Unemployment Benefits in North Carolina

The basic process for securing unemployment benefits from the ESC in North Carolina is a fairly straightforward process. If you have been separated from your job, you should immediately go to the local North Carolina Employment Security Commission office to file your claim. You can even file your claim online

Many people think that you cannot get unemployment benefits if you quit work. This is not always true. Contact us to see how one of our attorneys can help you.

Once your claim is filed, the ESC office will investigate. They will contact your former employer to get salary information and attempt to determine why you were separated from your job. The central question they seek to answer is “Whether the claimant left work without good cause attributable to the employer.” Essentially, if the claimant left work due to  the employer, you will qualify for benefits. If the ESC determines you left work for some other reason, they will determine that you do not qualify for benefits.

This determination will be mailed to you within several weeks to two months of your initial claim filing. If you are denied benefits, you are entitled to an appeal of this denial via an evidentiary hearing. Do not delay in filing your appeal. You have 15 days from the date of denial to appeal the determination. This hearing is your last chance to get information into evidence and it is important you consult with an attorney before this hearing. Contact us so that one of our attorneys can evaluate your case and speak with you about helping you get the unemployment benefits that you deserve.

This basic information is not intended to serve as legal advice. Each case has a specific set of facts. Please contact an attorney for more specific information about this process.