Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Federal Worker Separations
If you are a federal employee whose job has ended due to a federal separation, you may be able to get unemployment benefits. Here are some common questions we get:
Yes, you may be eligible if you’ve lost your job due to a federal separation. Your eligibility will depend on state law.
If you’re a federal worker who has experienced a job separation, you should file for unemployment benefits with the state (last duty station) where you last worked.
File online at des.nc.gov if your last job station was in North Carolina.
Have SF-8, SF-50, if applicable, and/or wage information (W-2, LES, or pay stubs from the last 18 months of your employment).
Yes, in North Carolina, you must complete at least three job search contacts each week while claiming benefits.
Benefits are determined by your earnings within a 12-month base period. The maximum weekly benefit in North Carolina is $350 for up to 12 weeks.
No, in North Carolina, the first week is an unpaid waiting week. To get paid for other weeks you must fill out your required weekly certifications and meet other requirements each week.
Check eligibility requirements to see if you may qualify.
Yes; if your employer furloughs you and you get unemployment benefits, and then the employer calls you back to work and gives you backpay (or retroactive payment) for that same time period, you will be required to repay any benefits received.
No, you do not need to file a wage protest. Because you worked for the federal government, DES must contact your federal employer to get separation information and wage details. The federal employer has 12 calendar days to respond to DES. Once your wages are added, you will receive an updated wage transcript.
If you work during the shutdown, you must report your hours and expected wages each week. Report wages for the week you work them, not when you're paid.
People who face a job separation due to the loss of a federal contract should apply for unemployment like any other individual filing a UI claim.
They should list the name of the employer they recently separated from. This would be the employer that paid their wages.
Federal contract/grant employees can be directed to the Federal Separations Website for more information.
No, federal contract/grant employees do not need to provide the same documentation listed for federal employees.