DEFINITIONS |
Administrative Penalty – Imposed when a claimant knowingly failed to disclose facts or provided incorrect information to obtain or increase benefits.
Appeal – A claimant or employer can appeal a decision if they believe it is contrary to the law or facts or if they have new information that could affect the decision. An appeal must be filed within 10 calendar days from the date of the Notice of Determination.
Base Period – The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters at the time an initial claim for benefits is filed. Monetary eligibility is based upon how much was paid during this base period.
Benefit Offset – An amount deducted from benefits to repay an amount owed due to previous overpayment of benefits.
Bi-weekly Claim –The request for payment for 2 weeks at a time via Internet, telephone, or by mail. Montana pays benefits bi-weekly.
Benefit Week Ending (BWE) – Each benefit week begins on Sunday and ends at midnight the following Saturday. The Saturday date is the week ending date.
Benefit Year Ending (BYE) – A benefit year lasts 52 weeks. The Saturday date of the last week of a claim is the benefit year ending date. When 1 benefit year ends, a new claim must be filed.
Claimant Agreement – Claimant certification that he/she is a citizen or national of the United States and acknowledgement their obligations necessary to qualify for benefits and that information may be shared with interested third parties, state and federal agencies who have access to the information according to Section 1137(a)(6)of the Social Security Act.
Claim Effective Date – The Sunday date of the week in which a claim is filed.
Claim End Date – The last day of a claim year (see BYE).
Claims Processing Center – Where to call to open, reopen, or receive assistance with an Unemployment Insurance claim. Staff in the center gathers information from claimants and employers, issues eligibility decisions and provides customer service to claimants and employers. Phone numbers are inside the front cover of this booklet.
Full-time Work – Work that consists of 40 hours or more per week.
Gross Misconduct – A criminal act, other than a violation of a motor vehicle traffic law, for which an individual has been convicted in a criminal court or to which the individual has admitted guilt. It also includes conduct that demonstrates a flagrant and wanton disregard of the rights, title or interest of a fellow employee or the employer. The penalty for a separation due to gross misconduct is 52 weeks of disqualification.
Initial Claim – A new claim filed establishing a new benefit year and a 1-year eligibility period.
Issue (or Eligibility Issue) – Any act or circumstance that may disqualify a person from receiving benefits.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) – The automated telephone system used for requesting benefit payment every 2 weeks.
Insufficient Wage Credits (IWC) – Term used to define a claim that does not have enough wages in the base period to be eligible. Also referred to as “monetarily ineligible.”
Job Attached – The status of a claimant when an employer has verified a scheduled date of hire/rehire for at least 30 hours per week. A claimant is not required to look for work while job attached, but must remain available for any offer of suitable work.
Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA) – The maximum amount of benefits potentially available during a benefit year based on the wages earned in the base period of a claim. This information is located on the Monetary Determination.
Misconduct – Deliberate or careless disregard of an employer’s or another employee’s rights or interests. If it is shown the discharge was due to misconduct, benefits will be denied.
Overpayment – A payment of benefits not entitled to under Montana rule and law.
Partial Benefits – The amount of unemployment
insurance benefits eligible for while working part-time and seeking full-time
work.
Personal Identification Number (PIN) - A 4-digit
number selected for security purposes that, along with a Social Security
Number, identifies the claimant to the UI4U.mt.gov Internet
site and IVR.
Redetermination – A request for reconsideration of an initial decision regarding receipt of benefits.
Register for Work – Individuals who are claiming benefits and are not job attached or union attached, as determined by our agency, are required to register at the Workforce Services Center in their area for assistance in finding employment.
UI4U.mt.gov – The electronic equivalent of the Claims Processing Center where claims are filed, payments requested and Direct Deposit is authorized. Other services are also available on-line at this site.
Union Attached – The status of an active union member who gets work through the union hiring hall and is on the out of work list as verified by the union. A union attached person is not required to seek work but must be available for any offer of suitable work.
Waiting Week – The first eligible week in a new claim. This is not a paid week, but must be claimed in order to receive credit for it as the waiting week.
Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) – The maximum amount you may be eligible to receive for 1 week if you have no reported earnings that week. This amount is located on your monetary determination.
Work Search – You are required to make at least 1 work search contact per week while claiming benefits. You must keep a written record of the contact, (unless you are job attached or union attached).
Workforce Service – The state agency where claimants are required to register for work, also known as Job Service.
