Letting an employee go doesn’t necessarily end with the exit interview. Depending on the reason for their termination, they may file for unemployment insurance, meaning you’ll pay them a percentage of their wages while they remain unemployed. Based on federal protocol that’s tweaked at the state level, unemployment insurance can be tricky to understand because of the varying details. To make sure you don’t run into issues, avoid these three mistakes in the unemployment insurance process.

1. Unwillingness to be educated in the process

One of the easiest ways to get lost is to simply ignore the learning curve. While it can be complicated, understanding the unemployment insurance process is the easiest way to stay alert and vigilant. You may believe it will never be an issue for you, but you can’t be certain. Employees need to be let go all the time, and you want to be prepared for all outcomes.

2. Procrastinating the paperwork

You might receive the packet of information surrounding your employee’s unemployment insurance claim and put it off because of the length and complexity. It’s easy to put the other needs of your business ahead of the forms, but tardy paperwork can hurt your rights to the claim. Take the time to work through the papers, asking questions and finding answers where necessary, to stay with the case.

Failure to turn in the paperwork on time can mean you’ll lose the hearing, your right to appeal and potentially, your right to protest the charges.

3. Missing hearings

Even if you believe you have a tight case against the employee, failing to show up can cause you to lose. In misconduct cases, it’s up to you to prove your side, and often when an employer is absent, the employee wins by default. You need to embrace the opportunity to present your side and show why the dismissed employee shouldn’t be eligible for the benefits. Don’t forget to bring along any witnesses you have to speak to the reasons for termination.

Monitor Your Claims Easily

Keeping track of your claims can get complicated, and that’s where we come in. The Unemployment Tracker software is here to offer you full reporting and online reports to help reduce your risk of errors and missed deadlines. See how Unemployment Tracker can help you today through a product demo.