Can I collect unemployment and/or severence if I quit my job?

by Anonymous

(FL,USA)

I have employed in a Retail clothing store as a manger for 5 years. I went on on disability in November due to job related stress. Last year my grandmother and aunt died within 2 weeks of each other. I took a few weeks off at the urging of my employer and when I returned I was asked to travel my district and act as temporary store manager of 3 stores in 2 states all at the same time. From June until October I travelled continuosly doing my district managers job for her. I was promised by her bonuses and raises if I kept all stores running. I worked doubles for weeks on end and travelled to a different city every few weeks, which was never in my job discription.Nothing ever happened with the bonuses as when time to pay out came I was told I had to be in a store for one continuous month and there were no open DM positions. I gave my heart and soul to the company for 5 years and ended up with 2 children failing school, my husband leaving me beacuse my job always came first, physical illness from delayed medical procedures due to travelling and anxiety from my demanding and manipulative boss. After returning from FMLA for 12 weeks last week, the company has been taken over by another company, my payroll was reduced (It went from 230 hours weekly 2 years ago to 175 hours last year, to 140 hours per week and now I get $7,000 to run my store in payroll $$’s for every 5 weeks) in a way that they are only giving my store enough payroll to pay for myself, 1 asst mgr and 2 part timers. This means I would have to work doubles several days a week and I now have to work alone in the store by myself for most of the day. 2 stores have been robbed next to me within the last month. Being salaried I know they can expect me to work 80 hours a week but I can not physically or mentally do this. This was not in my job description and I honestly feel I can no longer be an effective employee. From a financial status, the company would be much better off getting rid of me and hiring someone in at a much lower rate. I have the lowest payroll plan in my district yet me store does the third largest volume out of 12 stores. If I blow payroll, I can get written up and fired. Is there anyway to approach HR and ask for severence and unemployment. I spoke with my doctor and she states if I can’t handle, she would put me back out on disability but I really don’t want to do this to the compnay or myself. I know it would be in everyone’s best interest for me to go. How do I make this happen? Is this something I can propose and discuss intelligently with HR or should I just quit, wait to get fired or go back out on disability?

Hi,

I removed your name and city because I don’t think this is the type of information anyone should attach their name or city to on a web page that can be accessed by anyone at all.

You flip flop. Do you love or hate this job? Because I’m having difficulty with how you got to the point of kids failing, husband leaving and particularly delayed medical procedures? Non of this is the employer’s fault .. and what is different now.

You sound like you are never given the choice to decide for yourself .. what’s right for you.

You’ve delayed medical procedures, allowed your kids to fail, allowed your husband to leave, stressed yourself out to the point of illness .. and all for the job? The same job you now don’t like the option of further disability because you don’t want to “do that to yourself or a company who has now given you such an unworkable payroll budget.

Let me spell out how I feel about quitting a job.

We are free to quit at any given time we so damn please to quit, for any personal reason that compels us to make that decision, but if you will have to depend on UI benefits to get you by .. you are well advised to take the steps that give you an ability to have an argument that is was a quit with good cause .. in your case per Florida statutes or at the very least another way to exit that would allow you to collect.

You should read the statutes, so you know exactly what they say about a worker’s illness or disability being good cause to quit when the illness or the disability is attributable to the work.

I’ll tell you what, if you do go out on disability again .. I would expect the employer to end your employment because you have exhausted FMLA. If that was due to a medically imposed disability leave of work due to job related conditions that cause the stress .. benefits should be yours once you become able and available for work.

Do you think the employer has a plan??

As far as negotiating a severance package .. do yourself a favor and talk to a Florida employment attorney to see what they can do for you.

I feel badly for people I see as having a “victim mentality when it comes to their job, but it’s also a syndrome I have less patience for, Not even in myself, because we only feel trapped which makes us think that what we feel is because of “others”.

I don’t believe we should waste time offering excuses and expect believe solutions to fall into our laps .. because honestly, problems are rarely solved this way.

Define the problem, accept responsibility for your part in the problem and then seek an appropriate solution for what remains .. which you can live with.