Oregon Unemployment question (Portland: insurance, student loans, unemployment benefits)

[ofmightof]

I'm in kind of a debate with myself over a job offer. I have a pretty stable job however the pay isn't all that great. My student loans are going back into repayment. I asked for a raise at my job I was at for two years (with no raise), they told me I was lucky to have a job.

I got a job offer from a placement agency, a temp to perm position. It's for the line of work I want to go into. Basically the position is for 6 months and if they like me, I have a perm job.

My question is....If I take this job and after 6 months they decide I'm not what they need and if the placement agency has nothing lined up, do I qualify for unemployment if I have no income?

[subsound]

Honestly a good question, I don't think so but I'm not 100%...maybe 50%. Currently I would not take the temp position personally only because temps are the easiest to get rid of, and little penalties to do so.

To tell you the truth, I would look at ways to get out of where you're at anyways...even if it's a long term plan to play along till there is a better option (assuming you don't take the temp position). No one says that who values their employees, but use it as a leverage point when things get better to push into something.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Yes you would.

It's a bit tricky, but here is how you would qualify.

When you make a claim for unemployment, they do not consider the quarter in which you make the claim or the one prior to it. They take the four quarters before that.

As an example: Let's say you take the job tomorrow, work for 6 months and then don't get the perm job. That would be in June, 2009. They will disregard any income for the first two quarters of 2009, and look at your income for the four quarters of 2008 and determine your benefits from that.

My advice is to go for it. Follow your dreams. If you work hard & smart, be on time and be a pleasant worker I am certain you will get hired on Permanently. And if not, the experience will help your resume.

[Massachusetts Yankee]

Six months seems a very long time as a temp, sheesh. It's a pretty good deal for the business as they know they have you over a barrel. No benefits and I'm not so sure about your unemployment rights after a temporary job?

It's a tough time for labor. The 5%ers are committed to bleeding the US work force dry. Oregon adding a whole 1% more to the unemployment roles last month is not a good sign. You certainly have a tough decision.

[Minervah]

You would probably be eligible for unemployment benefits from your previous work history but it wouldn't be enough to live on in Portland. And you would have no medical or dental insurance. The unemployment rate is now around 8% when last I heard.

If you can, you may want to wait until things get a little better. Temp to hire is very common. That's how my company gets a lot of its employees.