Unemployment Extensions in MA (federal, state, program, finished)

[lovebug108]

Thank you, Ariandne 22!

This is what the woman at wage adjustment told me - that I need to refile a new claim once the new job ends. At the moment my old claim is ineligible but technically still pending it seems, since I have not received a notice of disqualification. It seems to be in limbo.... despite the fact that the woman in wage adjustment said it will 100% be denied.

And thus, right now I am not able to file a new claim online. When I try to do so - I simply get redirected to the old "pending" claim with no option to reapply.

I called to see if if I would be able to reopen a new claim on the phone and was told, rather rudely, that I cannot do that either. I was transferred to a supervisor who initially told me that I can't reapply until the end of the old ineligible claim -which would be 7/1/2014. But who then said that MAYBE I could reopen that claim if I got a new job for at least 8 weeks. I told her that I had already been rehired for a short period of time by my previous employer and that this was why I was calling. At this point she got very aggressive and asked if I was planning to get laid off, and that going back to the same employer would probably not count as new employment anyway, since they were not new, but my old employer. And that I should get a real job where I wasn't gonna get laid off! I work for a non-profit who is in the process of losing their major funding, but didn't see the point in explaining this to her! Anyway, at this point she seemed to be getting suspicious of me, and I am concerned that she might have even made some negative notes on my file.

Further she seems to have noted that I received severance pay (since I told her I had already received a check in Q3 from my old employer) and this morning I got a notice asking me to report the details of my severance pay.

So I guess, I have few questions:

(1) How should I respond to the severance pay questionnaire? The Q3 checks are not technically a severance package - more so payment for work on a final project and a sort of "severance" bonus because they felt bad having to let me go.... Should I just put $0 on everything on that form - or report the bonus I received as severance pay?

(2) Do I need to wait until the present claim is officially denied before reapplying? Once it is officially denied will I be able to refile a new claim, or do I have to reopen this old denied claim as the woman on the phone said?

(3) Are there specific requirements that need to be met before filing a new claim? Such as minimum new wages, number of weeks worked, time elapsed since initial claim, etc?

My situation is as follows, so I have some flexibility to complete this final job in a way that will best meet the UI requirements

Q2: $18,000, laid off June 21
Q3: asked to work on a final project for same employer in July (which will last between 3-12 weeks, and I have some flexibility on how long I take to complete it) for which I will receive about $10,000 ( which includes a small "severance bonus" of about $500)

I'm worried that the more I talk to the people on the phone, the more confusing it will get, and the more the old claim will get lost in administrative no-mans land. And I just can't seem to find this information online.

So so grateful for any guidance!

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by lovebug108

So so grateful for any guidance!

You take the following steps in the following order:

1. Wait for a denial from MA.

2. Stop calling MA, other than to request a withdrawal of your recent application if you do not receive a denial in the next ten days. Claims applications can be withdrawn if you have not received a Notice of UI Award and no benefits have been paid.

2. Send back that questionnaire reporting 0 for severance. Bonuses are wages. They are NOT severance.

3. Earn that additional $10k.

4. Apply for a BRAND NEW CLAIM when that job ends.

Detailed comments to your most recent post in bold:

Originally Posted by lovebug108

This is what the woman at wage adjustment told me - that I need to refile a new claim once the new job ends.

Which is what I told you, here, yesterday:

At the moment my old claim is ineligible but technically still pending it seems, since I have not received a notice of disqualification. It seems to be in limbo.... despite the fact that the woman in wage adjustment said it will 100% be denied.

And thus, right now I am not able to file a new claim online. When I try to do so - I simply get redirected to the old "pending" claim with no option to reapply.

Why would you be trying to apply for a new claim now? The other claim has not yet been officially denied. You don't have enough wages on which to base a new claim.

I called to see if if I would be able to reopen a new claim on the phone

There is NOTHING you can do at this point until you are again eligible for a claim.

Before you can reapply, you need to wait for TWO THINGS:

(1) Claim denial;
(2) You have earned that additional $10k.

and was told, rather rudely, that I cannot do that either. I was transferred to a supervisor who initially told me that I can't reapply until the end of the old ineligible claim -which would be 7/1/2014. But who then said that MAYBE I could reopen that claim if I got a new job for at least 8 weeks.

This was INCORRECT. As I said, and will repeat:

I told her that I had already been rehired for a short period of time by my previous employer and that this was why I was calling.

What difference would a rehire by your employer make at this point? Those wages do not fall within the base period of your current application. These potential new wages are MEANINGLESS to your current application. Please reread my earlier posts.

You have already been told the claim would be denied. Was it your intent to cancel the application? That is what you should have been calling about - telling MA to withdraw the application so you can reapply when your base-period wages will support a claim.

Further she seems to have noted that I received severance pay (since I told her I had already received a check in Q3 from my old employer) and this morning I got a notice asking me to report the details of my severance pay.

No doubt. TMI. You are causing problems for yourself with all this stirring of the pot.

There is no point in any of these phone calls and attempts to reopen/reapply until you have sufficient wages for a valid claim and the other claim has been denied and is out of MA's system.

So I guess, I have few questions:

(1) How should I respond to the severance pay questionnaire? The Q3 checks are not technically a severance package - more so payment for work on a final project and a sort of "severance" bonus because they felt bad having to let me go.... Should I just put $0 on everything on that form - or report the bonus I received as severance pay?

You report 0. Bonus is NOT severance. Bonus is treated as wages, which is what you want.

(2) Do I need to wait until the present claim is officially denied before reapplying?

Computers follow logic. You cannot open a new claim if there already exists a pending application. Yes, you need the denial, as I said here.

Once it is officially denied will I be able to refile a new claim, or do I have to reopen this old denied claim as the woman on the phone said?

Answered previously, yesterday, here:

(3) Are there specific requirements that need to be met before filing a new claim? Such as minimum new wages, number of weeks worked, time elapsed since initial claim, etc?

Answered previously on July 30th, here:

You don't and won't have an existing claim at all because you have NOT received a monetary determination. You have a PENDING claim APPLICATION which will be denied. So don't worry about time elapsed between reapply and initial claim - you don't and won't have one.


I'm worried that the more I talk to the people on the phone, the more confusing it will get, and the more the old claim will get lost in administrative no-mans land.

Indeed. You are ineligible for a claim until you have more earnings. At this point, you are complicating what should be a very simple claim denial.

And I just can't seem to find this information online.

You won't.

[lovebug108]

Thank you. Your information has been the ONLY good information I have received online, in person or on the phone - thank you for your help and patience. This whole process has been new for me, and confusing. If only everyone was as informed and helpful as you!

Why wait 10 days to withdraw the initial claim? If possible, I would love to withdraw it now - but don't want to create more issues...

[lovebug108]

Does anyone know how I can request a withdrawal of an unemployment claim application?

It has been about 8 weeks, and I still have not received a denial.

I am eligible to reopen a new claim, but cannot do so until the old claim is denied.

[Ariadne22]

Call, followup with written request to withdraw/cancel claim application, or visit a MA office. This may be a good office if you're in the Boston area:

Originally Posted by Mosela

If you really need to visit an office go straight to the unemployment office downtown 19 Staniford Street in Boston. I know its a pain too, but I been there a couple of times and so have others, and I find them to be somewhat helpful. Do plan on going early, don't even bother with parking, take the train... cause you don't know how long you will be there.

I visited there 2 times, early morning, in and out... no lines.. and I got taken care of what needed to be taken care off. I tried calling in too a few times, but the lines are always so busy...... so I just go straight downtown ..

[esoterrorca]

Hi,
I was laid off Dec 7 2012. I am on my first extension through federal funding. Is there a second extension or do I apply for welfare?

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by esoterrorca

Hi,
I was laid off Dec 7 2012. I am on my first extension through federal funding. Is there a second extension or do I apply for welfare?

MA is still paying Tier 2:

Overview of Latest Extension Benefits

Emergency Unemployment Compensation Trigger Notice Report

[Patrick1215]

Need help. To make it easier to understand here is a timeline. I went on unemployment, EUC, exhausted all tiers(4 at the time) I then found a job the last week I was eligible for benefits. I worked for a year and was laid off due to cutbacks. I qualified for 25 weeks of unemployment, which runs out next week. Im looking to apply for EUC. I qualify numbers wise, but I'm being told I might not qualify because I've been on unemployment before and have gone through all federal tiers before(1-4 when they were still doing it). The people at Massachusetts DUA don't seem to have a clue. Any help would be very much appreciated as to whether I will qualify for the next set of benefits. Thanks

[Ariadne22]

Originally Posted by Patrick1215

Need help. To make it easier to understand here is a timeline. I went on unemployment, EUC, exhausted all tiers(4 at the time) I then found a job the last week I was eligible for benefits. I worked for a year and was laid off due to cutbacks. I qualified for 25 weeks of unemployment, which runs out next week. Im looking to apply for EUC. I qualify numbers wise, but I'm being told I might not qualify because I've been on unemployment before and have gone through all federal tiers before(1-4 when they were still doing it). The people at Massachusetts DUA don't seem to have a clue. Any help would be very much appreciated as to whether I will qualify for the next set of benefits. Thanks

You've been told WRONG. If you exhausted EUC from an earlier claim - and - this new claim is eligible for EUC, you are entitled to collect EUC on this latest claim - no question about it.

MA, in particular, seems to give people this misinformation all the time.

The USDOL addresses multiple claim EUC in its program letters, order of payment, and other matters, because multiple claim EUC is a common, everyday occurrence.

If you have any trouble getting MA to move you to EUC Tier 1 after your state benefits are exhausted, report back. You can contact the USDOL and you'll get your EUC - very fast.

[Patrick1215]

Originally Posted by Ariadne22

You've been told WRONG. If you exhausted EUC from an earlier claim - and - this new claim is eligible for EUC, you are entitled to collect EUC on this latest claim - no question about it.

MA, in particular, seems to give people this misinformation all the time.

The USDOL addresses multiple claim EUC in its program letters, order of payment, and other matters, because multiple claim EUC is a common, everyday occurrence.

If you have any trouble getting MA to move you to EUC Tier 1 after your state benefits are exhausted, report back. You can contact the USDOL and you'll get your EUC - very fast.

Thank you.