to work or reopen your business. 

Logging Your Work Search Efforts

To ensure the activities you complete can be verified by DES, you should keep a log of verifiable information about each activity in case DES needs additional information, such as:

  • Employer contact information (business name, address, phone number, email address)
  • Name and title of person contacted
  • Documentation of use of an online career tool
  • Confirmation of an online job board submission
  • Networking event name, date, and location 
  • Specifics of job-related education or other skills development activity
  • Reemployment service in which you participated
  • What action you took
  • How you applied for the position
  • The type of work you were looking for
  • The person you contacted, with a telephone number, email address or other reliable contact information

Work search can and should include a mixture of activities, including contacting employers and interviewing for jobs. The more activities you complete, the sooner you will return to work. For your convenience, you can download the Arizona Work search log (UB-101-A) on our website to track your work search activities.

Tips for Making Sure Your Work-Search Activities are Valid

  • Keep copies of email or website confirmations in either paper or electronic form
  • Contact people with hiring authority when seeking work
  • Always submit an application or resume, unless the employer specifically says they are not being accepted at that time
  • Attend reemployment services that will help you return to work
  • Attend networking events (in-person or virtually) that are related to your field of work and may help you return to work
  • Obtain contact information for any employers you are in contact with at hiring events, job fairs, or networking events.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When do I have to begin searching for work in order to receive unemployment benefits?

Beginning May, 23, 2021, claimants receiving benefits from any Arizona unemployment program will be required to complete work search activities during every week in which they file a claim. This means that claimants will be required to search for work during the week beginning on May 23, 2021 and log those work search activities when they file their weekly claims on May 30, 2021.

How many jobs do I have to search for each week?

To be considered eligible to receive benefits with respect to any week, you must engage in a systematic and sustained effort to search for work:

  • On at least 4 different days each week, AND
  • Completing at least 4 work search activities each week.

I’ve applied for every job in my field. Are there things I can do to search for work?

Yes. In addition to applying for jobs, DES accepts a large number of activities that you can do to fulfill your work search requirement including attending job fairs (online or in-person), working on your resume, attending employment skills building workshops, and much more. You can view a list of the acceptable work search activities in the notice that was emailed and mailed to you, or on the Work Search Eligibility webpage.

How do I log my work search activities to prove that I’ve searched for work?

You will need to enter your work search activities in the portal each time you file a weekly claim for unemployment benefits. To ensure the activities you complete can be verified by DES, enter as much information as you can about your work search activities in the fields in the portal.

We also recommend that you keep a log of verifiable information about each activity as you search throughout the week in case DES needs additional information. This information includes:

  • Employer contact information (business name, address, phone number, email address)
  • Name and title of person contacted
  • Documentation of use of an online career tool
  • Confirmation of an online job board submission
  • Networking event name, date, and location
  • Specifics of job-related education or other skills development activity
  • Reemployment service in which you participated
  • What action you took
  • How you applied for a position
  • The type of work you were looking for
  • The person you contacted, with a telephone number, email address or other reliable contact information

Will DES check my records to make sure that I’ve searched for work?

DES may audit your work search submissions for up to two years from the effective date of your claim to check that you met all eligibility requirements for each week you claimed benefits, so keep records and details of your work search activities that can be shared with DES upon request.

What happens if I find part time or temporary work?

If you continue filing for benefits, you will need to report your earnings for any part time or temporary work. If your weekly earnings are less than your weekly benefit amount and you choose to file, you will be required to provide an adequate work search.

I’m receiving PUA, do I also have to search for work?

Yes. The work search requirement is the same for all claimants who are receiving any type of unemployment benefits. This includes individuals receiving regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).

What if I’m receiving PUA and self-employed?

In addition to the work search requirements that apply to all claimants, PUA claimants who were self-employed prior to their unemployment that was a direct result of COVID-19 can also meet the work search activity requirement by:

  • Reporting documented efforts to expand their business beyond the services typically performed, including attending a webinar or workshop to develop business-related skills or to learn a new marketable trade;
  • Reporting documented efforts to market their business to new and reasonably available customers, including submitting bids or proposals or making cold calls to former or potential clients;
  • Accessing small business services with the Arizona Commerce Authority.

You are required to complete work search activities that are meant to help you return to work or reopen your business.

Can DES help me find a job?

Yes. DES and ARIZONA@WORK have no-cost employment services to help you prepare for and obtain gainful employment in Arizona’s workforce. Visit an ARIZONA@WORK office or schedule an appointment to meet with a workforce specialist from wherever you are online at workappointment.azdes.gov or by calling 1-833-762-8196. Visit the ARIZONA@WORK events page to sign-up to attend free job fairs and workshops to help you fulfill your work search requirements.

What if I have accepted a new job, but I haven't started work yet?

If you continue filing for benefits, you are required to complete an adequate work search for each week you file, even if you have a start date for a new job or are working part-time.

Am I still eligible for benefits if I’ve started working part-time or have picked up temporary jobs?

If you continue filing for benefits, you are required to complete an adequate work search for each week you file, even if you have started working part-time. If you completed part-time or temporary work, you will need to report your earnings for the week. If you earned more than your weekly benefit amount during any week, you do not need to search for work that week, because you will not receive benefits due to your excessive earnings.

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