Unemployment is still rising in South Dakota

The Department of Labor and Regulation continues to handle an increased volume of unemployment insurance claims because of COVID-19 related layoffs.

And due to the mass amounts of callers, a new “last name” filing system is being implemented, effective Monday, March 30th for claims taken by phone.

Based on the first letter of your last name, claimants should file on a certain day: A-through-F on Monday, G-through-N on Tuesday, and O-through-Z on Wednesday

And if you missed your assigned day, you can file on Thursday or Friday.

Claimants will need their Social Security number, driver’s license or state ID, and 18 months of work history.

Many variables can affect a worker’s eligibility and an employer’s liability for benefits. Each case is examined on a case-by-case basis.