I AM RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. BUT IF I ENROLL IN A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM THROUGH THE LABOR WORKFORCE COULD I STILL RECEIVE MY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR WOULD I LOSE MY BENEFITS?
Hi,
This, like most questions about unemployment benefits is not a simple yes, or no for instant gratification .. which is often what gets a lot of benefit claimants, into trouble.
At least this is my opinion based on answering lots of questions.
However, I will do my best to relate my experience of putting unemployment appeals together for employers, since that process always began with identifying issue(s) of appeal, not the answers that argue the issue is barking up the benefit repayment tree in error.
Your question relates to the conditional eligibility issues just to collect. Not always of concern to an employer at this point, because they have little to no direct knowledge that would deny benefits, as they always do about the job separation issues of a quit, or discharge for cause.
When someone overcomes that initial hurdle of being found eligible based upon cause for the job separation, they have also been filing for continuing benefits in each week they are unemployed and the questions asked on that continuing claim form (via mail, or online) are for the purpose of recertifying your conditional eligibility for each an every week, up to a typical maximum of 26 weeks during any benefit claim year.
Were you offered suitable work?
Did you accept suitable work?
Did you refuse suitable work?
Did you apply for suitable work?
Were you able and available for suitable work?
Did you start training, or school?
Etc., etc.
The questions vary by state, but all have the same purpose – to detect and flag any claim for investigation into any conditional eligibility when one of your answers jumps out and raises a potential issue.
Able and Available to Accept Suitable Work
A Refusal of Suitable Work
Voluntary Leaving of Suitable Work
Failure to Not Complete the Required Job Search
And by virtue ..
Misrepresentation of a Material Fact to Obtain Benefits.
The last issue is completely avoidable. Just face an issue head on and be prepared to answer some basic questions for the investigation. If it doesn’t go your way, the investigation (adjudication) will result in yet another appealable claim determination.
Starting any Job training, or pursuing a college degree is a really good idea, but it can and does interfere with a person’s A&A to accept suitable work. Especially, when you assume what might make sense to you.
It can cause a refusal of work.
It can keep some from applying and/or logging the required job search for full time work.
But, that job search log can in fact, serve you well as proof that overcomes issues raised because you’re in training.
A drop of information is enough to raise suspicion enough for the UI dept to investigate some, or all of these conditional requirements.
But even these conditional requirements vary somewhat by state if you are in a federal, or state job training program that suspends the requirement to look for work (which I assume, would be documented somewhere in the paperwork prepared by the employment and training office. But the assumption would also prompt me to verify what conditions I might not have to meet.
For those who aren’t looking into some state approved training and for those who are, the Employment and Training Administration gives us The Treatment of Students by state (table 5-17) in the 2014 non-monetary chartbook.
Prevention is the simplest of approaches to avoid a denial of benefits because you did what made sense – Pursued training so you’ll have better opportunities to become re-employed in a high demand .. low supply job market.
Although I don’t know much about individual state approved job training opportunities, I know enough about why benefits can be denied and think it’s good to ask good questions.
For some, this means you need to start asking probing questions, somewhere inside the workforce center about the effects self-initiated training can have on conditional requirements to collect benefits even when you opt to pay your own tuition for job training .. vs. checking into a grant for job training via WIA programs (Workforce Investment Act).
Maybe a question something like this .. Will I still be required to comply with the job search requirements, or accept any suitable offer of work while I am in this job training program?
Can I get that the job search will be suspended .. in writing please .. just in case?
Here’s another chartbook about special programs for the unemployed.