Workers in Puerto Rico who lose their jobs for reasons beyond their control can apply for unemployment insurance through the Labor and Human Resources Department’s (DTRH) Desempleo Digital portal. Employers fund the benefit through a mandatory contribution, so workers pay nothing into the fund and can collect even if their former employer has closed or has financial problems.
To qualify, a person must have worked for an employer with one or more employees and earned wages in at least two quarters of their base period, defined as the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before filing. Applicants must also be able and available to work and actively seeking employment. People who quit a suitable job without just cause, are dismissed for work-related misconduct, or reject or stop looking for suitable work do not qualify; in a resignation the worker must show a justified reason, while in a dismissal the employer must prove the decision was justified.
Applications are filed online at desempleo.trabajo.pr.gov from a phone or computer. DTRH also offers an automated voice system, Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, to open or reopen a claim, and its general phone number is 787-754-5353. Before starting, applicants should have on hand their Social Security number, a valid photo ID, the last employer’s name and address, employment dates, last day worked and reason for separation, plus pay stubs and bank account information for direct deposit.
A completed claim is valid for 52 weeks from its effective date, and a worker can collect a maximum of 26 weeks. The weekly benefit ranges from $60 to $240 depending on wages earned during the base period. To keep receiving payments, beneficiaries must certify their weeks through Desempleo Digital or the voice system, confirming they remain unemployed, available to work and job-hunting.
Any part-time work while collecting must be reported to DTRH. Because the effective date usually counts from the week the claim is filed rather than the day of dismissal, applying as soon as a job is lost is recommended.