RALEIGH, N.C. — Governor Cooper says anyone claiming unemployment benefits in North Carolina will be required to fulfill new work search requirements beginning June 6th under his executive order.
Cooper says under Executive Order 216, issued on Friday, jobless North Carolinians will be required to register with a jobseeker account on NCWorks.gov to show they are actively searching for work in order to receive their unemployment benefits.
βUnemployment benefits have provided a critical lifeline for many North Carolinians living on the edge due to the pandemic. As our state emerges from the pandemic, we want to help people safely return to work as soon as possible. Reinstating the work search guidelines will help connect claimants with employers, resources and tools to help them return to the workforce,β said Governor Cooper.
Cooper says this order will help residents return to work by establishing different reemployment incentives and by helping jobless North Carolinians get connected with their next opportunity.
Officials say the following work search requirements will now apply to everyone currently filing for unemployment benefits:
- Claimants must make contact with at least three different employers each week and keep a record of their work search, as is required by state law. One of the three weekly job contacts can be satisfied by attending an approved reemployment activity offered by a NCWorks Career Center or a partnering agency.
- To continue receiving benefits, all unemployment claimants will be required to register with a jobseeker account on NCWorks.gov, North Carolinaβs online portal for employment and training services. Jobseekers can use NCWorks.gov to search and apply for jobs, access labor market information and find opportunities for workforce training. Over the next several weeks, existing claimants will receive notifications about registering for NCWorks.
North Carolina has given out more than $11.7 billion in unemployment benefits across multiple state and federal programs since the start of the pandemic, according to a news release.
Officials say around 245,000 North Carolinians are currently receiving benefit payments each week.
Click here to read the full order.
