Information for Employers About Updates to Unemployment Eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Recipients

New SSDI Required Workplace Poster. Posting is required from Oct. 14, 2025 until Jan. 12, 2026.

Due to a recent federal court order, some individuals who were ineligible for Wisconsin unemployment benefits because they received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits may now be eligible for past unemployment benefits.

Required Workplace Poster

A recent federal court order outlines a new additional required poster: SSDI Notice Poster (Publication UCB-20040-P), available on Oct. 14, 2025.

Go to dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/publications/ui/ssdi.htm to print the new additional required poster. Display the poster where workers will easily see it or share directly with each person. Posting is required from Oct. 14, 2025 until Jan 12, 2026.

Potentially Eligible Claimants

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is mailing a notice to potentially eligible claimants at the address they last provided to DWD.

Individuals may be affected by this court order if they met all other eligibility requirements AND:

1. they received SSDI benefits; AND

2. if, on or after September 8, 2015, through July 29, 2025, they:

filed an initial claim for unemployment benefits in Wisconsin but were denied because they received SSDI benefits,
OR
had to repay unemployment benefits in Wisconsin because they received SSDI benefits.

DWD may contact you for information about a claimant while we look into eligibility requirements.

Employer Charging for Eligible Claimants

Employer charging for claims under this court order will align with typical charging procedures. Accordingly, an employer's experience rating could be impacted by these claims beginning in 2027.

DWD anticipates the majority of eligible claims will be paid for the period during COVID-19 pandemic. Like other benefits paid at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, these past benefits will be charged in line with special COVID-19 charging rules.

Find more information on UI Financing/Tax Rate.

Important Dates

September 8, 2015	Beginning date of claims affected by court order
February 2, 2020	Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program began
September 4, 2021	Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program ended
July 20, 2025	Eligible individuals were able to receive both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Wisconsin UI benefits
July 29, 2025	End date of claims affected by court order
October 14, 2025	DWD will start mailing notices to potentially eligible claimants
October 8-20, 2025	DWD will mail 2025 Employer Newsletter and Tax Rate Notices
January 22, 2026	Final date to call DWD under the court order
October 2026	DWD will mail 2026 Employer Newsletter and Tax Rate Notices
October 2027	DWD will mail 2027 Employer Newsletter and Tax Rate Notices. Employer tax rates may be affected by SSDI claims at this time

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Under federal law, individuals could not receive both regular unemployment benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. Based upon the court order, if someone received PUA benefits, they will not be paid regular unemployment benefits for the same weeks, unless they were overpaid PUA benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How many people will be paid?

As a result of the court order, DWD expects to mail over 13,000 notices to individuals who may potentially be eligible. Notices will be mailed to the address they last provided to DWD.

DWD is not able to estimate how many people will receive payments as a result of the court's decision. Each claim is unique. The court order imposes a 90-day deadline for individuals to contact us after they have received their notice by mail. By contacting us, the process will start in which we will investigate their claim and confirm eligibility. If they meet all other eligibility requirements, payment will be issued.

What do I do if I no longer have records for a claimant?

You can view benefit charges and adjustment history for the last three years on UI Employer Online Services. For anything earlier, call (608) 266-9989.

How can I respond to these information requests?

You may receive a form in the mail or call from the department for any claims under this court order.

If receiving a form, it will outline the ways you can respond. You can respond to the following forms electronically through your UI Employer Online Services:

Separation Notice (Form UCB-16);
Determination (Form UCB-20);
Computation of Unemployment Insurance Benefits (Form UCB-701); or
Wage Audit Forms (UCF-350-4, UCF-17275, and UCF-17275-3)