How to apply for unemployment benefit

From 4th March this year, the application for ordinary unemployment benefit can be submitted online, by logging on to the website of INPS.In order to be able to submit the application online, one must first of all apply for a PIN from the website of INPS.Once on the website of INPS, one can click on “richiesta Pin online” (online application for PIN), and type in the required data. It will be immediately possible to view the first part of the PIN (8 characters). The second part, which is indispensable for completing the code for accessing online services on the website of INPS, will be sent by mail to the applicant’s home address. This will only be done after an officer from INPS calla the applicant to verify the authenticity of the application.

INPS has announced that for now, only applications for ordinary unemployment benefit for non agricultural workers who meet the set requirements can be submitted online. The same possibility will be extended to all other categories of workers in the coming weeks.

After requesting for the PIN, one can log on to the website of INPS, go to the section “Servizio al cittadino” (Service to the citizen), then click on “Indennità di disoccupazione” (Unemployment benefit). A window will open with the worker’s personal data. If the information is incomplete, the worker can type in the missing information. It is possible to view the social security contributions made in the last four years. In any case the contributions in the last two years (biennio mobile) are the ones taken into consideration when determining the amount to given as unemployment benefit.For the “biennio mobile”, INPS refers to the last two years from the date of unemployment. In order to qualify for unemployment benefit, one must have made social security contributions for 52 weeks in the last two years.

The system will first verify all the inserted data then calculate the amount to be given as unemployment benefit. In case it is not possible to determine the applicant’s pay for the last trimester, for instance if the data is missing from the database, the application for unemployment benefit will be withheld and forwarded to an officer of INPS to process it manually.The applicant will then be asked to provide necessary information for filling in the application for unemployment benefit.

If the post code (CAP) indicated by the applicant corresponds to several branches of INPS, the applicant can be asked to choose one of the branches. It is obligatory to provide either the applicant’s phone number or an email address.Information about education and the last job and position are required so that upon request, they may be forwarded to the employment centres and other authorized job placement agencies.

Some of the information required include: declaration of the right to family allowance, declaration of the right to tax deductions, declaration that one was fired after the grace period or in any case due to sickness.The money can be either directly deposited into the applicant’s account or sent through money transfer to the post office in one’s area of residence which can be determined from the post office code indicated in the application form.

At the end of the application, the worker must declare his availability to do any type of job and sign allowing INPS to handle his personal data.At this stage the application is complete, and one can preview it and possibly change some information if necessary.

Having submitted the application, one can print a copy of it. INPS will issue a receipt showing they have received the application.