Federal Government Employees Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I filed a claim during the federal government shutdown, can I resume my claim where I left off?
The ability to continue a prior claim depends on its status at the time processing has stopped.

If you filed for unemployment insurance in October and your claim has not been withdrawn, you must reopen your claim.
If your request to withdraw your claim has already been processed, you must file a new claim and submit updated documentation, including:
- Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service (ES-935)
- Most recent W-2
- Four (4) most recent pay stubs
- Most recent Standard Form 50 (SF-50)
- Most recent Standard Form 8 (SF-8)

2. Can I file a claim following the federal government shutdown?
Although the federal government experienced a lapse in appropriations, the District of Columbia government will remain open. Federal employees who were furloughed may file for Unemployment Insurance benefits online at dcnetworks.org or visit an American Job Center.

3. Are excepted employees who continue working full-time during a shutdown eligible for UCFE?
No. If you are an exepted employee and continue working full-time during a lapse in appropriations, you are not considered unemployed under federal and District unemployment insurance (UI) law. Even if you are not paid until the end of the lapse in appropriations, you are still performing full-time services. Because you are not employed, you are not eligible for Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees.

4. Are "excepted intermittent" employees who continue working during a lapse in appropriations eligible for UCFE?

It depends on your work hours and earnings. If you are classified as an excepted intermittent employee and are working less than full-time during a lapse in appropriations, you may be eligible for partial UCFE benefits.

Eligibility based on:

The number of hours worked.
The amount of wages earned.

If you continue working full-time during the lapse in appropriations, you are not eligibile for UCFE benefits.

5. Do I need to complete the work search requirements as a furloughed federal government employee?

February 13, 2026, per an administrative policy issuance, the Department of Employment Services (DOES) has waived work search requirements for furloughed federal government employees impacted by the current partial government shutdown impacting the Department of Homeland Security. However, this does not apply to federal contractors, separated employees, or other claimants.

6. Should I continue to file weekly certifications?
You must continue filing weekly certifications, even if benefit payments have not yet been issued. Weekly certifications may be submitted online at www.dcnetworks.org or by phone through the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system at (202) 724-7000.

*Note: Furloughed federal government employees will not be asked to complete the job section of the certification.

7. How do I report a mistake or error on my claim?

Errors or discrepancies may be reported by calling (202) 724-7000 or by visiting an American Job Center. Reported issues may delay payment until reviewed and resolved by a Claims Examiner.

8. What is the one-week waiting period?

Under District law, there is a one-week waiting period before benefits are paid. The waiting period is the first week for which a claimant would otherwise be eligible. Generally, this is the first week of the claim. No payment is made for the waiting period.

Calendar

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

9. As a furloughed federal government employee, does the one-week waiting period apply to me?

The one-week waiting period applies to all claimants filing for unemployment compensation benefits in the District of Columbia.

10. How long does it take for eligibility to be determined?

Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit claims may be processed within 21 days. Receiving the required information outlined below may allow DOES to process claims more quickly, assuming all other eligibility requirements are met.

Required documentation includes a copy of the Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service (ES 935), most recent SF-50, most recent SF-8 with the application, if available. You should also provide the last four pay stubs and the most recent W-2.

See Claimant's Rights and Responsibilities Handbook for more details and eligibility requirements.

11. After filing a weekly certification, when should I expect payment?
Once a weekly certification is submitted and no issues are identified, payment is generally issued within 72 hours.

12. How do I submit required employment documents if I do not have them at the time of application?

You can submit by uploading the required documentation at any time by logging into www.dcnetworks.org or submitted in person at an American Job Center.

13. Why do I have to provide my Standard Form 50 and Standard Form 8?

The SF-50 and SF-8 are used to verify federal employment, wage information, and duty station. If these forms are unavailable, DOES may proceed with claim processing using the Claimant Affidavit of Federal Civilian Service ES-935, most recent W-2, and most recent pay stubs.

14. How do I determine my duty station?
When reviewing the SF-50, refer to line 39. If line 39 does not reference Washington, District of Columbia, a claim needs to be filed with the state referenced on line 39.

15. If I worked internationally for the federal government, where should I file my claim?

If work was performed internationally, the claim should be filed in your U.S. state of residency. State workforce agency links are available at www.servicelocator.org/OWSLinks.asp

16.    How do I determine which employing agency to list on my claim?
On the SF-50 refer to line 46, which will be the state employing department agency.

17.    What if I do not know my three-digit agency code?
The three-digit agency code is listed on the SF-8 under “Code No.”. This same code can also be found when filing your claim by entering the agency name in the system at the time of filing.

18.   Who should I contact for general questions?

General questions may be directed to the Customer Navigation Center at (202) 724-7000, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by visiting an American Job Center.

Updates are also available at:

19. Will furloughed employees who receive unemployment benefits be required to pay benefits be required to pay benefits back if they receive retroactive pay?

If employees receive retroactive pay from an employer, the employee will be required to repay unemployment benefits. This would occur when the retroactive pay is awareded. Please call (202) 698-5111 once retroactive payments have been received.

20. What options will be provided for repayment?

Once a notice of determination of overpayment has been sent and the overpaid amount is established, payments can be made in full or in interest-free monthly installments through a Restitution Agreement. Please call (202) 698-5111

21. My monetary determination appears to be $0. What could be causing that?

Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) is administered differently than traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI) for private-sector employees. Private employers report wages quarterly for all employees into state databases, which are automatically accessed when a separated employee applies for unemployment compensation.

For federal employees, wages are not reported quarterly to state systems. As a result, when a UCFE claim is initially filed, the monetary determination may appear as $0 until the federal employing agency submits the wage and separation information. Once the required wage data is received and processed, the monetary determination will be updated accordingly.

Contact TTY:

711