If my employer puts me on part-time bases after full time, will that effect my unemployment benefits? (work, UI)

[Chyvan]

This is how I do the math 270/wk staying home or an extra $77.50/wk for 20 hours.

So she works for 260/wk, but you have to factor in FICA, so she loses $19.89 that is not recouped in the partial benefit calculation.

Then there is the 70 mile round trip commute. They didn't say just how many trips per week that is, but I'll assume it's for 5 days. Just in gas alone that's probably $37.66/wk in gas assuming 25 miles/gal and the cheapest gas in Texas at $2.69/gal.

Then there is the hassle factor of going to work vs staying home. So the numbers are really $270 to stay home vs netting $280.45. Thats an extra 10.45/wk for giving up 20 hours of your life, or around 50 cents/hour, and there is no way anyone should think that is a good deal.

It's this math that makes me not like when people rush out and get a part-time job while on UI. It's great when it's a one-day a week job for like 4 hours, but when it's 5 days a week making nearly as much as your UI benefit, then the math just looks horrible because the earnings exclusions don't take into account that there is a cost with getting to work and the tax treatment of wages vs ui benefits is not the same.

[lovemy4girls]

Okay, I'm a fulltime employer! and I was getting 39 1/2 to 40 hours but now I have been getting 34, 1 week 34, the following then 30, and now 32 1/2? i thought that when you're full time employee! the least hours that you should be getting are 34 hours? I don't think this is fair! they want me to open my Availability to get the most hours like work 6:30 a.m-3:30 p.m then or the worse 3:30-12:30 a.m I can't afford a baby sitter! and i'm not living my 4 girls by themselves! besides I already closed every night for 2 years in a row! now i can't only work 6:00 a.m-7:30 p.m!

[7jaymie7]

i was not asked if i wanted less hours i was told a new schedule was coming out and i will have most of my hours taken.. they dont want to have to pay unenployment so they are dropping most everyones hours to four a day or20 a week.. i was making forty hours a week for almost two years on the job..

[Chyvan]

What state, and besides the reduction in hours, what else are you losing. With the change to part time status are you losing your vacation, holiday, sick, medical insurance? Do you have a long drive that just makes no sense for only 4 hours pay?

[Bluedaisy917]

Hi Chyvan, I would like your advice. I live in NY, work full-time and earn $40k with med benefits, paid personal/sick days & holidays. Recently, my employer (of 1 year) told me he can't afford to keep me on full time, and will make be letting me go soon. He is going to continue his current assistant, who will be made full-time once i am let go. During the year of working for my boss (and much before i knew about the lay off), he has randomly said to me that if i try to claim unemployment, he will fight me. I am now in a position where I have been given verbal, not written, notice of my looming termination. I have not received, nor put anything in writing about the lay off . (Oddly, almost immediately after telling me I was going to be laid off, he sent me job postings, all of which I have kept. Since then, he sent me only 1 other job posting but hasn't brought up the lay off again.) I am persistently looking for other work, but I am afraid that with the current job market I won't be able to find something before i am laid off. If that is the case, I want to make sure I can collect unemployment. I believe you offer good advice/suggestions for people to protect themselves. Please tell me what I can do now to protect myself and avoid being denied unemployment later. I know that if i voluntarily leave because i find another job, i won't be able to collect. I am concerned my employer will offer me part-time work in an effort to keep me from collecting. I appreciate any suggestions/guidance you can offer.

[therecanbonly1]

My wife was just offered by her boss to reduce to part time and collect UI for the other 3 days for the summer "to help her out with child care costs". We live in PA and her company has been struggling for over a year (non-profit) with paying bills. She does not want to quit; but worries that the reduction in hours could affect her ability to collect unemployment should the company fold (as she would be earning less over the summer). I fear her agreeing to go part time could end up being permanent (once they see that they can get by that way - even though my wife works a lot from home to keep them from shutting their doors). I believe her benefits will be her salary minus what she brings home. she currently makes about $20/hr and they are suggesting going to 2 days/week.

Any help with suggestions would be appreciated.

[Michelle Winter]

On a similar subject, I was hired on a full time basis by my current employer about 6 years ago. I work in New York City for a small firm. Unfortunately, for the past year, I have been suffering from a major depressive disorder which necessitated a short term hospitalization. Ironically, I became hyper vigilant at work so my performance was not effected until recently
(since March 2013 when I was on a 6 week medical leave to attend a program). Upon completion of the program, I was advised by my doctor that I should return to work on a part time basis with the goal of gradually increasing my hours until I am back full time. Currently, I am up to working 15 hours a week. In the meantime, my employer has hired additional employees (part time) to pick up my case load and now my sole responsibility is to supervise part of the staff and assist them as needed. I have already submitted a letter from my doctor clearing me to work between 20-25 hours per week.

My concern is that my employer will not negotiate a reasonable hourly salary while I am there on a part time basis. I also know that NY is an at will state and that they can terminate my employment since I was hired for a full time position. Do I have any rights for job retention or at least the right to file for unemployment if I am terminated. I am currently not collecting either short term or long term disability and would prefer to keep it that way.

Any input would be very greatly appreciated.

[brenda_groff]

I have been working at a place for almost 6 years doing an average of 35 hours a week. Last year i applied for workmans comp for tendinitis and maybe tendon tears in my right arm from the work i was doing. I have been on light duty since NOVEMBER AND WILL BE HAVING SURgery in a couple of weeks but today the boss has decided to cut everyones hours because of falling sales. Fine but all the other people only got cut 3 or 4 hours a week I got cut about eleven hours a week. I live in Minnesota. Is there something I can do?

[huntmaster123]

i too have the same problem i was working for a company full time in va for 2.5 years and now they are giving my hours to an other person At the end of the month i will only be working one day a week for 12 hours a day. what should i do?

[Chyvan]

At a minimum, you apply for partial UI.

Then you have to decide do you want to keep working there or quit. If you want to quit, you have to research VAs rules on a reduction in hours. Also, it's not always about the hours. If you lose your benefits because of the reduction in hours, then you have something you can assign a cashvalue to, and it makes it more of a reduction in pay, and those are easier. However, you still have to tell your employer that you don't want your hours cut, do it by email, letter, fax, and get a response back in writing so you have proof that you tried to "adjust your grievance" in the event you want to set the stage for a "good cause" quit.