Unemployment - Can you take a break? (crimes, house)

[NJJEEP]

Recently laid off and applied for UI. Hasn't started yet but expect it will soon.

Question - can you 'take a break' from collecting? If I need to travel to help someone in my family for 2-3 months, can I put the claim 'on hold' and restart it when I get back?

I know you can just complete the form every 2 weeks on the 'net and say you are available for work but I don't want to do that. I'd like to do things the right way.

If anyone knows the answer to this - can you point me to a citation, rule, policy etc. that deals with it?

TIA

NJJEEP

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by NJJEEP

Recently laid off and applied for UI. Hasn't started yet but expect it will soon.

Question - can you 'take a break' from collecting? If I need to travel to help someone in my family for 2-3 months, can I put the claim 'on hold' and restart it when I get back?

I know you can just complete the form every 2 weeks on the 'net and say you are available for work but I don't want to do that. I'd like to do things the right way.

If anyone knows the answer to this - can you point me to a citation, rule, policy etc. that deals with it?

TIA

NJJEEP

do not do this. They will say that you were unable and not look for a job, thus take away the benefits. You can not foward you checks either. When I went on vacation for 3 weeks one time in another state, I just called in my benefits and when I got home collected the checks. Once you tell them you were not looking for work due to being somewhere out of the state and not looking for a job, its goodbye benefits. In otherwords , lie.

[HalfFull]

Originally Posted by stevemorse

do not do this. They will say that you were unable and not look for a job, thus take away the benefits. You can not foward you checks either. When I went on vacation for 3 weeks one time in another state, I just called in my benefits and when I got home collected the checks. Once you tell them you were not looking for work due to being somewhere out of the state and not looking for a job, its goodbye benefits. In otherwords , lie.

Yup, you may want to do the "right thing" but the system isn't flexible, so you have to play the game by their rules.

Good luck in your job search!!

[stevemorse]

yes wouldn't we all like to do the right thing. You know I have 2 friends collecting right now that are NOT looking for a job. There attitude is it give me a chance to spend time with my kids. They also feel that in this economy its so lousy for what they do that its almost hopeless. I think doing the right thing is not always the best thing to do with NJ unemployment. Now with other aspects of one's life, I live by the rule of doing the right thing!

[NJJEEP]

OK, as a hypothetical, let's say I just collect and don't tell them I'm out of state --- isn't there ever a time when you need to come back to meet with them?

I was on UI many, many years ago -- long before the 'net existed - when you had to show up every 2 weeks so, I don't know how it works now. Is there ever a time when they say "Be here tomorrow" or something like that and I'd have a hard time showing up 'cause I'm out of state?

Thanks for the thoughts.

NJJEEP

[stevemorse]

there is a small chance but its very small. They are so overwhelmed and have so many people who are on unemployment every 6-8 months that those are the people who are likely to be called in. If you had claimed unemployment every year or two years then you would propably get called to do this orientation, how to do a job search class. Your chances are so slim and if you do get called you can always call and change the date to come in. Its VERY unlikely that you will get called. Just go away for a month and see how it goes. Stop worrying, you will be fine.

[Lusitan]

I would not recommend lying to the government about your unemployment benefits.

I believe you must check in and confirm you were able to work (and actively looking for work) every two weeks. If you're going to take a minor break from looking for work within one of those time period, e.g. a couple of days here and there to help out a family member, then I think it's OK because you can make up for those days within that time period when it comes for looking for work.

But if you're talking about not looking for (nor being available for) work for a 2 - 3 month time period, you're running afoul of the law if you continue to claim benefits during that time. Chances may be small that you'll get caught, but then again, you can say that about many crimes.

Your unemployment claim remains active for a year, and you can do a "reopen" of your claim in the type of situation you describe. But I think your claim will need to have at least been active for one period before you do this (i.e., if you're going away for 3 months to help a family member right away, before you start looking for a job, don't apply for benefits until you're almost at the end of that period, because if you apply right away I don't think you can put your claim in the inactive status, because it never had a chance to be active).

You can read about the process for "re-opening" a claim within the one year time window on page 27 of the manual here:

http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/for...s/ui/PR-94.pdf

Good luck.

[SweepTheLeg]

Originally Posted by stevemorse

do not do this. They will say that you were unable and not look for a job, thus take away the benefits. You can not foward you checks either. When I went on vacation for 3 weeks one time in another state, I just called in my benefits and when I got home collected the checks. Once you tell them you were not looking for work due to being somewhere out of the state and not looking for a job, its goodbye benefits. In otherwords , lie.

"checks"?

I thought UI had direct deposit now.

[SweepTheLeg]

Originally Posted by Lusitan

I would not recommend lying to the government about your unemployment benefits.

I believe you must check in and confirm you were able to work (and actively looking for work) every two weeks.

Yes, it's done online, though. You have to fill and affidavit that you are being truthful and looking for work.

Did you go onto Monster and send some resumes out? Yes. You looked for work. Thus then, truthful.

You can do a job search from anywhere in the world as long as you have the net.

EEPNJ - As I said - if you do some online applications while you're on your break, you can have your cake and eat it too.

[stevemorse]

Originally Posted by SweepTheLeg

"checks"?

I thought UI had direct deposit now.

not everyone some get it mailed to their house still. but great thinking that will solve the problem!!!