Serious unemployment question

[xeitgeixt]

I was wrongfully terminated from my job. I applied for unemployment immediately. After almost a month, I didn't hear back as to the decision. So I decided I'd look for temporary work.

I found a temp job and have been employed for about two weeks now. Suddenly, out of the blue, an unemployment payment was disbursed. I checked the unemployment website for my state and found that I have been approved.

Here's my bind. My unemployment compensation will be more money than what this temp job is paying on a weekly basis. I am also driving an hour away everyday to get to the job location.

What happens if I quit the temp job? Do I still get unemployment or will I find myself in a situation where I'm jobless and ALSO don't have unemployment compensation?

The end goal is for me to have some more time to look for suitable work close to home. Unemployment will keep me afloat until that point.

Any advice would be terrific!

PS: I live in Pennsylvania.

 

[adjusterjack]

1 - You have to report the temp job and the income so the UI agency can adjust your benefit or you will find them demanding BIG money months from now.

2 - If you quit or refuse "suitable work" just to continue getting UI you won't get any more UI and you won't have any income.

Commuting an hour each way is not good reason to quit as many people commute an hour each way all the time.

Be smart. Follow the reporting rules.

 

[Chyvan]

What happens if I quit the temp job? Do I still get unemployment or will I find myself in a situation where I'm jobless and ALSO don't have unemployment compensation?

You'll lose your paycheck and the UI. UI is controlled by the LAST job. In your case, the one you want to quit. You could have most likely refused the job because of pay and distance, but once you take it, that is you telling the world, "it's suitable for me," or you'd have said, "no, thank you," when you had the chance.

Taking a job to get by while waiting for your UI to kick in doesn't usually work out so well.

Since the job does pay less than you get on UI, you might be able to get a partial UI benefit and get the distance. I say "might" because PA might do what NJ does. If you have a $600/wk UI check, but work 32 hour+ per week even if it's at minimum wage, you're not unemployed within the meaning of the law, so then you really get ripped off because you're earning less than you're UI check, but you're stuck with it. Pray the "temp" job ends soon under nondisqualifying circumstances.

Next time you find yourself on UI, look for a job about as good or BETTER than you had before, and don't sell yourself short, and use savings, overdraft, or credit cards while you wait for your UI payments to start.

 

[cbg]

I'd kill for a job that was only an hour away.

 

[commentator]

You say that the new less desirable job is temporary. So when it ends, you will have a good reason for separation (job ended) and an approved unemployment claim from which you have only drawn out two or so checks. This claim will stay in place in the system for a full year from the date of filing, and any time during that year that you are out of work through no fault of your own, you can draw from the probably 26, (no more) weeks of unemployment you are entitled to if you qualify.

You have hit upon some of the problems with U.I. as an income source. It takes a lot of time to get it started. And secondly, unemployment ENDS, after you've used it up, whether or not you've found another job. If you've no work during the duration of a claim, you wouldn't be able to start again and draw another claim for quite a while and until you have had additional employment.

And as it has been pointed out to you, once you worked a minute at the new job, it became your last job, and whatever it is, is considered suitable for you. As you've been told, quit this one and you have no unemployment and no job. You need to continue your job search for a suitable job during the course of your employment at the current job. You need to try to pick up some useful skills and references while on this job.

In many cases, a person who has worked a long time at one job and then been terminated (even though YOU say wrongfully, which in the job market may not be a good idea) and is drawing unemployment looking for something just as good as what they had worked their way up to in a long time job is less of a hot prospect than a person who lost one job, then moved forward with another job immediately and is now proactively looking for another job while working. In my opinion, if I were hiring, it makes you look like a whole lot more desirable candidate. Nobody wants a disgruntled, supposedly mistreated long term employee of one company who's seeking to restore the prior income and status of the old job immediately (even though, of course, you would like to do this.) They are looking for someone teachable and eager and flexible, which are the things you should sell yourself on, having accepted this temp job.