No one looks forward to researching how to file for unemployment, but the process has become an unfortunate reality to hundreds of thousands of workers in the current economy. Once the post layoff party is over [1], you need to file for unemployment insurance payments (benefits), which provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who meet the requirements of state law. The Department of Labor has a simple guide to help those in need [2]:

• You should contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency [3] as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. In some states, you can now file a claim by telephone or over the Internet.
• When you file a claim, you will be asked for certain information, such as addresses and dates of your former employment. To make sure your claim is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.

For additional tips from the Department of Labor, .

• Generally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked. If you worked in a state other than the one where you now live or if you worked in multiple states, the state UI agency where you now live can provide information about how to file your claim with other states. You may also click on the link above to find contact information for all states.
• It generally takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check. Some States require a one-week waiting period; therefore, the second week claimed is the first week of payment, if you are otherwise eligible.

Source [4]