Illinois: Would part time job prevent me from getting maximum unemployment benefit

by Andrew

(IL)

Hello,

I live in Illinois. I have a full time job (about 80K) and also a part time (30 hrs per/week – about 30K, no benefits) job. If I’ll be fired from my full time job will I still be eligible for unemployment? I know that if I would not have that part time job I would get a max amount for unemployment in case of lay off. Would this amount be less because of that part time job? Does it make sense for me to quit a part time job now while I’m still have my full time (just have a strong feeling that they will lay off me very soon)

Thanks in advance!

Andrew

Yes, having the part-time job would have an effect on your weekly benefits amount. How much I don’t know for sure .. but I’m leaning toward it canceling out your benefits.

If someone only made 42510 dollars a year they will get max benefits in Illinois (Illinois’s max benefit amount is anywhere from 385-534 a week (IL has dependent allowances).

Max benefits only pay at a rate of 27768 a year.

I wonder when you would quit and what your reason for quitting would be.

Now since I’m a little unclear about when you would quit the PT job .. let me elaborate on what quitting the PT job after being fired or laid off from the FT job would do .. disqualify you from benefits .. Benefits are decided on the separation from the most recent work.

You can research decisions on the IL unemployment website in the Illinois Unemployment Law Handbook.

Comments for Illinois: Would part time job prevent me from getting maximum unemployment benefit

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Sep 23, 2010
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part time job with unemployment

by: Anonymous

if I make 12.00 an hour working part time
20 hours a week, how will this effect my unemployment benefits?

Well, each week that you report the 240.00 in earnings the state of Illinois will first disregard an amount of those wages equal to up to one half of your weekly benefit before they start reducing dollar for dollar of the remaining as long as your earning do not exceed your WBA.

At least that’s how I read the
formula (table 3-8).

Jan 07, 2010
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correction

by: Andrew

Chris,

Sorry it was a typo – on my part time job I’m earning about 18K (not 30K). So, if it puts in risk my unemployment benefits (or at least a portion of it)I would rather quit it now while I’m still working on my full time. Do I need a good reason for it (to quit a part time)anyway? Do I need to do it ASAP assuming that I might be layed off from my full time in about 2 month?

Thanks,

Andrew

Well Andrew, that’s a good question.

I think I would. But I need to qualify this because all people with a full and a part-time job can’t get max benefits even if both wages are considered.

You are in the fortunate position .. well, possibly fortunate is the wrong word ironic might be better .. you will be able to get max benefits from your full time job separation, but others who earn much less need to consider the fact that if they quit a PT job .. those wage credits might be removed because the quit may disqualify and the wage credits might be removed.

So for some it would be a very bad move.

And just to be thorough, another thing to consider is that a person can still collect a partial benefit amount based on what they would get if totally unemployed .. including the part time wages.

So, lets say a person collects max benefits, but they still earn less than their WBA from the PT job. All states have a defined amount they will disregard before they start reducing your WBA for partial payment.

It would behoove a person to consider that the disregarded amount becomes extra income per week.