Can I Continue The Health Insurance I Had While Employed
If you had health insurance through your job, you are probably able to continue that coverage under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA or Cal-COBRA . Under COBRA and Cal-COBRA, if you lost your job or if your hours were reduced you likely can buy that same group health coverage for yourself and your family for a limited period of time if you pay your employers cost of providing the benefits. If you are entitled to COBRA or Cal-COBRA coverage, your employer must notify the health plan administrator, which will then notify you of your eligibility and provide instructions for signing up for continued coverage. Please see our Fact Sheet titled Health Insurance after Employment: COBRA, for more information on whether you and your family members, dependants, spouses, or domestic partners are covered under COBRA or Cal-COBRA.
For more information you can also call the Employee Benefits Security Administration : 866-444-3272.
The Most Frequently Disputed Issue: Reasons For Separation
On the surface, Massachusetts unemployment compensation claims are relatively straightforward. If a worker was let go through no fault of their own and they are currently looking for a new job, then they are entitled to unemployment benefits. However, in reality, these cases can become incredibly complex. Major disputes can arise over the âreasons for separation.â
Under Massachusetts law, the first issue that needs to be addresses is whether you quit or were fired. If you were fired, you will be eligible for unemployment benefits unless you were fired for willful misconduct. On the other hand, if you quit, you can still obtain benefits if you quit for sufficient cause attributable to your employer. For example, if a person is sexually harassed at work, complains through the proper channels, but the harassment continues, he or she will likely be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work
To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you’re offered a suitable position, you must accept it.
Whether a position is suitable depends on how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position. The longer you are unemployed, the more likely you will have to consider jobs that pay less, are in a different field or occupation, or require a longer commute.
Under Arizona’s normal rules, you must engage in a good faith search for work, including registering with the Arizona Job Connection and making at least one job contact per day for four days out of each week. You must keep records of your job search efforts, which you may have to submit with your weekly claim for benefits.
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Can You Collect Unemployment If You Are Fired In Nebraska
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People Also Asked, What can disqualify you from unemployment benefits?
Here are 11 situations that might disqualify you from collecting benefits or reduce the amount you receive.
- You didnt work enough or earn enough to qualify.
- It was your fault you lost your job.
- You quit.
- Youre still getting paid.
- You receive Social Security benefits.
- You werent officially an employee.
Also know, How much will i get from unemployment? For most people, the basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount. As of January 1, 2020, the maximum yearly insurable earnings amount is $54,200. This means that you can receive a maximum amount of $573 per week.
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Heres How Unemployment Benefits Work
First of all, how exactly does unemployment work? Well, it varies by state, but generally youll only be able to claim unemployment benefits if you have been working and then lost your job.
After you lose your job, you can call your states unemployment office or go the their website to find out how to apply. You may then be contacted by a person from the agency to make sure that you qualify.
Youll need to regularly file an unemployment claim and prove youre still looking for work to continue receiving the benefits. Whether you find work or not, those benefits will run out in a matter of months. The standard length that unemployment benefits will last is 26 weeks, though some states have cut down that time, and states as well as the federal government can extend the time period during economic downturn.
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Eligibility Requirements For Arizona Unemployment Benefits
The Arizona Department of Economic Security handles unemployment compensation and decides whether claimants are eligible for benefits. Under the state’s normal eligibility rules, you must meet the following three requirements to collect unemployment benefits:
- You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, as defined by Arizona law.
- You must have earned at least a minimum amount in wages during a certain period of time before you were unemployed.
- You must be able and available to work, and you must be actively seeking employment.
Indiana Unemployment Benefits And Eligibility
COVID-19 UPDATE:Because the coronavirus pandemic has left so many Americans jobless, the federal government has given states more flexibility in granting unemployment benefits. If you have questions about whether youre eligible for unemployment benefits read our COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits and Insurance FAQ and check out Indiana’s claimant handbook.
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What Reasons Can You Quit A Job And Still Get Unemployment Benefits
You must be momentarily out of work to become eligible for unemployment benefits, the insurance money given to unemployed persons from the state government.
If you have left your job due to economic reasons like employer cut costs, shut down a factory or production line, you will meet the criteria of unemployment benefits. A person who is fired from his job without any severe misconduct will also be eligible.
If you are thinking, what about an employee who quit their job voluntarily? Well, they are eligible only if they left their position for a good cause. Their eligibility depends on why they left and the state they live in. States administrate unemployment programs, so different states have different laws regarding defining the worthy cause.
You can decide if you are eligible for unemployment benefits based on the reasons for your job loss. Keep reading this article to get more details about the fact that it can help to get unemployment benefits.
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Do You Meet The Minimum Earnings Requirement
Like every state, Arizona looks at your recent work history and earnings during a one-year “base period” to determine your eligibility for unemployment. The base period is the first four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed your benefits claim. For example, if you file your claim in May 2020, the base period would be from January 1 through December 31, 2019.
To qualify for benefits in Arizona, you must meet either of the following criteria:
- You must have earned at least 390 times the Arizona minimum wage during the highest paid quarter of the base period , plus at least half that amount in the other three quarters of the base period combined.
- You must have earned at least $7,000 in two combined quarters of the base period, with at least $5,987.50 earned in one quarter.
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What If You Quit Or Were Fired
Workers who leave their jobs for personal reasons or who are fired may not be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. If these circumstances apply to your application, we will need more information from you before we make a decision.
If you quit voluntarily
If you quit your job without “good cause connected with the work” you may not be eligible to receive benefits. “Good cause connected with the work” means that your reason for leaving must be directly related to your job, and be so compelling that you had no choice but to leave the job. While in most cases you cannot voluntarily quit a job and collect unemployment insurance benefits, where you can show unsafe, unhealthful, or dangerous working conditions, that were so intolerable that you had no choice but to leave the employment, you could be eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits. The burden of proof is on you, the employee, to prove that you quit for good cause.;
If you leave your job for personal reasons for example, to move out of the area your reason for quitting is not;connected with the work. If you quit your job for better pay or more hours, you may be eligible for benefits under certain circumstances.
In both cases, a claims examiner will contact you by phone or email for a fact-finding interview to decide if you are entitled to benefits based on Unemployment Insurance law and policies.
If you were fired or discharged
There are;two types of misconduct: misconduct and gross misconduct.
Required Information And Documentation
- Personal information: full name, address, phone number, email, etc.
- Family information: dependents, names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, etc.
- Social Security Number, proof of citizenship, or legal authorization to work in the US.
- Your last employerâs information: name of the company, address, phone number, boss or supervisorâs name, email, etc.
- First and last date of work.
- Your last salary.
- Some states might ask about other previous employers or jobs.
- Your skills and abilities.
- Special health conditions .
â¡ READ ALSO: If you give two weeksâ notice does your employer have to pay you?
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Q: What Is Unemployment Compensation
A: Unemployment compensation is a government benefits program that protects workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own from imminent financial hardships. People who qualify to receive unemployment compensation get a weekly check and help finding a new job. Most people receiving unemployment compensation receive about ½ of what they earned at their job. However, you may receive more money if you have a dependant spouse or child. Unemployment compensation usually can last for up to 26 weeks. However, your unemployment compensation benefits can end after 16 weeks, or you can be denied benefits altogether, if you didnt work enough in the previous year.
When To Take Your Case To A Lawyer
With so many attorneys offering a free phone call consultation, it is a good idea to run your situation past a professional to get their initial opinion and information about the costs of pursuing a claim. If you hire counsel, they will be able to advise you on accepting the denial, doing an appeal, or taking things to court.
You can always seek a second legal opinion as well. If you feel your job loss and unemployment denial were wrong, then you should start gathering knowledge on what you can do about it.
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Were You Fired For Misconduct
Losing your job due to layoffs is a common instance under which people will apply for unemployment, but its not the only one.
Each states laws are different, advised employment lawyer Bryan Wood, but generally speaking, unemployment compensation is more like an insurance benefit for anyone who has worked in the past and wants to work, but cant keep the job they have or find a new one. In most states, unemployment benefits are available after any job loss not due to employees own misconduct, not just failing to meet performance standards.
But what exactly does misconduct mean, here?
Misconduct is a legal term that means something worse than simply performing badly, explained Dan Kalish, Managing Partner of HKM Employment Attorneys. Think theft, total dereliction of your duties, failing to come to work, those types of things are generally considered misconduct, whereas if you get terminated for simply not working out, or not getting along with others, or not doing a good job, this is not generally considered misconduct and you should still get benefits.
So, for the most part, as long as you didnt get fired due to negative behavior on your part, you should still be able to apply for unemployment.
Check Eligibility For Unemployment Benefits
Most Massachusetts workers are covered by the Unemployment Insurance program, although workers in some jobs may not be eligible for benefits.
If youre;self-employed, a contractor, or;otherwise;not;traditionally eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits, you may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance . If youre;unemployed;due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and are able and available;to work,;learn more about PUA.
When you apply for Unemployment Insurance , your initial eligibility for benefits is based on your earnings and your reason for leaving your job. Ongoing eligibility requirements include being able to work, available for work, and actively searching for work.
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Some Reasons For Termination Might Make You Ineligible For Unemployment Benefits
By Lisa Guerin, J.D.
To collect unemployment benefits, you must be out of work through no fault of your own. Workers who are laid off for economic reasonsdue to a plant closing, a reduction-in-force , or because of lack of work, for exampleare eligible for unemployment benefits. But employees who are fired are not always eligible for unemployment, at least not right away. It depends on the reasons why the employee was fired.
What Unemployment Benefits Will You Get
Now that you know if you can file for unemployment if you quit your job, you may have other pressing questions, including:
- Is unemployment compensation enough to live on?
- How long will you receive payment while you search for your next job?
The answers all depend on where you live. Most states offer 26 or more weeks of benefits. Georgia has one of the shortest limits at 14 to 20 weeks but increased to 26 weeks during the coronavirus pandemic.
The government determines your benefits as a percentage of your former salary. States also set a cap on how much youll get. Alabama has one of the lowest limits at $275 a week. Massachusetts has one of the highest at $855.
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Do I Need A Colorado Employment Lawyer
Enduring a period of unemployment presents many stressors, especially when you provide for a family. Unemployment benefits are available to many who need it; however, it can take several weeks to start receiving compensation. While you may qualify for unemployment benefits, a mistake in your application can further lengthen the process. Its crucial to ensure your application for unemployment benefits is done correctly from the start so you can receive payments as soon as possible.
An attorney who helps those who are unemployed collect benefits can determine eligibility, particularly for those who were fired or voluntarily quit their jobs. If you were fired or quit your job, you must attend a hearing to determine your eligibility. An attorney can boost your case by:
- Gathering witnesses to provide testimony at your hearing
- Conducting a prehearing investigation and preparing witnesses
An attorney like Nathan Davidovich of the Davidovich Law Firm, LLC can help you present facts that will support your case for unemployment benefits and fight for your claim should it be improperly denied by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
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In some cases, an employee can collect unemployment after being fired. However, unemployment benefits are not available in all cases, and sometimes being fired for willful misconduct renders an employee ineligible for benefits. Individual state eligibility guidelines determine when an employee can receive unemployment and these guidelines may differ slightly from one jurisdiction to the next.
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Reasons For Denial Of Benefits
If you do not meet the monetary eligibility requirements, the state will deny your claim for benefits. If you do meet the requirement, the state may deny your claim based on issues related to your separation from work. If your claim is successful, the state may suspend benefits or deny a weekly claim because you failed to remain eligible.
Employers Have Financial Incentives To Fight Claims
Many employees wonder why their former employer is involved in their claim at all. After all, if you have already lost your job, why is your former boss trying to deny you your much-needed unemployment benefits? The reason is relatively simple: Massachusetts employers may be required to pay more in insurance taxes if their former workers obtain unemployment benefits.
Unfortunately, in some cases, this system leads some unscrupulous employers to behave badly, trying to protect the finances of the company to the detriment of former employees. Indeed, potentially, your initial unemployment benefits claim may be approved and it may be your employer that requests a hearing to try to appeal the decision. Regardless of how your case gets to a hearing, your ex-employer is likely to be represented by a legal professional during that part of the process. As such, it is critically important that you have an experienced Springfield employee rights lawyer by your side as well.
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