Given the mass layoffs of late happening with federal employees, some information for how federal employees can claim unemployment benefits is probably needed.
In general, the administration and eligibility calculations/determinations of unemployment benefits is handled at the state level. The benefits themselves, however, come from the federal government. Because the administration varies from state to state, the claim-filing process and benefits vary according to the state handling that unemployment claim. So, a federal employee filing in Minnesota rather than Wisconsin will have a different claim-filing process, different eligibility criteria, and a different benefit rate (in Wisconsin, the weekly benefit caps out at $370 per week, while in Minnesota the maximum weekly benefit rate is $762). Work search requirements also vary drastically from state to state.
Note: There is a very general federal info sheet about unemployment benefits for federal workers. There is also a Dep’t of Labor info page on federal unemployment benefits.
So, do some research among the state agencies on figuring out which state agency to use for your unemployment initial claim (while generally, the initial claim is where a person lives, there can be circumstances where a person worked in another state either because of a daily commute or a virtual office; and so that person might well need to file an initial claim in the state they are working in rather than where they lived).
Note: An initial claim is what triggers the unemployment claim-filing process. But, benefits are only paid based on a separate weekly certification that is filed for each week you want to receive unemployment benefits.
Also, one of the sticking points with federal unemployment claims is getting wages/service verified with the state agency. The continuing layoffs at the federal level may well mean that federal staff will no longer be available to provide the state agencies with this information. As a result, you may need to provide pay stubs and other proof of service in support of your unemployment claim. These instructions indicate what information federal employers need to provide state unemployment agencies.
Note: In Wisconsin, this kind of sticking point could end up permanently delaying your claim, because the state agency in Wisconsin has a policy of only accepting pay information from “employers.”
Finally, for those filing a claim in Wisconsin, make sure to read the unemployment primer and posts about claim-filing tips for Wisconsin.