myjobcontacts › Work search audits

What happens in an unemployment work search audit?

Why you might get picked

• Random checks. Every state runs a federal quality check that picks paid weeks at random and reviews them closely, including your job contacts.
• RESEA. Many people are scheduled for a Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment. A staff member reviews your job search and helps you plan.
• Something on your claim. An answer that doesn’t match, or a report from an employer.

What they usually ask for

Your work search log for the weeks they name, with enough detail to check each contact: the date, the employer, how to reach them, who you talked to, how you contacted them, the job and the result. Some states want their own form. Some also ask for proof like confirmation emails.

How to answer

1. Read the letter for the weeks it asks about and the deadline.
2. Send exactly what it asks for, the way it asks. Keep your own copy.
3. Make sure phone numbers, websites and names are right. They may be checked.
4. If you’re missing something, say so and send what you have. Don’t make up contacts.
5. If you get a decision you think is wrong, you can usually appeal. The deadline is short, often 10 to 30 days. It is printed on the decision.

What states say about checking

• Alabama: By law, the department randomly reviews at least 5% of the work search contacts people report each week.
• Alaska: The work search activities you report may be audited.
• Arizona: DES may audit your work search entries for up to two years from your claim's start date.
• Arkansas: By law the state audits at least 100 weekly work search reports every week.
• California: EDD does not collect your list each week.
• Colorado: CDLE regularly audits claims.
• Connecticut: CTDOL can ask for your records at any time and checks job search contacts as part of fraud control.
• Delaware: The Division reviews work search logs from time to time and may audit them at any time.
• District of Columbia: DOES may ask for proof of your work search at any time.
• Florida: By law, FloridaCommerce does random reviews of the work search contacts people report.
• Georgia: GDOL checks work search contacts.
• Hawaii: DLIR checks job search activities.
• Idaho: Idaho Labor checks your reported actions with employers.
• Illinois: IDES can ask for your work search record at any time, in writing, and does random or targeted work search audits.
• Indiana: DWD can check your work search at any point in your claim.
• Iowa: IWD career planners verify claims each week and review your job searches.
• Kansas: KDOL can ask for your work search record.
• Kentucky: The Office of Unemployment Insurance can verify or randomly audit your work search for up to 1 year after your claim expires.
• Louisiana: Louisiana Works staff review work search records to check that people are following the rules, and you may be asked to show proof of your activities.
• Maine: MDOL does random work search audits to check the activities you reported.
• Maryland: The Division of Unemployment Insurance audits claims, including checking your job contacts and activities.
• Massachusetts: DUA may ask you at any time for proof of your work search, such as emails with employers, application receipts, or job postings.
• Michigan: UIA can ask you to prove your work search at any time during your claim.
• Minnesota: Each week DEED picks hundreds of accounts at random for audit.
• Mississippi: All work search information can be checked with the employer.
• Missouri: The Division can check your work search activities.
• Montana: UI can audit your claim at any time during your claim year.
• Nebraska: Your reemployment activities are subject to ongoing audit review.
• Nevada: DETR checks work searches.
• New Hampshire: You will be called to mandatory meetings at your NHWorks local office, including eligibility reviews and reemployment meetings.
• New Jersey: New Jersey can ask for proof of your work search at any time during your claim.
• New Mexico: NMDWS routinely audits work searches and can ask for your log any time during your benefit year.
• New York: NYSDOL regularly checks that claimants do their work search.
• North Carolina: DES may check your work search records, or ask you to show them, for up to 5 years after you file.
• North Dakota: Job Service verifies job contacts.
• Ohio: ODJFS audits claims.
• Oklahoma: If you are picked for an audit, you must send your work search records within 5 business days of the date the notice was mailed.
• Oregon: OED may ask for more details about your work search at any time.
• Pennsylvania: L&I can ask to see your work search records at any time for 2 years from the start of your claim.
• Rhode Island: DLT's Benefit Accuracy Measurement team picks claims at random to audit.
• South Carolina: Your SCWOS searches are checked electronically each week.
• South Dakota: DLR checks your job contacts with employers.
• Tennessee: Tennessee checks work searches with random audits every week (per the U.S.
• Texas: TWC may ask for your log for any week, or many weeks, at any time during your benefit year.
• Utah: Claims are picked at random for audits every week.
• Vermont: VDOL does random checks of job contacts.
• Virginia: All work search contacts can be checked.
• Washington: ESD can ask for your log at any time, even after you stop filing.
• West Virginia: WorkForce WV can ask for your proof at any time and verifies job search contacts.
• Wisconsin: DWD runs two kinds of work search audits: random audits on a sample of claims and targeted audits on claims that look suspicious.
• Wyoming: DWS may ask to review your work search record at any time, including in eligibility reviews and Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) reviews.

Questions

What happens if I get audited for unemployment?

The state picks one or more weeks and asks you to show the job contacts you made. You send your log by a deadline. They may call employers to check. If your contacts check out, nothing changes.

Do they really call the employers?

They can, and many states say they do. That is why the employer’s name, phone number or website, and the person you talked to matter so much.

What if I don’t have my work search log?

Answer anyway, by the deadline. Rebuild what you can from your email, job sites, browser history and texts. Tell them the truth about what you have. A legal aid office can help if you’re worried.

How far back can they check?

It depends on the state. Many can ask about any week in your benefit year, and some keep the right to ask for longer. Keep your records until your claim is closed and paid in full.

Can I lose benefits I already got?

Yes. If the state decides you didn’t meet the work search rule for a week, it can ask you to pay back that week. If it finds false information, there can be extra penalties.

myjobcontacts is not a government website and this is not legal advice. Rules change, and your own claim notice or letter is what counts. If something here doesn’t match what your state told you, follow your state.