How to File for Unemployment in Louisiana

Louisiana runs its unemployment program through the Louisiana Workforce Commission's HiRE system, and claimants are pushed toward filing online rather than by phone — the state also requires five logged job-search activities every week, more than most neighboring states ask for.

Updated July 2026

1. 1

   Gather your paperwork

   Have your Social Security number ready, along with your DD-214 Member 4 if you served in the military in the past 18 months and SF-8/SF-50 forms if you worked for the federal government — though LWC says not to delay filing just because you can't find the federal forms.

2. 2

   File your initial claim in HiRE

   Go to louisianaworks.net/HIRE (Helping Individuals Reach Employment) and start your claim; if you can't get online, call the UI Call Center at 1-866-783-5567 instead.

3. 3

   Sit out your waiting week

   Louisiana doesn't pay for the first eligible week on your claim — it's a mandatory unpaid week before benefits start.

4. 4

   Verify your identity

   LWC won't release any payment until you've completed identity verification, so don't skip those prompts when they appear in HiRE.

5. 5

   Certify every week

   Starting the Sunday after you apply, log back into HiRE (or call the automated line) each week to request payment, report any hours or wages earned, and record at least five work search activities.

6. 6

   Respond fast to document requests

   If LWC asks for a separation letter, pay stub, or other proof, upload it through HiRE right away — slow responses are the most common cause of held-up payments.

Verified against the official Louisiana unemployment agency site. View source