If you have been laid off from the federal government, you may be eligible for benefits. Learn more. 

Oregon Employment Department phones will be temporarily closed on Wednesday, March 26, while we process claims and respond to customer requests.  WorkSource Oregon centers will still be open. Phones will re-open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 27.

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Guidance for federal employees and veterans

Like all workers in Oregon, federal employees and veterans are eligible for benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Program when they lose a job through no fault of their own. After you apply, the Oregon Employment Department will review your case to decide if you are eligible for benefits. Your former employer, including the federal government, does not decide if you get benefits. 

Federal civilian employees and veterans do need to provide specific documents to show what they earned and what benefits they are eligible to receive. Learn more about how to apply for benefits on the How to Apply for Benefits page.

You can get help looking for a new job at WorkSource Oregon centers across the state.

On this page:

Federal employees

You may be eligible for benefits from the Oregon Unemployment Insurance Program if you were a federal employee in the past 18 months, and:

  • Your official duty station of your last federal employer was in Oregon, or
  • You are an Oregon resident and:
    • You are a U.S. citizen and your official duty station was outside the U.S., or
    • You have worked in Oregon after you worked for your last federal employer.

What federal employees need to apply for benefits

Make sure you have the following information before applying for benefits:

  • Start and end dates of employment
  • Hourly pay rate and monthly pay before taxes

The following forms are helpful but not required:

  • Standard Form 8 (SF8), Notice to Federal Employees about Unemployment Insurance
  • Standard Form 50 (SF50), Notice of Personnel Action

We need this information to know how much you earned as a federal employee and what benefits you may be eligible to receive.

Unemployment forms for federal employees

You'll receive these forms from your federal civilian employer.

On the Standard Form 8 (SF8), Notice to Federal Employees about Unemployment Insurance, you can find:

  • The name of the federal civilian employer or agency
  • The 3-digit federal agency code for your employer

On the Standard Form 50 (SF50), Notice of Personnel Action, you can find:

  • Your position title (box 7)
  • The state or country of your last official duty station (box 39)
  • The name of the federal civilian employer or agency (box 46)
  • The 3-digit federal agency code for your employer (box 47)

What to expect after you apply for benefits

We will send you a letter asking you to fill out Form ES-935, Statement of Federal Civilian Service, after you apply for benefits.

When you send us the completed Form ES-935, include:

  • Copies of your SF8 and SF50, if you have them.
  • Evidence of your earnings, such as pay stubs or W-2s.
  • Earnings information for the last 18 months before you filed, including the month so far. That includes the current quarter and the previous five quarters,

Please return that information as quickly as possible. You can send it through:

We will also ask the federal government for information about your employment history. It normally takes several weeks for the federal government to respond.

You may receive a Wage and Potential Benefit Report that says you have no wages. We will update that information when we have the correct wage information.

Check your Frances Online account frequently for updates or required tasks.

Common questions 

Does the federal government or my former federal employer decide if I get benefits?

No, your former employer does not decide if you are eligible for benefits. Only the Oregon Employment Department can decide if you are eligible for benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Program.  

We will gather information from you and any other source needed to make a decision about your eligibility. If there is an issue related to your most recent employment, we typically gather information from your employer as well. We review the available information, apply the laws and rules for unemployment insurance to your situation, and then make a decision. 

If you disagree with a decision, you may appeal it by requesting a hearing. Your employer also may appeal a decision. Learn more about the appeals process. 

What if my federal employer did not give me an SF50 or a formal termination notice?

If a federal agency laid you off or reduced your hours, you may be eligible for benefits even if you did not get a formal termination notice. The Standard Form 50 (SF50), Notice of Personnel Action, helps us decide what benefits you are eligible to receive, but it is not required if you have other proof of federal earnings.  

After you apply for benefits, we will send you a letter with a Form ES-935, Statement of Federal Civilian Service. Please fill out the ES-935 and send it to us with paystubs, a W-2, and other evidence of your earnings. We are still required to wait for the federal agency to respond, but we can use your information if they do not respond by the due date.  

Send your information through Frances Online for the fastest service.  

What happens if I get a Wage and Potential Benefit Report with zero earnings?

You may receive a Wage and Potential Benefit Report that says you have no wages. That happens when the federal agency you worked for does not respond quickly to our requests. Federal law requires us to wait several weeks or until the agency responds before we can proceed using only the information you provide. 

You can send us your pay stubs, W-2s, and other documents so we can use that information for your claim. We will still wait for the federal agency to respond, but we can use your information if they do not respond by their due date. 

Send your information through Frances Online for the fastest service. 

What does “no fault of your own” mean?

Unemployment insurance provides money to people who have lost their jobs or have had their hours reduced through no fault of their own. If you were laid off or your employer reduced your hours, you may qualify for benefits.

Anyone who is authorized to work in the U.S. may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Learn more at Do I Qualify?

What if I was told I was fired for cause or for “poor performance”?

If you are not sure if you are eligible, apply anyway. Each situation is unique, and experts review each claim we receive to determine eligibility. If the reason for the job separation is unclear, we will do an investigation. We will gather information from you, your employer, and any other sources needed, to make a decision if you are eligible or not. Once we send you the decision, you have the right to appeal and request a hearing. It also is possible that your employer will appeal a decision we make about your claim.

What about the federal deferred resignation offer?

Federal employees were recently given the option to resign and receive pay until Sept. 30, 2025. If you accepted this offer, we may consider you employed until this date.  Because you accepted the deferred resignation you may need to show that you tried to keep your job.

If you are not sure if you are eligible, apply anyway. Each situation is unique, and experts review each claim we receive to determine eligibility.

What about the federal return-to-office requirement?

If you lost your job because you would not or could not meet the return to office requirement, you may be eligible for benefits. If you quit, you may need to show that you tried to keep your job. You may be eligible if you were hired to be a full-time remote employee. If you were laid off or fired, we need to know if it was because of misconduct.

If you are not sure if you are eligible, apply anyway. Each situation is unique, and experts review each claim we receive to determine eligibility.

Contractors with the federal government

If you are an independent contractor, you may not be eligible to receive benefits. If you receive a Form 1099 reporting your earnings, you are likely to be an independent contractor, but there are exceptions.

If you receive a W-2 from the federal government reporting your earnings, you are likely to be a federal employee.

If you are not sure, apply for benefits. Each situation is unique, and experts review each claim we receive to determine eligibility.

Veterans

You may be eligible for benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Program if you served in the armed forces of the United States in the past 18 months.

To be eligible:

  • You must have been separated under honorable conditions.
  • You were on active duty with a branch of the U.S. military.
  • You must be physically in Oregon when you apply.

What veterans need to apply for benefits

Make sure you have the following forms and information before applying for benefits:

  • Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, also known as a DOD certificate of discharge, DD214, or DD Form 214
  • Start and end dates of service
  • Monthly pay before taxes

Discharge documents

On your DD Form 214 (DD214), Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, copies 2, 3, or 4, which may be marked as “Service” or “Member,” you can find:

  • Character of service (box 24)