Being denied unemployment benefits in Minnesota is the same as being ineligible. Usually, a person will find out about a denial by viewing their account online. Also, the unemployment office is supposed to send out a written notice too.

Before deciding to appeal a denial of benefits, know what and how to respond, such that your benefits are not further damaged.

After Being Denied Unemployment

Before responding to a letter stating that you were denied unemployment, identify the deadline to file an appeal. This is important because you need to know how much time is allotted to draft a proper response.

Nearly every letter from the unemployment office in Minnesota will post the deadline to appeal a denial on the last page of the written notice. When seeing this in an online account, there should be a hyperlink or button stating “File Appeal”.

Wording Your Response to a Denial for Benefits

Of course, everybody wants to word their appeal in a manner that helps them get unemployment. But, this isn’t the intent of a filed response.

Instead, the goal is to perfect the opportunity to meet with an Unemployment Law Judge.

The button on the unemployment website asking you to file an appeal will introduce four questions:

• The reason for the appeal;
• Whether you intend to submit evidence or introduce a witness;
• Whether you are going to have an unemployment lawyer; and
• Do you need an interpreter.

Employer Denied Unemployment

In Minnesota, an employer does not decide whether or not an applicant is denied benefits. Instead, a notice of ineligibility is made by DEED or the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Certainly, feedback shared by an employer can lead to a denial of benefits. However, the employer is not the decision maker. Luckily, a denied claim is appealable.