The process of processing unemployment for former employees can be a daunting task, here is some information to explain the process

It is inevitable that employers will receive an unemployment claim from at least a few former employees.  The first documents you will receive are from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, are a “Request for Job-Separation Information” and a “Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim, Wages Reported, and Potential Charges.”

The “Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim…” document is usually a white colored document that lists the quarterly earnings for the employee who is filing for unemployment, and all the employer needs to do is verify the earnings are correct.

The Request for Job Separation Information is usually a yellow colored document and is used as employment verification, as well as a statement to why the employee is no longer working for the employer. It is the employers’ duty to make sure this form is filled out correctly. The form will ask the former employee’s date of hire, the last day worked, the rate of pay, and the reason why the employee is no longer working. The form will also ask payroll questions, such as, did the claimant receive wages in lieu of notice, was vacation paid out upon termination, was there a severance allowance?

On the back side of the form is more elaboration to the question of why the employee is no longer working. If the employers marks that the employee quit or was discharged, the back side of the document is used to explain the incident that led to the employee’s resignation or discharge.

The most important section of the Job Separation Information document is the date in the upper right hand corner that states when the form must be received by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Employers can fax or mail the document to the department, but if they turn it in after the specified date, the information will be ignored unless the employer can provide a valid reason of why the form was not turned in on time.

After the Request for Job-Separation Information document is turned in to the department, a deputy of the Division of Employment and Training will make a decision to either deny or grant an award of unemployment benefits to the claimant.