by Anonymous
(IL)
Hello,
I have been receiving unemployment benefits for the past month and I just received an offer of a new job. With this new job it requires a 3 week training section. However, I have only completed the first week and realize the job description and the pay wasn’t what the employer mentioned in the interview therefore, I decided to inform the employer that I will decline the position. My 1st question is will I still collect unemployment considering I haven’t been processed as an employer with this new company? My 2nd question is If I do receive benefits, do I inform unemployment of the week of training I did, considering it is less then what my benefits are; because I read somewhere if you work it can’t exceed over the amount you get for your weekly benefits?
Hi Anonymous,
When someone claims weekly benefits, they must report any wages earned during the week being claimed as well.
If the amount of the wages earned is less than your weekly benefit amount, you should be entitled to a partial unemployment benefit amount.
All states have a specific formula for computing partial payments.
But since continuing to be eligible is also contingent upon the merits of the separation from the most recent work..
Yes, quitting during training can disqualify a person from future benefits, if the quit is found to be without good cause.
Most people don’t realize that behind the scenes, a state is concerned about paying benefits to not only people who think they have some sort of right to quit subsequent work without good cause to continue collecting benefits based of another job.
But a state is also concerned about those who think they can get away with double dipping .. as in not reporting wages and accepting the full amount of WB’s on top of any earnings in employment. Some even move to different states .. thinking that will make it all okay.
So, back to the question .. to be trained for a job, one has already become an employee and since many states require employers to report all new hires for purposes of fraud detection, the state already knows (or will by the beginning of the next quarter) you were hired and cross check with the info you provided on a continuing claim form.
And of course they will also know when you quit .. because the continuing claim form asks if you quit work in the week your filing for benefits
No way around this .. if you want to avoid misrepresentation issues .. honesty is the best policy.
The quit will put future benefits in danger only if you cannot show good cause for quitting the most recent work.
You mention something that might be good cause, however. If you can prove it .. the employer changing the pay, therefore a term and condition of the employment, after you were hired.
However .. quitting due to a “reduction” in pay also begs the question of whether the change in pay .. also made the work unsuitable as far as you are concerned .. labor market statistically, wise.
Work may become unsuitable because of a change made by an employer, but some other things to consider with regard to what makes work suitable for an individual is prior experience, training, education, health risk factors (verified), distance to work, when the increased distance is attributable to the employer, or provisionally allowed to follow a spouse.
I.E., distance to work MAY be good cause to quit, if the employer moves their operation .. vs. not good cause if you willingly buy a house fifty miles away and hate the commute.
Chris