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**Court Denies Unemployment Benefits Due to Missing Social Security Number** Zhuying Ou applied for unemployment insurance benefits in Colorado but was denied because she didn't provide a valid Social Security number, which is required by state law. Ou argued that language and literacy barriers prevented her from understanding this requirement, but the state's Industrial Claim Appeals Office still denied her application. Ou appealed this decision to the Colorado Court of Appeals, hoping the court would consider her language difficulties as a valid reason for not meeting the Social Security number requirement. However, the court upheld the original denial, ruling that the law requires a valid Social Security number regardless of language or literacy challenges. **What this means for workers:** This ruling shows that state unemployment benefit requirements are strictly enforced, even when applicants face language barriers. Workers applying for unemployment benefits must ensure they meet all documentation requirements, including providing a valid Social Security number. If you have language or literacy challenges, it's important to seek help from translators, community organizations, or legal aid services when completing unemployment applications to avoid losing benefits due to missing required information.