Unemployment Terminology

A referee appointed to conduct hearings on unemployment insurance (UI) determinations. See Lower Authority Appeal.

The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. The wages paid during this period are used to compute your maximum benefit amount (MBA) and weekly benefit amount (WBA).

53 weeks from the Sunday before the day you filed your initial claim. The one-year period that UI benefits are available on a claim with a balance.

The monetary amount paid to an unemployed or partially unemployed worker.

The year is divided into four three-month periods: January 1st-March 31st, April 1st-June 30th, July 1st-September 30th and October 1st-December 31st. Each is a calendar quarter.

The week period beginning on each Sunday and ending on Saturday.

The Division of Child Support Enforcement has the ability to intercept up to 50 percent of a claimant's weekly benefits if they are delinquent on their child support payments. The Division of Employment Security does not have the ability to alter, remove, or add child support intercepts. Any questions regarding the interception of unemployment benefits for Child Support should be directed to Child Support Enforcement at 866-313-9960.

Possible claim types are:
Regular UI
      See Regular Compensation.
TRA
      See Trade Readjustment Allowance.

A totally or partially unemployed individual who has filed a claim for UI benefits.

A claim filed in one state against wage credits earned in two or more states.

The Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission, composed of three commissioners appointed by the governor. See Higher Authority Appeal.

Employment with an employer who is liable to pay unemployment taxes and cover unemployment benefits under state and/or federal law. No part of these taxes are to be deducted from an employee's wages.

The determination of a deputy, or the result of an appeal issued by the referee, which may affect one or more parties. 

A weekly benefit was not payable for any of the following reasons:

Discharged
The claimant was discharged from a job due to misconduct on the job.

Employed
The claimant was self-employed or not unemployed.

Excessive Earnings
The claimant reported excessive earnings.

Labor Dispute
A disagreement occurred between the employer and a union, of which the claimant is a member.

Nonresident/Alien
The claimant is not a U.S. citizen and does not have legal permission to work in the United States.

Not Available
The claimant has restricted his/her availability to potential employers, or did not make the required number of work search contacts.

Not Able
The claimant has a physical or emotional limitation preventing him/her from working full-time.

Other Eligibility
The claimant received UI benefits from some other state or UI program.

Pension
The claimant received a pension, funded totally or partially by a former employer.

Quit Work
The claimant was disqualified for quitting work without good cause attributable to the employer or the work.

Reasonable Assurance
The claimant had reasonable assurance of returning to work with an educational institution.

Refused Work
The claimant was disqualified for refusing suitable work.

Report Required
The claimant failed to report to a Division of Workforce Development (DWD) Missouri Job Center, did not claim the week on time, or has not responded when asked about eligibility issues. 

Retired
The claimant was disqualified due to retiring.

Vacation/Holiday
The claimant received excessive vacation or holiday pay.

Worker’s Compensation
The claimant received deductible worker’s compensation.

A representative of the Division of Employment Security (DES) designated to make investigations and administrative determinations on claims or matters of employer liability.

An official decision by the DES regarding the UI claim of an individual or the tax status of an employer.

DUA is a program which provides temporary income to eligible individuals who became unemployed as a result of a major disaster. It is funded by the federal government, not by state unemployment taxes paid by employers.

State law specifies claimants are disqualified from UI benefits until the earnings requirement is satisfied. This may happen when a claimant voluntarily leaves employment without good cause attributable to the work or the employer, or is discharged for misconduct connected with work or refusal of work.

The legal conditions in order for a claimant to receive UI benefits.

A written notice as to whether a claimant meets all of the eligibility conditions prescribed by law.

An interview to review continued eligibility for UI benefits.

An individual who performs services for an employing unit in an employer/employee relationship as defined by state law.

An employing unit, subject under state or federal unemployment compensation laws.

All UI benefit entitlement has been paid out.

The identification number assigned to employers by the Internal Revenue Service to control reporting and accounting functions. Not to be confused with the employer account number assigned by State agencies.

The willful misrepresentation or nondisclosure of a material fact.

A claim where the claimant has given false information, or has withheld pertinent information deliberately, for the purpose of receiving benefits.

The labor and Industrial Relations Commission is the higher of two administrative authorities provided by the state unemployment compensation laws to make decisions with respect to appeals—the second tier of appeals judgment.

Holiday pay is considered as wages for the week in which the holiday falls. If the employer also pays the individual for the day following or preceding the holiday, that day is also treated as a holiday.

The percentage of individuals in the covered labor force who do not have a job, are eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits, and are available for work and actively seeking work. This includes all employment covered by the Missouri Employment Security Law. It excludes employment in federal government establishments.

Services performed in the employ of an employer liable under any state unemployment compensation law.

The circumstances causing the dispute regarding whether a claimant may receive UI benefits under state law.

The quarter between the end of a base period and the quarter when the claim begins.

Any state against which a worker files a claim for UI benefits through the facilities of another (agent) state.

The Appeals Tribunal, which is the lower of two administrative authorities provided by the state unemployment compensation laws to make decisions with respect to appeals—the first tier of appeals judgment. 

The maximum amount of benefits a claimant may receive during a benefit year (or duration of benefits).

Conduct or failure to act in a manner that is connected with work, regardless of whether such conduct or failure to act occurs at the workplace or during work hours, which shall include:

(a) Conduct or a failure to act demonstrating knowing disregard of the employer's interest or a knowing violation of the standards which the employer expects of his or her employee;

(b) Conduct or a failure to act demonstrating carelessness or  negligence in such degree or recurrence as to manifest culpability, wrongful intent, or a knowing disregard of the employer's interest or of the employee's duties and obligations to the employer;

(c) A violation of an employer's no-call, no-show policy; chronic absenteeism or tardiness in violation of a known policy of the employer; or two or more unapproved absences following a written reprimand or warning relating to an unapproved absence unless such absences are protected by law;

(d) A knowing violation of a state standard or regulation by an employee of an employer licensed or certified by the state, which would cause the employer to be sanctioned or have its license or certification suspended or revoked; or

(e) A violation of an employer's rule, unless the employee can demonstrate that:

 a. He or she did not know, and could not reasonably know, of the rule's requirements;

 b. The rule is not lawful; or

 c. The rule is not fairly or consistently enforced.

A written notice sent after a claim is established. It informs the claimant whether he/she meets the employment and wage requirements necessary to establish entitlement to compensation under a specific program. Also, if entitled, it lists the weekly and maximum benefit amounts the individual may receive.

Employment that increases an individual’s disposable income, taking into account wages as well as other factors such as employer paid benefits, distance to job, etc.

A decision which reverses or modifies a nonmonetary determination before beginning the appeals process.

An amount of benefits paid to an individual to which the individual is not legally entitled, whether by fraud or mistake.

A claim in which the claimant works reduced hours and receives partial UI benefits.

Benefits that are pending because of an adjustment being made to the claim.

Benefits that are pending because the claimant is scheduled to report in person to a local DWD Job Center, or other designated office.

Benefits that are pending because the claimant has been selected for special reemployment services and is scheduled to report in person to a local DWD Job Center.

Benefits are pending because of an issue on the claim. The claimant will be contacted if additional information is necessary.

The period beginning with the first day an employee works for an employer and extending through the last day he/she works prior to a termination.

The ten day period following the notice to employer(s) that an unemployment claim as been established.

A decision that reverses or modifies a nonmonetary determination before beginning the appeals process.

Benefit payments to claimants with respect to their unemployment under any state unemployment compensation law, not including special programs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Trade Readjustment Allowances, etc.

A renewed claim occurs when a claimant regains employment and stops submitting weekly requests for payment for at least 28 days, then refiles for UI benefits during the same benefit year.

A reopened claim occurs when a claimant stops filing weekly requests for payment for at least 28 days without becoming employed, then refiles for UI benefits during the same benefit year.

A weekly benefit amount that was used to repay an overpayment of previous benefits.

Money an employer provides to an employee when that employee is leaving a company. 

Under the labor dispute provision, a substantial curtailment of the normal operation of an employer at a given location. See Labor Dispute.

Establishment of the claim is pending to get wage information from employers, transfer wages from another state, or get wage information on work the claimant performed for the federal government or U.S. military.

A firm that hires its own employees and assigns them to clients to support or supplement the clients’ workforce. Such employees are employed by the temporary help firm, not the client.

The percentage of individuals in the total labor force who do not have a job but are available for work and actively seeking work. Not all of these individuals are eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. The total labor force includes all persons classified as employed and unemployed. See Insured Unemployment Rate.

The dollar value of all wages paid in employment covered by Missouri's Employment Security Law.

Weekly benefits paid to workers under the Trade Act who are on certified Trade Act petitions and have exhausted entitlement to unemployment benefits.

A program under which an individual who is unemployed through no fault of his/her own is paid weekly benefits based upon his/her past wages in employment covered by state or federal unemployment compensation laws.

The federal program that provides benefits to federal employees established by 5 United States Code, Chapter 85.

The federal program that provides benefits to former military established by 5 United States Code, Chapter 85.

The claimant does not have enough covered wages in the base period to establish a claim for UI benefits.

For the purposes of calculating UI benefits, vacation pay is considered earnings during the week which includes the vacation days rather than the actual date the vacation earnings are paid. Any accumulated vacation pay will be automatically applied to the weeks following the job separation, unless another period is specified by the employer or the employee.

Wages earned by persons working in employment covered by state unemployment compensation laws.

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act protects workers by requiring employers meeting certain criteria to provide notification 60 calendar days in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.

The waiting week is the first week of your claim for which you are eligible for benefits, but not paid. You must file a weekly request for payment for this week. You may receive compensation for the waiting week as the last payment on your regular UI claim.

The Saturday date that ends each calendar week.

The number of weeks of unemployment for which benefits are paid.

Any week during which an individual is totally or partially unemployed.

The amount payable to a claimant for a week of total unemployment.

The request for payment which a claimant must complete each week reporting his or her employment status. Eligibility requirements must be met for each week UI benefits are requested.

A program of reemployment services, such as job-search assistance provided by the Division of Workforce Development.

A program under which workers are paid benefits resulting from work-related injury or disability. WC is not a related program to Unemployment Insurance, but income from the receipt of WC may affect eligibility for UI benefits.