The Virginia Employment Commission website was established to assist citizens of Virginia with their UI, unemployment benefit claims and payment processing. Their role is to administer the insurance program and provide protection against wage loss to individuals who have lost their job in VA, due to no fault of their own.
Virginia Unemployment Benefits
If you find yourself totally or partially unemployed, you may be wondering, now what to do? Filing a claim for unemployment benefits may be the thing to do. You can apply or file a claim online at www.VaEmploy.com, or at one of the 33 full service VEC Workforce Centers offices across the State of VA. To qualify for assistance, while you look for a new job, there are several criteria that you must meet in order to qualify for UI benefits each week.
Some of the UI claim and benefit award requirements weekly include:
- Be unemployed
- File your benefit application
- Report all of the work that you do during the week (temporary, part-time and self employment)
- Be available and able to work during the week
- Register for available work through the VEC Workforce Connection at www.VAWC.Virginia.gov. There are time elements involved so make sure that you register on time so as not to disqualify yourself for benefits or assistance.
- Actively search for employment or work each week
- Report job search activities as well as job offer refusals
- File your claim for continued benefits each week on time.
When you access the site, you will be transferred over to the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) portal at www.vec.virginia.gov/vecportal/.
Key UI assistance program pages:
- To file a VA unemployed benefit and assistance claim online, or to file an appeal online see www.vec.virginia.gov/vecportal/unins/insunemp.cfm.
- Unemployed benefit rights and responsibilities: www.vec.virginia.gov/vecportal/index2.cfm/aid/57
Contact the VEC call center to file a claim by phone at 866-832-2363.
To file your weekly claim by phone, call 800-897-5630.
Video: Virginia Unemployment Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
Resources:
• VEC Unemployment Insurance Handbook for Claimants
