by Anonymous
(Arkansas)
I lived in NY for almost 10 years. I worked at T.G.I. Friday’s as a bartender for almost 8. I recently moved back home to Arkansas to finish school and be with family. With the economic situation, tips were much worse and I also got fewer shifts simply because there was no need for as many bartenders, which in turn made it very difficult for me to go to school and work at the same time. I got accepted into a nursing program which starts May 26. I will be a full-time student. Would I be able to collect unemployment benefits?
Hi Anonymous,
Generally not, but of course this varies from state to state (anyone sick of reading this refrain .. sorry, it’s true).
The best place to find out how a state stands on this issue is to go to the nonmonetary chartbook page 30 Table 5/12.
There are exceptions, but very few and work usually has to take precedent over school.
The other exception is if you enroll in state approved training, which you would find out about through the employment office every state has, and is funded by the federal government.
It doesn’t look good for you in either New York, or Arkansas. Arkansas mentions something about a possibility if you are in vocation school for “an in demand vocation”. I don’t think of nursing as a vocation, but rather a profession, yet it is an in demand profession.
New York won’t give it to you because you “quit” and quitting to attend school is considered personal and non-compelling.
Chris