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What to do if you lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic

What to do if you lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic
Posted at 1:26 PM, Mar 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-18 18:49:09-04

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Thousands of Wisconsin workers' jobs are in question as businesses shut down to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, 300,000 people work in retail in the state and 280,000 work in hospitality and leisure.

The DWD says if you lost your job because your company shut down due to the pandemic, you meet the initial eligibility for unemployment insurance.

To apply for unemployment insurance, you need to create an account .

Make sure you have the following information on hand (from the DWD website ):

  • A username and password for filing online
  • A valid email or mobile number
  • Your social security number
  • Your Wisconsin driver license or identification number
  • Your work history for the last 18 months:
    • Employers' business names
    • Employers' addresses (including zip code)
    • Employers' phone number
    • First and last dates of work with each employer
    • Reason no longer working with each employer
  • If not a U.S. citizen, your alien registration number, document number and expiration date
  • Form DD-214 (Member 4 copy), if you served in the military in the last 18 months
  • Form SF-50 or SF-8, if you are a federal civilian employee
  • If you are a union member, the name and local number of your union hall
  • Your current address. You need a valid mailing address to receive important documents about your claim. Make sure you have notified your post office of any recent changes to your address.

The DWD says this is a fluid situation, and they will send out additional information as it continues.

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