What you need to do each week to stay on Arizona unemployment
Every week you receive unemployment benefits in Arizona, you must file a weekly claim — a short form that tells the Department of Economic Security (DES) whether you worked, earned money, or had any other changes to report. If you do not file your weekly claim by the important date, your payment stops that week, even if you are otherwise may have access to to benefits.
Arizona requires you to file by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of the week you are claiming. The week runs Monday through Sunday. You can file online through the DES website, by phone, or by mail, but online is fastest and most reliable. Filing takes about five minutes if you have the right information ready.
If you miss the Sunday important date, you can still file a late claim up to two weeks after the week ends, but your payment will be delayed. After two weeks, DES will not accept a late claim for that week, and you lose the benefit money for that period.
Key Takeaways
- You must file your weekly claim every Sunday by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time, or your payment for that week stops.
- File online at azui.com using your username and password, or call 1-877-600-2722 to file by phone.
- Have ready the dates you worked, hours worked, and any money you earned that week, plus the names and dates of any job interviews or applications.
- If you worked any hours or earned any money, you must report it — DES cross-checks with employers and wage records, and unreported work can result in overpayment and fraud penalties.
- Late claims filed after two weeks from the end of the week are rejected, and you forfeit the benefit money for that week.
Filing your weekly claim online through azui.com
The online portal at azui.com is the fastest way to file. Log in with your username and password. If you do not have an account, you will need to create one before you can file a claim. Once logged in, select "File Weekly Claim" or "Weekly Certification" — the exact wording changes, but the button is usually on the main dashboard.
You will be asked a series of yes-or-no questions about the week you are claiming. Answer honestly and completely. The questions cover: Did you work any hours? Did you earn any money? Did you refuse any job offers? Did you have any contact with a potential employer? Did you attend any job interviews, training, or job search activities? Did anything change about your situation — address, phone number, availability to work?
If you answer "yes" to any question, you will be asked for details: dates, hours, employer name, amount earned, reason for refusal, or description of the activity. Enter these details exactly as they happened. DES receives wage reports directly from employers, so if you underreport or omit earnings, the mismatch will be caught later, and you will owe the money back plus potential penalties.
After you submit, you will see a confirmation number on screen. Write it down or take a screenshot. You should also receive a confirmation email. If you do not see either, the claim did not go through — try filing again or call 1-877-600-2722.
Filing by phone if you cannot use the website
Call 1-877-600-2722 to file your weekly claim by phone. This line is available seven days a week. Wait times are often long, especially early in the week, so call on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday if possible. Have your Social Security number and claim number ready.
A representative will ask you the same questions as the online form: work hours, earnings, job search activities, and any changes to your situation. Answer each question clearly. The representative will read back your answers before submitting, so listen carefully and correct any mistakes before they confirm.
At the end of the call, you will be given a confirmation number. Write it down when ready. If the line disconnects before you get a number, your claim may not have been filed — call back to confirm or file online instead.
What to report and what not to report
Report all work and earnings, no matter how small. This includes part-time work, gig work, self-employment income, cash payments, and bonuses. If you worked even one hour, report it. Arizona reduces your weekly benefit by a portion of what you earned, but you may still receive a partial payment. If you hide earnings and DES finds out, you will have to repay the full benefit you received that week plus a 15% penalty, and you may be referred for fraud investigation.
Report job search activities if DES requires it as a condition of your claim. This means interviews, applications, training sessions, or meetings with a job counselor. Write down the date, the employer or organization name, and what happened. If you did not do any job search activities that week and DES requires them, answer "no" — do not make up activities.
Do not report activities that are not job-related: doctor appointments, personal errands, or time spent on hobbies. Do not report that you looked at job postings online unless you actually applied or contacted an employer. Do not round your hours or earnings — report the exact numbers.
Common reasons your weekly claim gets delayed or denied
If you file late — after Sunday 11:59 p.m. but within two weeks — your claim will be accepted but your payment will be delayed by several days. If you file more than two weeks late, DES will reject the claim entirely, and you will not receive payment for that week. There is no exception for technical problems, illness, or forgetting the important date, so set a phone reminder for Saturday evening.
If you report earnings but the amount does not match what DES receives from your employer's wage report, your claim will be flagged for review. DES will contact you to clarify. If the discrepancy is large or happens repeatedly, DES may investigate for fraud. Always report what you actually earned, even if you think the employer might not report it.
If you answer "yes" to a question but do not provide enough detail, DES may hold your claim pending more information. For example, if you say you worked but do not give hours or earnings, DES will send you a message asking you to clarify. Respond within the timeframe they give — usually five to seven days — or your claim will be denied for that week.
What happens after you file
After you file your weekly claim, DES processes it within one to three business days. If everything matches your records and there are no flags, your payment will be deposited to your bank account or debit card by the following Wednesday or Thursday. You can check the status of your claim anytime by logging into azui.com and viewing your claim history.
If DES needs more information, you will receive a message in your azui.com account or an email asking you to respond. Read the message carefully and provide exactly what is asked. Do not ignore these messages — if you do not respond by the important date, your claim will be denied and your payment will stop.
If your claim is denied, you will receive a notice in the mail explaining why. You have the right to appeal within 15 days of the notice date. The appeal process is separate from filing your weekly claim, and you should continue filing weekly claims even while an appeal is pending.
If you cannot file by the Sunday important date
If you know you will not be able to file by Sunday 11:59 p.m., file early instead — you can file your weekly claim as early as Monday morning for the week that just started. There is no penalty for filing early, and it removes the risk of missing the important date.
If you miss the Sunday important date but realize it within a few days, file your late claim when ready through azui.com or by phone. Late claims are accepted up to two weeks after the week ends. Your payment will be delayed, but you will still receive it if the claim is otherwise valid. After two weeks, the claim window closes and you cannot recover that week's payment.
If you are hospitalized, incarcerated, or have a documented emergency that prevented you from filing, contact DES directly at 1-877-600-2722 to explain. DES has discretion to accept claims beyond the two-week window in rare cases, but you must contact them — they will not know about your situation otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is the Sunday 11:59 p.m. important date in?
Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so the important date is always 11:59 p.m. Arizona Mountain Time. If you live in a state that observes daylight saving time, check what that means for your local time before filing. During daylight saving time, Arizona is one hour behind Pacific Time and two hours behind Eastern Time.
Can I file my weekly claim for multiple weeks at once?
No. You must file a separate claim for each week you are claiming benefits. You cannot file ahead for future weeks. File only for the week that just ended, by Sunday 11:59 p.m. If you miss a week, you can file a late claim for that specific week up to two weeks after it ends.
What if I worked for cash and the employer will not report it to DES?
You must still report it on your weekly claim. DES cross-checks unemployment claims against wage records from employers, but they also investigate based on tips and patterns. If you underreport and DES finds out later, you will owe back the overpayment plus a 15% penalty and may face fraud charges. Report what you earned, regardless of whether you think the employer will report it.
Do I have to file a weekly claim if I did not work that week?
Yes. You must file every week you are claiming benefits, even if you did not work, did not earn money, and had no job search activities. Filing confirms you are still unemployed and still want to receive benefits. If you do not file, your payment stops for that week.
What if the website is down on Sunday and I cannot file online?
Call 1-877-600-2722 to file by phone instead. The phone line is available seven days a week. If both the website and phone line are unavailable due to a system outage, contact DES the next business day to report the problem and ask about filing a late claim. DES may extend the important date if there is a documented outage, but you must report it — they will not know otherwise.