Uh, is there more to this? Register online, not over the phone. They give you money, less if you work. Depending on how much you work, sometimes it's better to save up your week instead of getting the reduced amont. You can claim 26 out of 52 weeks. I think.

Google is (partially) your friend: FAQ On DoL website

I'm more wondering about qualifying and what disqualifies you from collecting. I've heard differing reports. More detail when I get home. I've already read the Labor Dept. stuff.

If your company told you you'll qualify, you ought to, because generally when people don't qualify it's because their comapnies contest it. But that's all I can tell you without more info.

I'm wondering if I get dismissed before the layoff date for lousy performance, do I still qualify? I've heard differing reports.

You submit the claim and then the company can either contest it or not, sort of depends on how on the ball they are. I would apply no matter what and put the burden on them to contest it.

Well, no, probably not. Then you're fired, not laid off. I mean, theoretically, they could not contest it and you could say it wasn't "for cause," but technically, no.

Hang in there, bro. You still get a bottle of champagne for getting fired, just like you did for getting laid off, but it ain't good to mix the two. Only a little longer, then you and the couch can become inseparable oncet again.

I actually have two coworkers who have been fired (not laid off) who still recieved unemployment, and one guy who was laid off told me that the only people who get denied are those fired for egregious offenses.

I have a friend, in NC, who got unemployment after being fired because they didn't give her a specific reason for firing - no concrete offense, they just fired her (and then they looked like idiots when one of her cover designs won a major award a week later, but that's another story.) Anyway, my guess is that if the company fires you AFTER telling you that you're going to be laid off (you do have this lay off notice in writing, yes?) you should file for unemployment anyway, and you would have a very good reason to contest it if denied, because it would look a lot like the company was just trying to avoid paying the unemployment.

FWIW I did the whole entire unemployment thing online; I never had to go to an office or even make a phone call.