You should apply for UCFE with the VEC if: 

• Your last official duty station was in Virginia, or, 
• You are a Virginia resident, and your last official duty station was outside of the United States; or, 
• You are a Virginia resident, separated from federal employment, and afterward worked in non-federal employment in Virginia.

If none of these three criteria apply to you, you should apply for UCFE in the U.S. state or district where your duty station is located or in your state or district of residence. Here are direct links to apply for UI benefits in Maryland and Washington, DC.

To be eligible for benefits, you must be unemployed through no fault of your own, meet monetary requirements and be able and available to work. We encourage anyone who may be impacted by federal job changes to review the benefits eligibility requirements on VEC’s website.

If you believe you may qualify, you can apply for benefits easily online using ID.me, an identity verification tool, through  Customer Self-Service. Sign in with the green ID.me button to get started. Have your driver’s license or government issued ID handy. If you already have an ID.me account, make sure your profile is up-to-date before signing in. For information about managing your ID.me account settings, visit the ID.me help center.

If you need assistance, you may also call our Customer Contact Center at 1-866-832-2363 or visit one of our American Job Centers where Virginia Works staff is available to assist with initial claims filing and job search services. You can find your nearest workforce center here.

When you apply for unemployment insurance under the UCFE program, you will need your:

• SF-8, Notice to Federal Employee About Unemployment Insurance form
• SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action form
• W-2
• Pay stubs

SF-50 and SF-8 forms ensure VEC has the proper federal employer location for faster processing of claims. However, if no SF-50 is available be sure to take time to choose not only the correct Federal Information Code (FIC) for the correct agency but also the correct department within a specific agency. The Federal Identification Code (FIC) is three-digit code that identifies federal agencies. A list of all FICs can be found at the OPM website .

This will help to ensure wages and separation information are requested from the proper place and not delay claims. A W-2 form or pay stubs are helpful for wages, but they will not provide the duty station or unit destination within a specific agency.

The federal government does not regularly report wages. If you worked for one of these employers during the four quarters shown on your Monetary Determination, you must submit wage documents so we can verify your eligibility for unemployment benefits.

Until you submit these documents or the VEC confirms your wages with your former employer, your Statement of Wages and Potential Benefit Entitlement will show no wages, and your claim will be denied. You cannot appeal your Monetary Determination until you submit the required documents and a re-determination is completed.

How to Submit Your Wage Documents:

• Federal civilian workers: Submit a copy of your SF-50 or SF-8
• Military service members: Submit a copy of your DD214 (Member 4)

Submission Options:

• Preferred: Mail to:
  Virginia Employment Commission
  Monetary Determination Unit
  P.O. Box 27887, Richmond, VA 23261-7887
• Upload: Through your Customer Self-Service account
• Fax: 804-786-4779

Important Notes:

• Processing takes time due to employer verification delays.
• You cannot file weekly claims until your wages are confirmed.
• Keep a record of your weekly job contacts so you can provide them when filing resumes.

For more information on eligibility requirements and the application process, visit VEC’s video library. More details about VEC services and unemployment benefits are available at www.vec.virginia.gov.

For additional information from the U.S. Department of Labor, please go here.

VEC works with Virginia’s workforce development agency, Virginia Works to help individuals become reemployed. Virginia Works, collaborating with the Northern Workforce Development Board and the Alexandria/Arlington Workforce Development Board and other area partners, works daily with job seekers to provide a wide range of workforce services. Virginia Works help individuals transition quickly and effectively into new employment opportunities. 

Job seekers and anyone who needs career transition assistance or job search support, can access Virginia Works’ suite of services as well as other partner services in person through American Job Centers in Northern Virginia and across the Commonwealth. Centers are open daily to provide resume writing, job search assistance, and referrals to specialty programs for training and education working with our partner agencies including the Department of Veterans Services, Department of Aging and Rehabilitation, Adult Education, and more. Details on specific programs can be found at our website: www.virginiaworks.gov.

Details on the services available specifically to federal workers can be found here:  Dislocated Federal Workers and Contractors - Virginia Career Works Northern Region and here: https://www.vcwalexandriaarlington.com/News/Transitioning-from-the-Federal-Government

"Virginia Has Jobs” is a website designed to connect job seekers to opportunities available in the Commonwealth. In addition, all state resources are detailed and available at https://www.governor.virginia.gov/federalworkersupport. Virginians can email federalworkersupport@virginiaworks.gov for additional assistance.