Understanding Your Employee Benefits: Qualifying for Unemployment Benefits

Understanding Your Employee Benefits: Qualifying for Unemployment Benefits

During the three years that you have worked at your current company, the company has had some success, but mostly, it has not done well. The most recent downturn in business has made you concerned about the future of the company. Several employees who work in your department were laid off in the past six months due to lack of work, and you are concerned that you may be next on the list. It seems that others feel the same way, as company morale is at an all-time low. In fact, the overall company morale, coupled with the poor attitude of your supervisor, is making your job miserable. You aren’t sure if it is worthwhile at this point to try to stick it out.

Every day you dread getting up and going to work. Your supervisor is frustrated about trying to get work done with a lean staff, and you feel that he is taking it out on you. He criticizes you constantly and sometimes makes it seem that it is your fault that things are going so poorly. He has mentioned several times that the department will likely be closed within the year. You know that he is under a great deal of stress, given the impending lay offs, but the situation is becoming unbearable. You still show up to work and do your best, but you’re not sure how much longer you can do it. It seems inevitable that you will lose your job, so you are starting to think that it might be a better idea to resign your position now.

You know that you are going to need to look for a new job soon, regardless of what you do, but it is hard to even think about a job search while you are working full time. You are thinking that maybe quitting your job now will relieve some stress and give you the time you need to conduct a job search. However, you rely on your weekly paycheck, and you aren’t sure what you will do if it takes you very long to find a new job. A former coworker who was laid off last year told you that the unemployment insurance payment that he received helped bridge the gap between the lay off and finding a new job. After a one-week waiting period, he received a weekly benefit that helped him pay his bills until he found another job. As the job market is uncertain, you think that you need the support of unemployment insurance to sustain yourself until you find another job.

You are pretty sure that you will be eligible for unemployment insurance if your company does ultimately lay you off. However, you’re not sure if you can still qualify for unemployment insurance if you resign. If you are able to collect unemployment insurance,214you would like to quit soon so that you can move on with your job search, and you must do some research to understand the unemployment insurance benefit.

1. Are you eligible to receive unemployment if you resign?

2. Should you resign or wait to find out if and when you are laid off?