Building Your Business in Virginia

Essential unemployment insurance resources for employers to prepare for and fulfill their obligations.
REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS

Access Online Employer Self-Service

ACCESS EMPLOYER SELF-SERVICE

Employers play a critical role in the vitality and accuracy of the Commonwealth's unemployment insurance (UI) system; from providing quarterly tax and payroll reports to paying UI tax and responding to UI claims.

BUILDING VIRGINIA’S FUTURE

Grow Your Workforce

The Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, more commonly known as Virginia Works, is dedicated to creating, sustaining, and retaining a highly skilled workforce. 

Virginia Works offers a wide range of tools, resources, and programs to help both employers and job seekers with workforce development.  

VIRGINIA WORKS 

Common FAQs

All About SIDES

The State Information Data Exchanges System (SIDES) is an electronic tool to help employers respond to state unemployment insurance (UI) requests quickly, easily, and accurately. 

More About SIDES

E-RESPONSE

While SIDES is designed for employers and TPAs handling more than 30 UI information requests a week or those operating in multiple states, SIDES E-Response is for employers with a limited number of unemployment insurance information exchanges.

SIDES UPSIDES

SIDES is a free resource that helps to reduce staffing time, paperwork, overpayments, and offers tools for a healthier bottom line. 

SECURITY

SIDES E-Response uses secure communication protocols, and SIDES requires authentication certificates and uses encrypted records and files. 

SIDES VS. ESS

SIDES is used for responding to claim activity. ESS is used for accessing an employer’s business profile, paying UI taxes, and filing quarterly.