Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits After Moving to District of Columbia

Do NOT close your claim with Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)

Your claim belongs to the state where you earned the wages (the liable state). Moving does not transfer it — you keep the same claim, weekly amount, and remaining weeks.

Update your address and keep certifying weekly

Your claim stays with Wisconsin: all claims based on work done in Wisconsin are filed through Wisconsin even if you now live in another state. If you live out of state you may be required to report to the public employment office nearest your home, register for work, and submit proof of registration to DWD (screenshot, confirmation email, or copy of the completed registration). You must also complete at least four work-search actions each week unless DWD waives the requirement. Weekly claims are filed at my.unemployment.wisconsin.gov.

Register for work in your new state if required

Many liable states require interstate claimants to register with the new state's workforce agency and continue work-search logging. Check Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)'s interstate-claim rules.

Worked in more than one state? Ask about a Combined Wage Claim

If you have wages in two or more states in your base period, a Combined Wage Claim can merge them into one (often larger) claim — you choose a paying state you have wages in.