Where to File and What You Need Before You Start

Virginia handles unemployment claims through the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). You file online at vec.virginia.gov, by phone at 866-832-2363, or in person at a VEC office. Most people file online because it is faster and you get a confirmation number when ready.

Before you start, gather these documents: your Social Security number, driver's license or ID number, the names and addresses of your employers for the past 18 months, dates you worked at each job, and your reason for leaving or being let go. If you were laid off, have the employer's phone number handy — VEC will contact them to verify your separation. If you quit, write down the specific reason; VEC distinguishes between quitting with good cause (illness, unsafe conditions, unreasonable hours) and quitting without cause (both affect your claim differently).

Key Takeaways

  • File online at vec.virginia.gov or call 866-832-2363 within two weeks of losing your job, because benefits start from your filing date, not your job loss date.
  • You need your last 18 months of work history, employer contact information, and a clear reason for why you are no longer working.
  • VEC will contact your employer to verify you were laid off or fired; if you quit, you must explain why and it may affect your claim.
  • After you file, you must certify your claim every two weeks online or by phone to keep receiving payments.
  • Virginia's maximum weekly benefit is set each year and ranges from roughly $378 to $378 depending on your prior earnings, paid for up to 12 weeks in most cases.

Filing Your Claim Online: The Fastest Route

Go to vec.virginia.gov and click "File a New Claim" under the Unemployment Insurance section. You will create an account with your email and password. The form asks for your personal information, Social Security number, and driver's license number. Answer honestly about your work history — VEC cross-checks this against what employers report.

When you reach the employment history section, list every job you held in the past 18 months, starting with your most recent. For each job, enter the employer name, address, phone number, your job title, the dates you started and stopped, your reason for leaving, and your final pay rate. If you were laid off due to lack of work or business closure, select that reason. If you were fired, select "discharged" and briefly describe what happened. If you quit, select "quit" and explain why — for example, "employer reduced my hours below what I needed" or "medical condition made the job unsafe."

The form also asks whether you have been disqualified from unemployment in the past, whether you are receiving workers' compensation, and whether you are in school. Answer these truthfully; lying disqualifies your claim. Once you submit, you receive a confirmation number and a notice that VEC will contact you if they need more information.

What Happens After You File

VEC typically contacts your most recent employer within three to five business days to verify that you were laid off or fired and to confirm your final pay rate. If you quit, VEC may contact you by phone to ask follow-up questions about your reason. This is normal and does not mean your claim is denied.

You will receive a information letter in the mail within one to three weeks. This letter states whether your claim was approved or denied and explains why. If approved, it lists your weekly benefit amount and the total you can receive. If denied, the letter explains the reason — for example, "quit without good cause" or "insufficient work history" — and tells you how to appeal.

Do not wait for the information letter to start certifying. Once you file, you must certify your claim every two weeks, even if you have not heard back yet. Certification means confirming that you are still out of work and looking for a job. You certify online at vec.virginia.gov or by phone at 866-832-2363. If you do not certify, you do not receive payment that week.

Certifying Your Claim Every Two Weeks

Certification happens on a schedule based on your Social Security number. VEC sends you a notice telling you which days you must certify. Most people certify online because it takes five minutes. Log into your VEC account, answer whether you worked that week, whether you earned any money, and whether you looked for a job. If you worked part-time, report your gross earnings (before taxes) — Virginia allows you to earn up to a certain amount before your benefit is reduced.

If you do not certify by the important date, your payment is delayed. If you miss two weeks in a row without contacting VEC, your claim may be suspended. If you return to work, even part-time, you must report it during certification. Failing to report work is fraud and can result in overpayment demands and disqualification.

How Much You Receive and for How Long

Your weekly benefit amount is based on your earnings in the highest-earning quarter of the past 18 months. Virginia calculates this as roughly one-quarter of that quarter's total earnings, up to a maximum weekly amount. The maximum changes each year; in 2024 it is $378 per week, but check vec.virginia.gov for the current year's amount.

You can receive benefits for up to 12 weeks in a standard claim year. If you exhaust your 12 weeks and are still out of work, you may be able to file an extension claim, but this requires approval from VEC and depends on the state's unemployment rate. During periods of high unemployment, Virginia sometimes offers extended benefits lasting several additional weeks.

If Your Claim Is Denied or You Disagree With the Decision

If VEC denies your claim, the information letter explains why and includes instructions for appealing. You have 30 days from the date on the letter to file an appeal. You can appeal online at vec.virginia.gov, by mail, or by phone. An appeal hearing is usually held by phone within two to four weeks.

Common reasons for denial include "quit without good cause," "insufficient work history," or "disqualified due to misconduct." If you were denied for quitting, you can appeal by explaining that you had good cause — for example, the employer cut your hours so severely you could not pay rent, or the job became unsafe. If you were denied for insufficient work history, you can appeal by providing evidence of additional work you did not initially report.

During the appeal hearing, you speak to a hearing officer. Your employer may also participate. You can bring documents, witnesses, or a representative. The hearing officer decides whether to overturn the denial. If you disagree with the hearing officer's decision, you can appeal to the Virginia Employment Commission board, but this is less common.

Common Mistakes That Delay or Deny Claims

Not reporting all your jobs in the past 18 months is the most common error. VEC cross-checks your claim against wage records, so if you omit a job, the discrepancy can delay approval or trigger an investigation. List every job, even if it was very short or you earned very little.

Failing to certify on time is the second most common mistake. Many people file their claim and then forget to certify every two weeks. Your payment stops if you do not certify, even if your claim is approved. Mark the certification dates on your calendar or set a phone reminder.

Misreporting work or earnings is the third. If you work part-time while collecting unemployment, you must report it. Failing to report work is fraud. Virginia will demand repayment of all benefits you received while working, plus penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon after I lose my job should I file?

File within two weeks of your last day of work. Benefits are paid from the week you file, not from the week you lost your job. If you wait four weeks to file, you lose two weeks of benefits. There is no penalty for filing when ready, so file as soon as you know you are out of work.

Can I file if I was fired?

Yes, but it depends on why you were fired. If you were fired for misconduct — theft, violence, repeated rule-breaking after warnings — you are disqualified. If you were fired for poor performance, inability to do the job, or a single mistake, you may still be approved. VEC contacts your employer to find out the reason. Be honest on your claim about what happened.

What if my employer says I quit when I was actually laid off?

This happens sometimes. When VEC contacts your employer, they may say you quit to avoid reporting a layoff. If this happens, VEC will contact you to ask your side of the story. Bring any documents you have — a layoff notice, an email from your employer, a text message — that prove you were laid off. If you have no documents, explain what happened in detail. VEC weighs both sides and makes a decision.

Do I have to look for a job while collecting unemployment?

Virginia does not require you to prove you looked for a job, but you must answer "yes" when you certify that you are able and willing to work. If VEC suspects you are not actually looking, they may contact you. If you refuse a suitable job offer without good reason, you can be disqualified. The expectation is that you are genuinely trying to return to work.

What if I move out of Virginia while collecting benefits?

You can move and continue collecting Virginia benefits if you are still looking for work in Virginia. If you move to another state and look for work there, you should file a claim in that state instead. Contact VEC before you move to understand how it affects your claim.