This is an important update from Chase about your RI Electronic Payment card and replaces previous updates. Starting February 1st, you will no longer receive surcharge free ATM withdrawals at Washington Trust ATMS. You will continue to have surcharge free ATM access at Chase and Allpoint ATMs nationwide including those at CVS locations.

To file a claim by telephone, please call (401) 243-9100 during the call center business hours listed below:

Mondays and Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. to noon
Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Note: During the January peak claim period, the call center will be closed to incoming calls on Thursdays so staff can focus on internet claims processing.

We have a new guide available for customers to help them prepare the questions they may be asked when filing a new claim.

Please note that Mondays and Tuesdays typically experience the highest volume of calls during the week; callers experiencing difficulty earlier in the day may wish to try after 3:00 pm.

If you are having difficulty reaching the call center, you may also email questions to uihelp@dlt.ri.gov. Please include your full name, phone number and hometown in your email. Most emails will be answered after five business days.

You may email questions about adjudications to uihelp@dlt.ri.gov. Please place “Adjudication” in the email subject line.

Hearing impaired customers may call our TDD line at (401) 243-9149.

New way to certify for your weekly unemployment payment - Teleserve and a new internet application.

Starting on Dec. 9th, you will have two options to certify for your weekly unemployment payment. Teleserve allows you to request your weekly unemployment insurance benefit payments using a touch-tone telephone. Or, once you create your Personal Identification Number (PIN) using Teleserve, you can certify online using our new internet application. Click here to read more.

Changes to TeleServe hours

The TeleServe phone payment line is operational from 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning to 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. It is also operational weekdays between 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and from 9:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The TeleServe online payment system is operational all day Sunday, as well as weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 9:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. However, between 5:30 am to 7:00 am and 6:30 pm to 9:00pm  Monday through Friday, Teleserve will be unavailable so that the Department of Information Technology can conduct daily system processing.

Frequently Asked Questions about Teleserve or Certifying Online

 

New customers may now file a claim online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for all Rhode Island Unemployment Insurance programs at https://uiclaims.state.ri.us/RI-ICS/Intro/Index.aspx?AC=yes.

To check the status of your claim, click Access Account Information. You will need your BYE (Benefit Year Ending), Social Security number and PIN number to check your status.

The average turn-around time for UI claims filed online is seven to ten days.

If you have returned to work any time since you last collected unemployment insurance, you cannot use TeleServe until you either refile your claim or file a new claim. Both filing and refilling can be accomplished by contacting the UI Call Center during business hours or by entering the appropriate data through our internet filing system.

Currently, the department oversees three separate unemployment insurance programs: regular Unemployment Insurance, Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation and State Extended Benefits. Eligibility requirements for each program are different, and must be determined on a case-by-case basis.

A customer may only receive benefits from one unemployment insurance program at a time. Those who have exhausted their regular Unemployment Insurance benefits will be notified by mail if they may be eligible for Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Similarly, those who have exhausted their Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits will be notified by mail if they may be eligible for State Extended Benefits. Please click on the highlighted links above to learn more about each program.