PIERRE, S.D. (DRG News) – South Dakotans who have filed for unemployment need to contact the state Department of Labor and Regulation each week in order to receive their benefit checks.

Benefits are not automatically paid out, even though the work search requirement is currently waived.

Unemployment insurance claimants can make the request each week by calling 605-626-3212 after 6pm CDT or by filing online at RAclaims.sd.gov any time.

Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman says the claim week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday at midnight. She says your weekly request for payment will be filed for the previous week and you cannot file for the week until it is over.

To ensure benefits are not denied, be sure to file a weekly request for payment in a timely manner. Claimants have seven days from the end of the week to file for the previous week. All weekly requests for payment are recorded at Central Daylight Time (CDT).

Hultman says if a claimant doesn’t file a request for payment within the one week filing time, they will need to call Customer Service (605-626-2452). To cancel a claim, email your name and last four digits of Social Security number to CancelRA@state.sd.us.

Video tutorials have been created on the weekly request process and on other quick links and options available to a claimant when logged in, such as updating addresses or changing payment methods. Visit https://bit.ly/UIpayment for these videos and more.