Quick answer. NJDOL says you must actively search for work each week you claim, may be asked for your contacts at any time, and can use phone, internet, in-person contacts and resumes. Its Work Search Log (BC-514) says three different employer contacts a week, Sunday to Saturday, is considered reasonable. The current web page gives no number, so confirm yours with the Division of Unemployment Insurance and log every contact the day you make it.
What NJDOL says
The work search page on myunemployment.nj.gov is short and firm: "You must actively search for work as an ongoing condition of eligibility for Unemployment Insurance benefits." For each week of benefits you claim, you must make an active search and do all that is reasonable to get re-employed. You may be asked to provide your work search contacts with prospective employers at any time during your claim. Telephone, internet and in-person contacts, as well as sending resumes, are all acceptable methods.
The page doesn't give a weekly number. NJDOL's forms do, and they don't agree exactly:
- The Work Search Log, Form BC-514 (revision R-2-14) says a minimum of three different employer contacts each week is considered a reasonable search, and that an unemployment week runs Sunday through Saturday.
- The Work Search Record template says to list all the employers and labor unions you contact each week, to contact different employers each week, and that the Division may ask for proof at any time.
Because the current page and the older forms differ, confirm the requirement for your claim with the Division of Unemployment Insurance, and write down who told you and when. Nothing here decides whether your search meets the requirement; that's NJDOL's call.
What to record for each contact
Use the BC-514 columns, so your record already looks like the form NJDOL uses:
| Column | Example of what goes in it |
|---|---|
| Date of contact | The day you applied, called or walked in |
| Employer's name, address and phone or internet address | The company and the careers page or office address |
| Method of contact | In person, phone, internet or resume |
| Person or website contacted | The hiring manager's name or the job site |
| Position applied for | The job title in the posting |
| Was an application taken? | Yes, no or pending |
| Result of contact | Interview set, no opening, no reply yet |
The Work Search Record adds one practical step: if you applied online, print a copy of the contact and the response. A folder per week with confirmation emails and screenshots does the same job.
Count this week's different employers
Pick any day in the week and list the employers you contacted, one per line. The counter finds the Sunday-to-Saturday week and counts each employer once.
Pick a day and list the employers.
Keep the record so you can show it
Because NJDOL may ask for your contacts at any point in the claim, keep each week's record together with the proof behind it: confirmation emails, screenshots of online applications, the name of the person you spoke to at a job fair. Note the date you certified for that week next to it. A record kept on the day is far easier to stand behind than one rebuilt weeks later, and it also shows you, week by week, which kinds of contacts lead anywhere.
Beyond the log: run the search like a project
The weekly log is what NJDOL may ask for. A tracker of every application, with its status and the next step date, is what gets you hired: it shows who to follow up with, which kinds of postings get replies, and how many applications it takes to get an interview. Before each interview, write one real example for each of the posting's main requirements and three questions of your own. Afterward, send a thank-you note and update the status the same day.
State job help: One-Stop Career Centers
NJDOL says its One-Stop Career Centers "offer the most services and provide the most direction for jobseekers." There are 25 locations across 21 counties. Services listed include job search help, training and education help, career navigation counseling, Jersey Job Club workshops, interviewing and resume help, ESL and high school equivalency preparation, resource rooms with computers and phones, and services for veterans, mature workers, youth and others. Jobseekers can walk in for career support; in-person counseling appointments are optional. Unemployment claimants get in-person help by appointment only. The page also links JobSource NJ for job listings and a job fairs page. Ask your center about costs for any training.
Health coverage while you search
Get Covered New Jersey open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027 (DOBI); enroll by December 31 for coverage starting January 1. Outside open enrollment, you generally need a qualifying life event. Our Laid off in New Jersey page covers COBRA, NJ continuation and losing job-based coverage, and the 2027 marketplace premium tax credit estimator gives a rough idea of help with premiums.
Budget by the week
Benefits are paid weekly, so budget weekly: your weekly benefit amount from your NJDOL determination plus any other income, against must-pay bills turned into weekly amounts (monthly times 12, divided by 52) and the costs of searching itself, such as travel to interviews, printing and course fees. The gap, divided into your savings, tells you how many weeks you can cover. If you were just laid off, the Laid Off in New Jersey Kit covers the first two weeks, final pay and health coverage deadlines, and the Job Loss Money Reset Bundle adds a household budget and a debt payoff planner.
Sources
- NJDOL: Work search requirements
- NJDOL: Work Search Log, Form BC-514
- NJDOL: Work Search Record template
- NJDOL: One-Stop Career Centers
- Get Covered New Jersey
- NJ Department of Banking and Insurance: 2027 open enrollment release (Oct. 28, 2026)
General information checked November 2026 against the official sources above. An organizer and calculator only, not legal or benefits advice; it doesn't decide what applies to you. The check on this page runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent or saved.
Common questions
How many job contacts does New Jersey require each week?
NJDOL's work search page says you must actively search for work each week you claim benefits but doesn't give a number. Its Work Search Log (Form BC-514) says three different employer contacts a week is considered a reasonable search. Confirm the requirement for your claim with the Division of Unemployment Insurance.
What should I write down for each contact?
The BC-514 log asks for the date, the employer's name, address and phone or web address, the method of contact, the person or website contacted, the position, whether an application was taken, and the result. The Work Search Record template adds: if you applied online, print the contact and the response.
Do I send my work search log to NJDOL every week?
NJDOL's pages say you may be asked to provide your work search contacts at any time while claiming. Keep the record every week so it's ready when asked.
What week does the log use?
NJDOL's Work Search Log says an unemployment week runs from Sunday through Saturday.
Where can I get help with my resume or interviews in New Jersey?
NJDOL's One-Stop Career Centers list job search help, resume and interview help, Jersey Job Club workshops, training and education help and computer resource rooms, at 25 locations in 21 counties. Jobseekers can walk in for career support; claimants get in-person unemployment help by appointment.
When can I sign up for health coverage after losing my job?
Get Covered New Jersey open enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027; enroll by December 31 for coverage from January 1. Outside open enrollment you generally need a qualifying life event.