Colorado Unemployment Work-search documentation help orientation

The requirements for work search and record keeping while you request payment of benefits. Applying for jobs and attending interviews involves a lot of preparation time. While you are unemployed you should think of looking for work as your job (so to speak).

We understand that it can be challenging if you have been out of work and are trying to reenter the job market. Some employers may be more interested in hiring people who are still employed, or only recently unemployed; so the first four weeks of your claim are especially important. Make the most of these first four weeks! Connect with a local workforce center to learn about today’s job market and ways to improve your job search, which will help you to get back to work more quickly.While you are focused on your work search, unemployment benefit payments may be available to you. The Division of Unemployment Insurance and area workforce centers are working together to help you succeed. An excellent resource is the unemployment handbook, called “Your Guide to Unemployment Benefits”. This guide is available online or in paper form. Take time to read the information in this handbook and learn about other potential impacts to your benefits at www.coloradoui.gov. To avoid delays or over-payments on your claim, you must report all information correctly and truthfully. Make sure to complete your required number of job contacts each week and keep a detailed log of all your work-search efforts.

Here are some other ways to avoid delays or incorrect payments:

• Report all hours worked and earnings, including commission, tips, temporary work, self-employment, contract work, or cash jobs.
• Notify the Division of Unemployment Insurance if you stop working for an employer.
• Report any other types of payments received, such as Workers’ Compensation benefits, vacation pay, severance, pensions, and other payments.
• Contact the unemployment Customer Service Center if you were offered a job you did not take.
• Truthfully report your availability, both to look for work and to accept work for each week you request payment of benefits, including any commitments you may have to training or school. Report any situation such as an illness or taking a trip that prevents you from looking for work, attending an interview, or starting work if a job is offered to you.

Work-Search Requirements

In order to qualify for unemployment benefit payments, you must make a continued and organized effort to look for work and be willing to accept suitable work. It’s important to maintain a detailed and organized log of your job search so that you can recall what steps you completed each week if you are questioned or audited by the Division of Unemployment Insurance. Various factors are considered when determining if the type of work you apply for is suitable, such as the rate of pay, prior experience, and length of time collecting unemployment benefit payments. These factors are examined on a case-by-base basis.

1. Able
2. Available
3. Qualified Job Contact
4. Continued and Organized Effort (actively seeking work)
5. Documentation

We will now break down the components of the eligibility requirements into smaller sections to provide more clarity around the expectations.

What does ABLE mean?

You must be physically and mentally able to do the work. The work should be suited to your current qualifications, and you should only apply for job openings that you are reasonably qualified for and are willing to accept. This includes meeting the educational requirements and work experience that the employer specifies in the job announcement

What does AVAILABLE mean?

You are expected to be available for any follow-up requests by an employer. This includes being available to interview for a position or to start work on the day the employer requests. If you are not available during any particular week for which you are requesting a benefit payment, contact the Customer Service Center to determine your eligibility for that week. Examples of being unavailable include:

• Leaving town for any reason that is not related to your job search
• An illness or injury
• Training or schooling, depending on the circumstances

If you are taking classes or considering training options to help you get a new job, your efforts are to be commended! In addition to what you are already doing to improve your chances of becoming employed, we recommend that you discuss your training goals with your local workforce center representative. A training evaluation and pre-approval is required to continue receiving benefit payments while in training. The workforce center representatives will review your work history, occupational goals, and training plan to see if the curriculum is consistent with the general hiring practices and trends for your future occupation and location.

What constitutes a QUALIFIED JOB CONTACT?

A qualified job contact consists of the completion of job-search activities that may lead to a new job, such as applying for a specific job, attending an interview, or completing tests that an employer requires. Some examples of a single and appropriate job contact are:

• Submitting a paper application for a specific job and/or employer
• Submitting an online application or resume for a specific job
• Interviewing for a job•Attending a second job interview
• Completing testing required by an employer for a job

Continued and Organized Effort

What does CONTINUED AND ORGANIZED EFFORT (or ACTIVELY SEEKING) mean?

Actively seeking work via your continued and organized effort means you are meeting or possibly even exceeding your work-search requirements. Whether you are asking about any job openings, applying for a position, or attending an interview, an employer will begin to evaluate you at the very first contact. Employers look for detailed and organized candidates who can make meaningful contributions to the goals and vision of the organization. In addition, maintaining organized and detailed notes and job-search records can help you quickly locate information you may have about a specific employer when it comes time for the actual job interview. You are required to track and report five job contacts each week. If you have questions, contact a workforce center representative who may suggest ways to improve upon your job-search methods.

It is recommended that you use an electronic document to easily track your records. Please remember that the Division of Unemployment Insurance may review your records at any time for up to two years from the start of your claim. This means that the Division may contact employers that are listed on your work-search log to verify all documentation that you provided. A template that you can fill out, showing the minimum requirements needed, can be downloaded online for easy use. Or, you may create your own tracking tool, as long as it has the following information included in the record.For every job contact, you must keep a verifiable list of:

• The date of the activity or action taken (including the month, day, and year).
• What recent job search activity was taken.•How you applied for the position. (Was it online, in-person or submitted through a job board?)
• The type of work you were seeking.
• The person you contacted, along with a telephone number, email address or other reliable contact information – preferably that of a hiring authority.
• The outcome or result of the contact made with that employer

Let’s look at some examples of work-search logs

Work-search Log Examples

This customer has written a few notes on a piece of paper. There is no clear information about the date, location, position and employer information. This is not considered an appropriate or acceptable job contact.This example shows the correct documentation. You can make it easier to track your job contacts by using the work-search logs we provide. All sections have been filled out and completed according to the header information at the top of the work-search log. The handwriting is legible and easy for someone to follow.

What JOB CONTACT DOCUMENTATION should be kept and tracked?

Here are a few examples of appropriate documentation to support your work-search log activities.•An email from the employer inviting you to an interview. Be sure to include the time and date stamp, along with the information of who sent the email in case we need to contact and verify anything with this employer.

• A copy of the announcement with the confirmation number assigned to show that your online application was received.
• The name and contact information of the hiring authority with whom you spoke.
• An email informing you that you must complete testing on a specific date and time.
• A confirmation email of the arrangements you and the employer made during a phone call

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How often can I list the same employer for a job contact?

You must apply for a specific job. If the employer has multiple jobs that you qualify for, and they are job offers that you would accept, you may count each job as an individual contact for our purposes. Additionally, each time you move along to the next step required in the application process, you can list the same employer as a job contact. For example, the first time you turn in an application counts as the first time you list the employer as a contact; then, if you accept and attend an interview for that employer in a different week, you can list that employer again as a contact for that week, and so on all the way up until you get hired.

Q. I’m going to start a school or training program. How does this affect my claim?

You may receive unemployment benefits while in training or taking classes if you have been approved by an unemployment insurance representative or through the established local workforce center process. In order to collect unemployment benefit payments while in school or training, a workforce center or unemployment representative will need to evaluate your school commitment or training plan and your work history. Your individual circumstances will be considered to determine your ability to successfully complete the training or to attend school while working and requesting payment of benefits.

Q. There aren’t any jobs in my industry. What do I do for job contacts?

If you are having trouble finding new job contacts, meet with a workforce center representative to discuss the local hiring trends and other related occupations. A workforce center representative can talk with you about transferable skills and which employers are hiring, to see if there is a match for your skill set. The representative can also connect you to other resources and programs that may help you determine the right career pathway if there are limited jobs available in your field or industry.

Q. If I make ten contacts in one week, can I skip making contacts the next week?

Your are encouraged to apply for more contacts than the weekly minimum to help you find work sooner. However, you cannot skip a week making contacts – unemployment rules require that your minimum weekly job contacts must be met in each individual week for which you are requesting payment of benefits.

Q. Where do I send my job contacts?

A. You must keep a record of your job contacts, but you only need to send a copy of the records if you are told to do so. Your work-search records may be audited by unemployment representatives, or you may be told to bring the records to a meeting at the workforce center. Keep track of your work-search logs and job contacts for two years after filing your unemployment claim.

Q. Since many jobs are not advertised, can I contact employers who may have an opening in my field, and count those as job contacts?

Yes, if you apply for a position the employer has open. Applying for an open position, even one that is not advertised, is acceptable if you likely qualify for that position and would accept the job if the employer offered it to you.

Q. How do I document jobs that are not advertised and are considered part of the “hidden job market”?

If you hear about an employer who is looking for someone with your work experience, contact the hiring manager to learn more about the job and whether you might qualify for the position. Documentation for this scenario would include recording the time and date you reached the hiring manager to discuss the position, the hiring manager’s name, and the other information listed on the unemployment work-search log. Record the date you submitted the resume and how it was submitted. Each time you learn about the status of your application, make a note and update that status in your work-search log. For more information about accessing the “hidden” job market, please talk with your local workforce center representative.

Q. Can a “blind call” to an employer count as a job contact?

Yes, if the call leads to an open position for which you qualify and if you submit your application or resume to that employer.

Additional resources at Colorado Claimant Services Customer Service Center

Career Purgatory is not affiliated with Colorado, but the state of Colorado has additional resources. The Colorado unemployment Claimant Services Customer Service Center can be reached at 303-318-9000, or at 1-800-388-5515 outside the Denver-metro area, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Mountain Time. You may access information about your claim and request your payment of benefits online at www.coloradoui.gov/myui. You may access general information about unemployment at www.coloradoui.gov.