20 C.F.R. § 325.3 – Application for unemployment benefits and employment service.

(a) Requirement. An unemployed employee who wishes to claim unemployment benefits shall apply for such benefits by completing the form prescribed by the Board for that purpose. Such form shall also constitute an application for employment service. An application will be required at the beginning of each period of unemployment in a benefit year unless:
1. (1) The employee filed an application for an initial period of unemployment in a benefit year and has a subsequent period of unemployment within the same benefit year; or
2. (2) The employee had filed an application for benefits for a period of unemployment that began in the preceding benefit year and the period of unemployment continued into the next ensuing benefit year.
  In either of these circumstances, the initial application will be treated as an application for days in the subsequent period of unemployment or as an application for days in the next ensuing benefit year, as the case may be.
(b) Purpose of application. An application for unemployment benefits and employment service is a document that serves three purposes. First, it identifies an employee who has become unemployed and wishes to begin receiving unemployment benefits. Second, it assists the Board in determining whether the applicant is a qualified employee and if so, whether any of the information reported on the application affects his or her eligibility for payment of benefits. Third, it assists the Board in placing the employee in any suitable employment that may be available.
(c) Time for filing application. An employee may deliver or mail his or her application to any Board office, but such application must be received at a Board office within 30 calendar days of the first day that the employee intends to claim as a day of unemployment. For example, if an employee becomes unemployed on October 31 and intends to claim unemployment benefits for days starting November 1, the application must reach a Board office no later than November 30. If the application is received December 1, the employee may not be paid unemployment benefits for November 1 as such day would not be considered as a “day of unemployment”. If an employee returns to work and then becomes unemployed again within the same benefit year, he or she is not required to file a new application for benefits and employment service but need only contact the nearest Board office to obtain a claim form and file such form as described in § 325.4.
(d) Extension of time for filing. Notwithstanding paragraph (c) of this section, the Board will consider an application for unemployment benefits as timely filed if:
1. (1) The employee can show that he or she made a reasonable effort to file the form on time but was prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond his or her control; provided, however, that lack of diligence, forgetfulness or lack of knowledge of the time limit for applying shall not be considered to be a circumstance beyond the employee's control; and
2. (2) The employee files an application within one year of the day or days that he or she claims as a day or days of unemployment.