by Eric
(Grand Blanc, MI USA)
Well I was working with a lawn fertilizing company and ended up quitting before they laid everyone off for the winter. I quit due to lack of structure and thought the business was poorly ran. I didn’t collect unemployment since i quit. I got hired into a different company over the winter and after 3 weeks of working they let me go. I got another letter back asking me about my job last year that has no connection with the most recent job. Will I still be able to claim from my most recent employer even though I have only worked there for 3 weeks? Why do they want information about my previous job?
Hi Eric,
Well, they want to know about the previous job because it is probably that job that paid the wages which will be funding your unemployment benefits and they need to look at the reason for the separation because you have not purged the disqualification for a voluntary quit without good cause. And quitting because of “lack of structure” more than likely will be viewed as without good cause.
The disqualification after quitting without good cause requires you must return to work and earn 12 times your weekly benefit amount and at that point the former employer is able to be found non-chargeable for any benefits paid computed on the wages they paid you.
Here’s what Michigan says about Voluntary Quits http://www.michigan.gov/uia/0,1607,7-118-26831_27122_27127-78527–,00.html
In effect, what this means to you is unless you can prove your quit was with good cause attributable to the employer .. you’re not going to get any benefits unless you get another job and then have a qualifying separation from that job and you have satisfied the quit disqualification.