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Do you need to repay the "forfiet" amount or do they just deduct it automatically from future deserved payments (where you claimed UI and were in the US?)
do you HAVE to go on a hearing or will just a telephone conversation with someone from IU suffice?
Had a telephone conversation with the office and now waiting on a letter of determination. Based on information I have gathered, there will be a hearing and I will have to stake my claim that all the while outside the US, I was seeking employment as an English Teacher.
I have over 150 emails in correspondence, letters from employers I interviewed which was embarrassing to ask for, and my work log overflowed (200 approx) phone calls, skype conversations and in person applications. I hope that will be convincing enough for the labor board to see that I was actively seeking jobs in my "normal" field of work.
I see that what is working against me the most at this point, is that i failed to contact the office before seeking work outside the area.
Anyone with helpful information or questions, please feel free...
I'm legal counsel at my state's unemployment office. This is a "hot topic" for unemployment offices right now.
Your former employer pays for your unemployment benefits. At least the first 6 months of benefits. Then the federal government pays with a few minor exceptions.
Part of the "deal" for passing UI (unemployment insurance) in the first place during the depression was that it would keep money circulating in the economy and help all of us by keeping the economy afloat. For that reason, UI benefits are considered a stimulus to the economy.
Because US employers and taxpayers pay the benefits, and part of the reason for the benefits is to help the overall economy, "we" want the money spent here, in the US, and you cannot get benefits if you are outside of the country. The exception is Canada but only if you have permission to work in Canada. Otherwise, you can't even go to Canada.
So, it really isn't so much a function of whether you can come back for a job interview, it is where you are spending the money.
Additionally, states share wage info so if you work in a different state, the paying state (state that issues UI to you) will get immediate notification. Not so with foreign countries. You could be working overseas and getting UI from the US and we'd never find out about it.
My state allows you to be gone up to 2 weeks for a job interview, not just to search for work. No other exceptions for being in a foreign country. Not sure what other states do. Some may allow short term visits.
This might be a "hot topic" right now because we've got new ways to find out if you are in a foreign country so be very careful.
If you "get caught" you only lose the benefits for the weeks you were out of the country but it is fraud so there will be an additional penalty and disqualification period too.
Thanks for that perspective, Hamlette. So many of the unemployed are so frustrated they are looking everywhere for work. The fact that the benefits are being spent overseas has not occurred to anyone. Too bad the unemployment offices can't communicate clearly and effectively what the rules are and why.
Anyway, keep posting. It's nice to finally hear from someone who actually works administering this program.
I'm legal counsel at my state's unemployment office. This is a "hot topic" for unemployment offices right now.
Your former employer pays for your unemployment benefits. At least the first 6 months of benefits. Then the federal government pays with a few minor exceptions.
Part of the "deal" for passing UI (unemployment insurance) in the first place during the depression was that it would keep money circulating in the economy and help all of us by keeping the economy afloat. For that reason, UI benefits are considered a stimulus to the economy.
Because US employers and taxpayers pay the benefits, and part of the reason for the benefits is to help the overall economy, "we" want the money spent here, in the US, and you cannot get benefits if you are outside of the country. The exception is Canada but only if you have permission to work in Canada. Otherwise, you can't even go to Canada.
So, it really isn't so much a function of whether you can come back for a job interview, it is where you are spending the money.
Additionally, states share wage info so if you work in a different state, the paying state (state that issues UI to you) will get immediate notification. Not so with foreign countries. You could be working overseas and getting UI from the US and we'd never find out about it.
My state allows you to be gone up to 2 weeks for a job interview, not just to search for work. No other exceptions for being in a foreign country. Not sure what other states do. Some may allow short term visits.
This might be a "hot topic" right now because we've got new ways to find out if you are in a foreign country so be very careful.
If you "get caught" you only lose the benefits for the weeks you were out of the country but it is fraud so there will be an additional penalty and disqualification period too.
I'm legal counsel at my state's unemployment office. This is a "hot topic" for unemployment offices right now.
Your former employer pays for your unemployment benefits. At least the first 6 months of benefits. Then the federal government pays with a few minor exceptions.
Part of the "deal" for passing UI (unemployment insurance) in the first place during the depression was that it would keep money circulating in the economy and help all of us by keeping the economy afloat. For that reason, UI benefits are considered a stimulus to the economy. Because US employers and taxpayers pay the benefits, and part of the reason for the benefits is to help the overall economy, "we" want the money spent here, in the US, and you cannot get benefits if you are outside of the country.
There is no such "deal" for collecting unemployment that the unemployed must spend their money inside the U.S. (but most do simply because UI merely provides for basic necessities.)
The rule that the unemployed cannot leave the U.S. is about their ability and intent to fulfill their job search requirements... so that they are not just taking a vacation.
Anyone can send part of their UI money to help relatives overseas with NO consequence if they stay in the U.S. while looking for a job.
In fact, I have sent money overseas by western union to help family when I collected unemployment myself.
Why do you suggest that it makes any difference where money is spent because 6 months of unemployment benefits are paid by the company they worked for?
U.S. employers are not obligated to keep any of their money circulating in the U.S. nor are they obligated to hire Americans. Those companies will likely spend more money overseas than the amount of UI benefits they pay so requiring them to pay UI insurance for employees actually keeps more money in the U.S.
When US employers lay off hundreds to thousands of Americans to hire overseas workers, that causes a far greater depreciation of US money circulating within our economy than the minimal amount of UI money actually being spent overseas by the unemployed. So the fact that companies spend plenty of money overseas makes it hypocritical if the unemployed are obligated to only spend inside the U.S. with that same money.
Now, what about obligations to the "tax-payer" for collecting federal funded extensions?
Government Bailout money to corporations provided by tax payers did not have stipulations that the money only be invested inside the U.S. so no such stipulation is required of the unemployed either. The purpose of bailouts and extensions was/is to provide companies and/or individuals a chance to get back on their feet because their services are deemed valuable to our country.
We ASSUME that helping those big businesses rebound AND helping the unemployed find jobs suitable to their education and work history is BOTH important for the economic welfare of this country. Fact is that corporations who received bailout have spent and are still investing billions overseas while most of the money the unemployed received is spent locally... even after they find another job.
Spare me the "moral obligations" you feel that the unemployed need to have for their weekly UI benefits without requiring corporations to do the same with government bailout money. Corporations are only concerned about how much profit they make to maintain the lifestyle of their families... not their obligation to other tax payers... so average American workers who become unemployed should not bear the brunt of moral obligations at the expense of their own family either.
Once the government takes our taxes, none of us have any control of how it is spent, only the government, big business & special interest groups decide that... so if you want to hold anyone "accountable" to the taxpayers, start with them.
As for "whose" living off the taxpayer...
The elder unemployed collecting UI but who earned high salaries will have paid far more taxes to our government than another who is working but earning lower wages for most of his life... so who will have benefitted from whom's taxes more over their lifetimes?
Point is that many people who are unemployed in this current recession, paid plenty of taxes most of their lives as employees and consumers so their value to this country is measured by their lifetime contributions, not for UI benefits they may have collected for a year and a half.
There is no such "deal" for collecting unemployment that the unemployed must spend their money inside the U.S. (but most do simply because UI merely provides for basic necessities.)
The rule that the unemployed cannot leave the U.S. is about their ability and intent to fulfill their job search requirements... so that they are not just taking a vacation.
Anyone can send part of their UI money to help relatives overseas with NO consequence if they stay in the U.S. while looking for a job.
In fact, I have sent money overseas by western union to help family when I collected unemployment myself.
Why do you suggest that it makes any difference where money is spent because 6 months of unemployment benefits are paid by the company they worked for?
U.S. employers are not obligated to keep any of their money circulating in the U.S. nor are they obligated to hire Americans. Those companies will likely spend more money overseas than the amount of UI benefits they pay so requiring them to pay UI insurance for employees actually keeps more money in the U.S.
When US employers lay off hundreds to thousands of Americans to hire overseas workers, that causes a far greater depreciation of US money circulating within our economy than the minimal amount of UI money actually being spent overseas by the unemployed. So the fact that companies spend plenty of money overseas makes it hypocritical if the unemployed are obligated to only spend inside the U.S. with that same money.
Now, what about obligations to the "tax-payer" for collecting federal funded extensions?
Government Bailout money to corporations provided by tax payers did not have stipulations that the money only be invested inside the U.S. so no such stipulation is required of the unemployed either. The purpose of bailouts and extensions was/is to provide companies and/or individuals a chance to get back on their feet because their services are deemed valuable to our country.
We ASSUME that helping those big businesses rebound AND helping the unemployed find jobs suitable to their education and work history is BOTH important for the economic welfare of this country. Fact is that corporations who received bailout have spent and are still investing billions overseas while most of the money the unemployed received is spent locally... even after they find another job.
Spare me the "moral obligations" you feel that the unemployed need to have for their weekly UI benefits without requiring corporations to do the same with government bailout money. Corporations are only concerned about how much profit they make to maintain the lifestyle of their families... not their obligation to other tax payers... so average American workers who become unemployed should not bear the brunt of moral obligations at the expense of their own family either.
Once the government takes our taxes, none of us have any control of how it is spent, only the government, big business & special interest groups decide that... so if you want to hold anyone "accountable" to the taxpayers, start with them.
As for "whose" living off the taxpayer...
The elder unemployed collecting UI but who earned high salaries will have paid far more taxes to our government than another who is working but earning lower wages for most of his life... so who will have benefitted from whom's taxes more over their lifetimes?
Point is that many people who are unemployed in this current recession, paid plenty of taxes most of their lives as employees and consumers so their value to this country is measured by their lifetime contributions, not for UI benefits they may have collected for a year and a half.
So I read this response of yours and I'm a bit curious/worried about my situation. Basically, I'm an ESL teacher who, after years in the US, flew back to Europe to see what the job market is like. I went to the benefits website - it blocked my overseas IP address - and now I'm wondering if I was flagged (I didn't claim my benefits overseas but I did claim later in the week from the States). Will I have to go to a hearing now? (I live in NY) I've been reading horror stories online of people losing benefits, delayed benefits, etc because of IP address issues - I didn't claim benefits in Europe but I did attempt to sign in...any advice?
Thanks!
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamlette
I'm legal counsel at my state's unemployment office. This is a "hot topic" for unemployment offices right now.
Your former employer pays for your unemployment benefits. At least the first 6 months of benefits. Then the federal government pays with a few minor exceptions.
Part of the "deal" for passing UI (unemployment insurance) in the first place during the depression was that it would keep money circulating in the economy and help all of us by keeping the economy afloat. For that reason, UI benefits are considered a stimulus to the economy.
Because US employers and taxpayers pay the benefits, and part of the reason for the benefits is to help the overall economy, "we" want the money spent here, in the US, and you cannot get benefits if you are outside of the country. The exception is Canada but only if you have permission to work in Canada. Otherwise, you can't even go to Canada.
So, it really isn't so much a function of whether you can come back for a job interview, it is where you are spending the money.
Additionally, states share wage info so if you work in a different state, the paying state (state that issues UI to you) will get immediate notification. Not so with foreign countries. You could be working overseas and getting UI from the US and we'd never find out about it.
My state allows you to be gone up to 2 weeks for a job interview, not just to search for work. No other exceptions for being in a foreign country. Not sure what other states do. Some may allow short term visits.
This might be a "hot topic" right now because we've got new ways to find out if you are in a foreign country so be very careful.
If you "get caught" you only lose the benefits for the weeks you were out of the country but it is fraud so there will be an additional penalty and disqualification period too.
So I read this response of yours and I'm a bit curious/worried about my situation. Basically, I'm an ESL teacher who, after years in the US, flew back to Europe to see what the job market is like. I went to the benefits website - it blocked my overseas IP address - and now I'm wondering if I was flagged (I didn't claim my benefits overseas but I did claim later in the week from the States). Will I have to go to a hearing now? (I live in NY) I've been reading horror stories online of people losing benefits, delayed benefits, etc because of IP address issues - I didn't claim benefits in Europe but I did attempt to sign in...any advice?
Thanks!
Dave
You didn't specify how long you were in Europe so I'm assuming you were in Europe for a few days in one week?
Well, I'm not Hamlette but here's my opinion based on that.
The overseas IP itself is not the main issue, it's whether you are making a legitimate claim for the week you are claiming benefits for.
When you claim benefits during a week, you are claiming benefits for the PREVIOUS week.
If you were in Europe trying to make a claim for the previous week you were in NY... it's a legit claim even though the foreign IP was blocked.
If you returned to NY that same week and claimed for the previous week when you were still in NY, it should be fine.
It is claiming benefits for the week you were in Europe that you should be careful of.
Claiming benefits for the week you were in Europe would be made the FOLLOWING week after you returned to NY.
That's when you are claiming benefits for the time you were in Europe which would be an issue.
When you claim benefits, READ what the questions are asking you.
It asks you if you were looking & available for work during the past week.
If you were in Europe during the past week... can you answer TRUTHFULLY and PROVE you were searching/available for work?
If the answer is NO, then you should answer NO.
Or You might choose to skip making a claim for that week.
Your state DOL probably knows you were in Europe that week so if you want to claim benefits for that week, make sure you can prove you were available and looking for work. Since you didn't tell them you were going to Europe, might be better to call the NYSDOL and speak to an agent to ask if you can claim.
I'm assuming you haven't made a claim for the week you were in Europe yet?
Last edited by raymond2; 07-14-2011 at 12:59 PM..
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A few points
