State Unemployment Benefits in West Virginia

State Unemployment Benefits in West Virginia: key facts

Administering agency

WorkForce West Virginia (Department of Commerce).

Claimant portal

workforcewv.org (file a claim, manage a claim).

Phone

1-800-252-5627 (1-800-252-JOBS); WV Relay 711.

After a death

Report the death so payments stop; payments issued for weeks after the date of death must be returned.

Reporting a death

Call WorkForce West Virginia at 1-800-252-5627 (1-800-252-JOBS) to report the claimant's death. No online death-reporting form is published; phone is the documented channel.

Documentation for final payment

A death certificate. Letters Testamentary or letters of administration are not required — W. Va. Code §21A-6-14 expressly permits payment "without letters of administration."

Who may claim

The surviving spouse, children, or parents of the deceased, in that order of priority. The commissioner has discretion to pay accrued, unpaid benefits from claims filed before death (W. Va. Code §21A-6-14).

Frequently asked questions