Resources for Vermont's Former Federal Employees, Contractors, and Other Workers

When you separated from your federal employment, you may have been given one of two forms from the agency you worked for:

• Standard Form-8 (SF-8), Notice to Federal Employee About Unemployment Insurance form; and

• Standard Form-50 (SF-50), Notification of Personnel Action form

If you received either form, you should have them available to provide the Unemployment Insurance Division information about your federal employment. You will also need your W-2 and recent pay stubs when applying for unemployment insurance benefits.

Please note: If you have not yet received separation paperwork, you can still apply for unemployment insurance benefits.

If you lost your job due to no fault of your own prior to the end of agreed upon temporary period of work, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Your claim will go through a fact-finding process, also known as adjudications, during which the Unemployment Insurance Division will review your reason for separation, along with other eligibility requirements, and make a determination accordingly.

If you lost your job due to no fault of your own and you were within your probationary period, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. Your claim will go through a fact-finding process, also known as adjudications, during which the Unemployment Insurance Division will review your reason for separation, along with other eligibility requirements, and make a determination accordingly.

Federal employees were recently given the option to resign with pay until September 30, 2025. If you accepted this offer, you are still employed until the end of this period. After that, you may file for benefits and your eligibility will be reviewed. Because you accepted the deferred resignation, your separation is considered a voluntary quit.

If you lost your job because you would not or could not meet the return to office requirement, you can file for benefits and a fact-finding process will need to take place in order to determine your eligibility for benefits. You may be eligible if you were hired to be a full-time remote employee and were later issued a requirement to report to the office.

While on administrative leave, you are still considered employed. If you are getting paid or if you will get back pay for your leave, you may not be eligible for benefits. If you later lose your job due to no fault of your own, you may be eligible.

The adjudications process can take several weeks. During this time, it is imperative to continue filing your weekly claims for unemployment benefits if you remain unemployed. Otherwise, claims for weekly benefits may be denied if filed untimely.

• The Unemployment Insurance Division will send a request for wage and separation information directly to the Federal Government. The Federal Government is provided a specific timeframe in which to respond to the request.

• Upon receipt of federal wage information, you will receive a revised monetary determination indicating what your potential monetary eligibility is with all federal and non-federal wages.

In a separate mailing, you will receive a Form ES-935, which is a "Claimant's State of Federal Civilian Services, Wages and Reason for Separation - Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees". This form is provided for you to estimate your federal wages and for you to provide the reason(s) why you separated from federal employment.

• Some portions of the form ES-935 will already be completed. Be sure to complete items 8b, 8c, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 10 and 11 on the form prior to returning it. When estimating your federal wages, please try to provide as accurate information as possible.

• You must sign and date the form and return it as soon as possible.

• You are welcome to provide supporting documentation along with the ES-935 form, but the form must be completed in its entirety before it is returned to the Unemployment Insurance Division.

Please see an example of the ES-935 with additional information and instructions on how to complete the form in the 'Relevant Forms' section above. You can also use the blank ES-935 form provided above in the case that you do not receive one in the mail.

Please note: Your estimated wages on the ES-935 will only be used if the Federal Government does not provide wage information within the requested timeframe.