# Apply for unemployment benefits > A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: forks.world community. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv3g9nwe000ljk06qxnvmnk9 > It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data. ## Summary - 11 steps across 1 layer - Persona: You, State unemployment agency, Former employer - Technology / systems: State unemployment website ## Pain points Where this process hurts, worst first: - **File a claim in the state where you worked** (Apply for unemployment benefits; painful): Sites can be slow or confusing, especially right after mass layoffs ## How to read this file - A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps. - **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step. - Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`. ## Apply for unemployment benefits Lanes: - You: person / role (id `you`) - State unemployment agency: person / role (id `agency`) - Former employer: person / role (id `employer`) - State unemployment website: technology / system (id `portal`) Steps, in the order they run: 1. **Lose your job or have your hours cut** [start; You; id `f1`] - then Gather your work history, pay info and reason for leaving 2. **Gather your work history, pay info and reason for leaving** [task; You; id `f2`] - then File a claim in the state where you worked 3. **File a claim in the state where you worked** [task; You; id `f3`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Sites can be slow or confusing, especially right after mass layoffs, using State unemployment website - then Contact your former employer 4. **Contact your former employer** [task; State unemployment agency; id `f4`] - then Confirm or contest why you left 5. **Confirm or contest why you left** [task; Former employer; id `f5`] - then Approve the claim? 6. **Approve the claim?** [decision; State unemployment agency; id `f6`] - if "Yes" go to Certify each week or two and report any job search; if "No" go to Appeal the decision by the deadline 7. **Certify each week or two and report any job search** [task; You; id `f7`], using State unemployment website - then Pay benefits 8. **Pay benefits** [task; State unemployment agency; id `f8`] - then Stop claiming when you start a new job 9. **Stop claiming when you start a new job** [end; You; id `f9`] 10. **Appeal the decision by the deadline** [task; You; id `f10`] - then Hold an appeal hearing 11. **Hold an appeal hearing** [task; State unemployment agency; id `f11`] - if "Approved" go to Certify each week or two and report any job search; if "Denied" go to Stop claiming when you start a new job ```mermaid flowchart LR subgraph l_you["You"] n_f1(["Lose your job or have your hours cut"]) n_f2["Gather your work history, pay info and reason for leaving"] n_f3["File a claim in the state where you worked"] n_f7["Certify each week or two and report any job search"] n_f9(["Stop claiming when you start a new job"]) n_f10["Appeal the decision by the deadline"] end subgraph l_agency["State unemployment agency"] n_f4["Contact your former employer"] n_f6{"Approve the claim?"} n_f8["Pay benefits"] n_f11["Hold an appeal hearing"] end subgraph l_employer["Former employer"] n_f5["Confirm or contest why you left"] end n_f1 --> n_f2 n_f2 --> n_f3 n_f3 --> n_f4 n_f4 --> n_f5 n_f5 --> n_f6 n_f6 -->|"Yes"| n_f7 n_f6 -->|"No"| n_f10 n_f7 --> n_f8 n_f8 --> n_f9 n_f10 --> n_f11 n_f11 -->|"Approved"| n_f7 n_f11 -->|"Denied"| n_f9 ``` ## Full data (JSON) ```json { "title": "Apply for unemployment benefits", "maps": { "m_root": { "id": "m_root", "lanes": [ { "id": "you", "name": "You", "type": "person" }, { "id": "agency", "name": "State unemployment agency", "type": "person" }, { "id": "employer", "name": "Former employer", "type": "person" }, { "id": "portal", "name": "State unemployment website", "type": "system" } ], "steps": [ { "id": "f1", "kind": "start", "lane": "you", "next": [ { "to": "f2" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Lose your job or have your hours cut" }, { "id": "f2", "kind": "task", "lane": "you", "next": [ { "to": "f3" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Gather your work history, pay info and reason for leaving" }, { "id": "f3", "kind": "task", "lane": "you", "next": [ { "to": "f4" } ], "pain": { "note": "Sites can be slow or confusing, especially right after mass layoffs", "level": 2 }, "uses": [ "portal" ], "label": "File a claim in the state where you worked" }, { "id": "f4", "kind": "task", "lane": "agency", "next": [ { "to": "f5" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Contact your former employer" }, { "id": "f5", "kind": "task", "lane": "employer", "next": [ { "to": "f6" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Confirm or contest why you left" }, { "id": "f6", "kind": "decision", "lane": "agency", "next": [ { "to": "f7", "label": "Yes" }, { "to": "f10", "label": "No" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Approve the claim?" }, { "id": "f7", "kind": "task", "lane": "you", "next": [ { "to": "f8" } ], "uses": [ "portal" ], "label": "Certify each week or two and report any job search" }, { "id": "f8", "kind": "task", "lane": "agency", "next": [ { "to": "f9" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Pay benefits" }, { "id": "f9", "kind": "end", "lane": "you", "next": [], "uses": [], "label": "Stop claiming when you start a new job" }, { "id": "f10", "kind": "task", "lane": "you", "next": [ { "to": "f11" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Appeal the decision by the deadline" }, { "id": "f11", "kind": "task", "lane": "agency", "next": [ { "to": "f7", "label": "Approved" }, { "to": "f9", "label": "Denied" } ], "uses": [], "label": "Hold an appeal hearing" } ], "title": "Apply for unemployment benefits", "parent": null } } } ```