Oregon Unemployment

Oregon Unemployment Benefits

In Oregon, unemployment insurance benefits are administered by the state’s Employment Department to help bridge the wage gap for unemployed workers as they seek new employment.

UI benefits in Oregon are funded solely by employer participation, and unemployment taxes are never withheld from employee paychecks.

Oregon Unemployment Services

Am I Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in Oregon?

The state of Oregon uses two different decision points to determine whether a claimant meets unemployment insurance eligibility requirements. To qualify, at least one of the following must be true for an unemployed worker:

The unemployed worker has received at least $1,000 in documented wages in the base year, and the total base year wages equal at least one and a half times the wages paid in the highest calendar quarter of the base year.

The claimant has worked at least 500 hours during the base year and was paid some subject wages during that employment.

Your base year is a one-year period composed of the first four of the last five completed quarters. This base year is based on the date you file your initial claim, not the date you lose employment. In addition, you must have lost your job through no fault of your own or terminated your employment with good cause.

Benefit Payments and Duration

How Do I Apply for Unemployment Benefits in Oregon?

You can submit your initial unemployment claim online using the Oregon online claims system. Simply select the Regular UI Initial Claim option.

Make sure you can provide your complete work history for the previous 12 months – including employer names, addresses, phone numbers, and all applicable dates of employment.

How Do I Manage My Oregon Unemployment Benefits?

Managing your UI benefits is an ongoing process that doesn’t end with the acceptance of your initial claim. After filing your claim application, you must continue to file a weekly claim to receive unemployment compensation. This entails using the online claim system and selecting the Claim a Week of Benefits option.

You also can submit your weekly benefit claim by phone using the Weekly Claim Line at 800-982-8920.

For each week you file for weekly benefits, you must show that you continue to meet eligibility requirements by answering a series of questions about your eligibility for that week. These questions will center on your job search activities, any income earned during the previous week, and your continued availability to accept suitable work if and when it’s offered.

How Do I Appeal a Decision?

Either you or your employer may request an appeals hearing if you are unhappy with the decision regarding your initial claim for UI benefit. You will receive an official letter outlining the decision related to your unemployment insurance claim; at this point, you should follow the instructions outlined in your letter to begin the appeals process.

You have the option to request a hearing by mail, fax, or email, and you may use the hearing request form available on the state of Oregon’s website. Contact information for form submission is outlined below:

• Email: OED_UI_HEARINGSREQ@Oregon.gov
• Fax: 503-947-1335
• Mail: 875 Union St NE, Salem, OR 97311

How Do I Report Fraud?

Carefully guarding against unemployment insurance fraud and identity theft helps the state of Oregon maintain integrity in the use of citizens’ tax dollars, along with ensuring that jobless benefits are going to those who need them most.

If you suspect someone of fraudulently collecting UI benefits, please call 1-877-668-3204.  You also may submit as much information as you can provide through the Fraud Hotline online form.

The state of Oregon reviews all tips that are submitted, regardless of how much information is provided, but the more detail you can include in your report, the more successful an investigation is likely to be.

Oregon Unemployment Office Locations