Get help with unemployment insurance at Idaho Department of Labor mobile offices

Idahoans out of work through no fault of their own can get help filing for unemployment insurance through Idaho Department of Labor staff in local and mobile office locations throughout the state, according to a press release.

Unemployment insurance is an eligibility program that replaces part of a worker’s lost income when they become unemployed through no fault of their own. Eligible claimants are paid these benefits through tax accounts to which their former employers have contributed. Unemployment insurance navigators are available by appointment or through walk-in consultations during certain hours, the release said. Those in need of assistance can find hours and phone numbers for their nearest office at labor.idaho.gov/officedirectory.

Navigators help unemployment claimants by guiding them through the filing process to help avoid mistakes that result in a delayed benefit payment, an overpayment that needs to be paid back, or fraud, according to the release. Navigators also assist people in verifying and protecting their personal information while claiming unemployment benefits, providing direction on necessary documents for filing a claim, and connecting job seekers with resources for finding a job.

Unemployment insurance navigators can answer questions about the claims process, from first filing to continued claims. They are available in seven local labor offices, from Post Falls to Idaho Falls, and in mobile locations like Mountain Home, Kuna, Meridian, Payette, Emmett, Blackfoot, Preston, Malad and more.

Part of a $2.28 million Unemployment Insurance Equity grant through the U.S. Department of Labor is funding the navigators program, according to the release. The grant’s purpose is to make unemployment insurance more accessible to underserved populations in Idaho.

For more information about unemployment insurance and other job seeker services, go to labor.idaho.gov.