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Division of Unemployment Insurance URL reading ( My Unemployment . NJ . Gov )

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Who is eligible for benefits?

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When you first apply for Unemployment Insurance benefits, we look at a few different factors to see if you qualify.

Unemployment benefits are based on wage information from your employers in the last 18 months. If you live in NJ but only worked in other states, you should apply in a state where you physically worked.

We need to know why you're out of work, and whether your recent earnings meet the minimum required by law.

After you first qualify for benefits, you will need to meet some additional requirements in order to keep receiving them.

Some workers, like school employees and business owners, have their own unique qualifications. If you are self-employed and do not pay for Unemployment Insurance through your paycheck, you may not be eligible for benefits.

Read our FAQs on who is eligible for benefits here.