Filing for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Due to COVID-19

Filing for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Due to COVID-19 with the North Carolina Division of Employment Security

Need Assistance? File your claim at des.nc.gov. To contact the DES Customer Call Center, please call 888-737-0259. Due to extremely high call volume, you may experience long wait times.

Create an Online Account:

• Go to des.nc.gov
• File a claim for unemployment
• Complete your Weekly Certifications
• Check your claim status

File Your Claim:

You will need your Social Security Number, information about your most recent employment and pay, work history for the last two years, and bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit.

Tip: If you are filing due to COVID-19, select "coronavirus" as your reason for separation.

Complete Your Weekly Certification:

A Weekly Certification is a series of yes/no questions that helps determine your eligibility for benefits each week. If you do not complete a Weekly Certification, you will not be considered for payment.

Log into your Online Account to complete your Weekly Certification. If you do not have online access, call 888-372-3453 (Weekly Certifications only).

Tip: N.C. Executive Order 118 allows some requirements to be waived for people filing for unemployment due to COVID-19. If you are filing due to COVID-19, you may answer‘yes’ to this question on the Weekly Certification: Did you look for work? 

Timeline:

After you file your claim, your last employer will be given, by law, 10 days to respond to DES. No payment will be released until after this 10-day period.

If there are no issues, individuals typically receive payment within about 14 days of filing their initial claim.

Tip: Remember—you must complete a Weekly Certification for each week, or you will not receive payment.