Unemployment eligibility -- who has been there?

[lifersfc]

I've accepted a job offer to begin in September and am planning to leave my job in mid-to-late July. Due to the nature of the work at my current firm, I feel like it is necessary to tell them now that I am leaving. If I tell them, there is probably some risk that they ask me to leave immediately. If this happens, am I eligible for unemployment benefits (in Massachusetts) until I begin my new job?

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by lifersfc

I've accepted a job offer to begin in September and am planning to leave my job in mid-to-late July. Due to the nature of the work at my current firm, I feel like it is necessary to tell them now that I am leaving. If I tell them, there is probably some risk that they ask me to leave immediately. If this happens, am I eligible for unemployment benefits (in Massachusetts) until I begin my new job?

Well, if any state will give it to you, MA will! As much as I know about this, and I only know this from the other end, i.e. having my HR department fight unemployment claims, you will probably be out of luck. Again, I do not know MA law, but I figure they are very employee friendly, but most states, if you voluntarily leave, you will be either ineligible or there will be a penalty of time where you cannot collect.

 

[lifersfc]

While it would be voluntary, the timing certainly would not be.

I am thinking I would ask for severance if they request I leave early. Is that a reasonable course of action?

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by lifersfc

While it would be voluntary, the timing certainly would not be.

I am thinking I would ask for severance if they request I leave early. Is that a reasonable course of action?

When you give notice, they control the timing. Just because you give proper notice, does not mean they have to let you work out your time. My organization has accepted resignations on an "immediate" basis before and never been liable for it in regards to unemployment claims.

And no, I would have a hard time not laughing if someone asked for severance if I accepted their resignation on an immediate basis. The reason you do that is if the employee is either marginal or inferior, or you fear they might cause trouble of some kind. So basically, not the type of employee I would be pre-disposed to give severance to in the first place.

 

[kwilkinson]

P knows what he's talkin about here.

In the short time I've been in my HR department here, I've seen a LOT of battles for unemployment. They just don't want to pay. My company fights tooth and nail for it.

And no, requesting severance would not be a good idea. Go ahead if you feel the need, but youw ill be laughed out of your supervisor's and the HR department's head's office, and probably out of your job.

If you're a really good worker and give your two weeks notice or however long it would be, then they might let you stay the whole time, time enough to train a replacement, whatever. But if they have even the slightest inkling of being disgruntled or upset with the company, they'll nix you before your final week. In my short time in the professional world, I've learned that they normally (at least at my company) let people go a full week before their notice is up. It's too easy for someone to download a virus, **** up files, or just cause damage in general to make it worth keeping you on until you're ready to leave.

 

[lifersfc]

Right now I would be giving them 6.5 weeks notice. Hearing these comments makes me think I might hold off on telling them. I am certainly a top employee and they have no reason to suspect I am disgruntled. I have simply chosen to pursue what I believe to be a better opportunity.

I would think they would want to keep me on their good side. My current firm is a small but prestigious firm, and I have many contacts. At the same time, the financial markets have taken a toll this year, and business is not strong. I wonder if this might play into their decision.

I guess it comes down to whether they really want to piss me off over a few weeks' pay? The buy-side is a very small place...

 

[kwilkinson]

Maybe you don't have anything to worry about then. Like I said, if they really like you and have no reason to suspect anything, then they might let you stay on the whole time. 6.5 weeks still seems like quite a long time though. 4 at the most still seems pretty high. Anyway, the only experience I can share is that of the company I work for, which is fubared up in many, many, many ways, so YMMV. Whatever happens, good luck.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by lifersfc

Right now I would be giving them 6.5 weeks notice. Hearing these comments makes me think I might hold off on telling them. I am certainly a top employee and they have no reason to suspect I am disgruntled. I have simply chosen to pursue what I believe to be a better opportunity.

I would think they would want to keep me on their good side. My current firm is a small but prestigious firm, and I have many contacts. At the same time, the financial markets have taken a toll this year, and business is not strong. I wonder if this might play into their decision.

I guess it comes down to whether they really want to piss me off over a few weeks' pay? The buy-side is a very small place...

Sounds to me like you already had it all figured out and just wanted to be validated here. I have given you my years of experience in managment, which is now at the c-level, and they do not match what you have already determined should be everyone's course of action. Apparently you know how these situations usually play out better than I do. Good luck.

 

[lifersfc]

Piobaire--I certainly certainly appreciate your comments and absolutely considered them in making my decision. I went ahead and informed my employer yesterday and they were disappointed but willing to meet my requested end date in 6 weeks. They appreciated my courtesy in not putting them in a bind by holding off on telling them, and they offered me the opportunity to return at any point in the future if I do not like my new opportunity. I'm sure it as a gamble, but in the end, I decided I could live with being told to leave immediately.

 

[Piobaire]

Glad to hear it worked out well. As I said, immediate acceptance is usually a sign of a moderate/sub-par employee or one management deems is a risk to create some sort of mischief. I think probably a goodly portion of people work out their notices and leave on terms conducive to re-hire, but when it's accepted on am immediate basis, it usually does not come with a severance package!

 

[Piobaire]

Along these lines, just got an email from HR this morning. First time I have ever, ever heard of this. She passed it along because she's never heard of it either. We let a nurse go because she lost her license to practice. We won the unemployment case (doh) but she appealed it!? On the appeal, the judge ruled in our favor...and her favor! We do not have to pay, but he's giving her unemployment. No one gets it, she did some stuff that made her lose her license to be a nurse, for the time being. How are you eligible, when part of being eligible says you'll be ready to work if work is found for you in a similar capacity?

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Along these lines, just got an email from HR this morning. First time I have ever, ever heard of this. She passed it along because she's never heard of it either. We let a nurse go because she lost her license to practice. We won the unemployment case (doh) but she appealed it!? On the appeal, the judge ruled in our favor...and her favor! We do not have to pay, but he's giving her unemployment. No one gets it, she did some stuff that made her lose her license to be a nurse, for the time being. How are you eligible, when part of being eligible says you'll be ready to work if work is found for you in a similar capacity?

Because her lawyer beat up your lawyer?


j/k

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Because her lawyer beat up your lawyer?


j/k

LOL.

Nah, no lawyers get involved at this level. What happens is someone in your HR department gets on the phone with the judge and the judge does a three way call with that person and the would be collector of unemployment. The judge came up with this brain trust of a decision all on his/her own.