MA - Applying for UI (Unemployment Insurance) for first time, please help! (receive, apply)

[iamanewuser]

Hi,
If someone was working remotely for MA based employers from NY full time and is living in NY with NY mailing address and driver's license, is this a a potential problem when filing for UI benefits online on MA UI website?

Looks like one needs to attend seminar at one of the MassHire career centers? Is that one time only? Or does one need to report to them periodically?

About the job search log, it states, one needs to keep three searches per week on separate days..Is this strictly enforced?

If the laid off employee is paid for unused vacation, how does that affect the UI weekly checks?

Would appreciate your help in getting answers to these questions or if you would like to share your experience in going through the UI process in MA and how did it go for you?

[Chyvan]

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Hi,
If someone was working remotely for MA based employers from NY full time and is living in NY with NY mailing address and driver's license, is this a a potential problem when filing for UI benefits online on MA UI website?

Technically, UI is based on where the work was performed. For you, that means NY. However, MA's benefits are so much better than NY, that you should apply in MA first, and pray that it goes through. If not, then you use the MA denial to apply in NY and request backdating so that you're not out any money.

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Looks like one needs to attend seminar at one of the MassHire career centers? Is that one time only? Or does one need to report to them periodically?

Because of your NY address, MA will require that you register with NY's equivalent of MassHire. You'll do these meetings closer to your home.

Some people never get called in for a meeting. Others get selected for 4. It's the luck of draw.

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

About the job search log, it states, one needs to keep three searches per week on separate days..Is this strictly enforced?

If you get called in for a meeting, you better have done your 3 searches. If you never get called in, then lucky you if you didn't look for work at all and just said you did. There's people that write down jobs for which they never applied, and even if they had a meeting, sometimes the employers are never contacted for verification and the claimant gets away with it.

Just follow the rules. You don't have to apply for open jobs that you have a high probability of getting. You just have to apply for a jobs that you want. It's not that hard unless you're in a specialty field.

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

If the laid off employee is paid for unused vacation, how does that affect the UI weekly checks?

It's state specific, and I don't know for MA or NY. We don't have a lot of traffic from either state for me to know or remember. Some treat it as being unemployed because you don't have a job to go to when the vacation is over. Other states pretend that you're still employed while on "vacation," and delay the start of your benefits.

Just plan for a week by week delay to the start of your benefits for each week of vacation that you receive, and if it doesn't affect your UI, then lucky you.

[iamanewuser]

Chyvan! Thank you so much for your reply. Yes, already applied at MA so let see if it's accepted there first. Have no idea if I would be asked to go attend seminar at NY equivalent of MassHires..is that's that case it would be great.

Not sure if me being in NY and remote would have any adverse impact on seeking UI benefits from MA..although the employer is based in MA.

About applying for jobs, I would think one can apply for them online using the job search engines Monster etc and can choose any criteria like location, rate/salary preferences etc and it doesn't need to be in MA (the state where one seeks UI benefits)?

Looks like biggest delay is usually from employer responding to the UI department's verification request. I got the monetary determination one day after applying online (seems like an automated process) so not getting my hope high but let see. Thinking if I should let employer or HR know to expedite things or keep an eye out fro incoming request from UI..or maybe let the sleeping dogs lie!

Thanks again for your reply and appreciate your time!

[Rabrrita]

If you received a Monetary Determination and all your wages were properly showing for the base period, your former employer paid into the MA system so you shouldn't have any issues with them accepting the claim.

[Chyvan]

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

About applying for jobs, I would think one can apply for them online using the job search engines Monster etc and can choose any criteria like location, rate/salary preferences etc and it doesn't need to be in MA (the state where one seeks UI benefits)?

You can apply on line. Just save the email responses as proof.

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

Looks like biggest delay is usually from employer responding to the UI department's verification request. I got the monetary determination one day after applying online (seems like an automated process) so not getting my hope high but let see. Thinking if I should let employer or HR know to expedite things or keep an eye out fro incoming request from UI..or maybe let the sleeping dogs lie!

How the employer handles your UI claim is their business so long as they follow MA's rules. Leave them alone. You don't want to do anything that makes them want to make up something to complicate things further. They are paying your UI. It's expensive.

[iamanewuser]

So the MA UI website updated with "Quit - Claimant Questionnaire" which asks bunch of questions along the lines of if the applicant quit and what options did the employer give to the applicant/former employee and what did the applicant do to keep the job etc..

Looks like UI must have received the response from employer and they may have stated that the employee quit instead of being laid off.

It also asks about any documents that are related could be uploaded. There's no official separation letter as such from the employer. There's letter stating that remote work option was being cancelled and couldn't continue beyond certain date. Employee can probably state family reasons for not going on-site (spouse's job etc which was the reason for initial move and employee was given the option to work remotely for the employer in MA until cancelled recently).

Little bit concerned that this may not be going in the right direction but maybe too early to say.. I need to word everything very carefully in the response.

Seems like the questionnaire is trying to determine if the employee quit and if that's established, no UI benefits in my opinion but I've no prior experience with this sort of thing.

I would be grateful for any help in this regards. Thank you for your time!!

[Chyvan]

As to the questionnaire, just say you didn't quit, and provide no details.

Originally Posted by iamanewuser

There's letter stating that remote work option was being cancelled and couldn't continue beyond certain date. Employee can probably state family reasons for not going on-site (spouse's job etc which was the reason for initial move and employee was given the option to work remotely for the employer in MA until cancelled recently).

What's this. You made no mention of it in your first post. I thought you had a clean separation.

[iamanewuser]

So from Google searches, it appears that one doesn't need to provide answers to each and every question and Avvo forum (legal advice forum where lawyers reply to public questions) suggests to be sparse on details in responding to the questionnaire since it's not going to be the deciding factor and provide details only when hearing is required. Giving details on the questionnaire would be giving unnecessary ammunition in advance and would be scrutinized profoundly.

As I said new to this, there's lot to learn and be careful in dealing with the situation so as to not ruin the chances of getting UI when IMHO it's warranted.
Thanks for the reply! As far as the separation from job details, sending you PM, I would appreciate it if you could take a look at your convenience.

Does this mean employer is contesting Quit vs. laid off claim? Is this significant? Should I get ready for longer times or is there light at the end of this tunnel? I know no one can say for certain what would be the outcome but fishing for people's experiences and what typically happens in MA (or in general) in such cases.

Originally Posted by Chyvan

As to the questionnaire, just say you didn't quit, and provide no details.




What's this. You made no mention of it in your first post. I thought you had a clean separation.

[iamanewuser]

When requesting weekly UI benefits online, the online website asks for efforts made by the claimant. Among other things it mentions attending seminars or registering with MassCareer centers. I'm in NY how do I do that? They/Mass UI hasn't advised me to attend career seminars in NY or register with their counterpart in NY.

I would appreciate your suggestions in this regard. Thanks!

[Chyvan]

Just register with MassHire. Pretty sure it's online. DUA will eventually tell you to register in NY. Your claim is just too new.