Do You Qualify For Unemployment Benefits?

Have you recently quit your job? Were you laid off by your former employer? Did you get fired? Whatever happened, you’re now out of a job. Being unemployed is no fun, but it does happen.

When you’re unemployed and times get rough, life can be a little scary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October of 2015, 5.0% of the US population was unemployed. That’s 7.9 million people who are without work and are actively seeking work. That means that 5 out of every 100 people can’t find a job. Yikes.

How To Budget For Unemployment

If you fall into this category, don’t give up hope. A bit of determination can go a long way in the job search. It also may be a good idea to apply for unemployment benefits as they can make things easier during tough times.

According to LearnVest.com, to qualify for unemployment you must meet two requirements:

1. You are unemployed through no fault of your own
2. You meet your state’s requirements for time worked or wages earned

You must also be actively seeking a new job. Your state determines if you are qualified and can receive unemployment benefits. It’s up to you to do your own research to see if you qualify for unemployment based on where you live. UnemploymentHandbook.com is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to apply for unemployment benefits.

It’s smart to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you are unemployed. You may be turned down, but if you don’t try, you don’t know. A surprising number of qualified people miss out on these benefits. Not everyone is eligible, but many people are.

While writing this post, we stumbled upon an excellent post from Forbes.com titled Unemployment Insurance: Nine Things That May Stop You From Collecting Benefits. This detailed article explores why you may not be able to collect unemployment. This is a must read article. Here are the 9 reasons why they say you may be unable to collect unemployment benefits:

1. Work-Related Misconduct
2. Misconduct Outside Work
3. Turning Down A Suitable Job
4. Failing A Drug Test
5. Not Looking For Work
6. Being Unable To Work
7. Receiving Severance Pay
8. Getting Freelance Assignments
9. Committing Fraud

Unemployment benefits are designed for people who need them. If you are actively seeking a job and you still need help, take advantage of unemployment. It’s there to help you bridge the gap between jobs. The rules are different for every state so do your research. Do you qualify?

15 Reasons Why You’re Still Unemployed

We encourage anyone everyone who is unemployed to visit the JobMonkey JobCenter. There are thousands of active job listings that are updated regularly. Employers need people like you. Stop by to search and apply for you next job.