If you quit your employment you jeopardize your chances of being eligible for unemployment benefits. If you quit your job you will not be eligible for unemployment benefits unless the quit falls into one of the following categories:
- Good reason caused by the employer (one that would compel an average reasonable worker to quit). A good reason to quit is a reason: (1) that is directly related to the employment and for which the employer is responsible; (2) that is adverse to the worker; and (3) that would compel an average, reasonable worker to quit and become unemployed rather than remaining in the employment. A “good cause” to quit is a reason that is “real, not imaginary; substantial, not trifling; and reasonable, not whimsical.”
- Quit to accept other covered employment with better terms but did not work long enough to have sufficient earnings.
- Your serious illness or injury required you to quit, or to care for an immediate family member due to their illness or disability.
- The job was part-time work, and the wages in your base period are from full-time work that was lost through no fault of your own.
- The employment was unsuitable and you quit within the first 30 days of employment.
- The employment was unsuitable and you quit to enter full-time reemployment assistance training.
- You were notified that you will be laid-off within the next 30 days and you quit before the lay-off date. An applicant who quit employment within 30 calendar days of a notified date of layoff due to lack of work shall be disqualified from benefits through the end of the week that includes the scheduled date of layoff.
- Domestic abuse of you or your minor child required quitting.
- Loss of child care with reasonable efforts made to find new child care.
- Your spouse’s job location changed.
An employee who is discharged for employment misconduct is not eligible to receive unemployment benefit payments. Employment misconduct means any intentional or negligent conduct that either: Displays clearly a serious violation of the standards of behavior the employer has the right to reasonably expect of the employee, or; displays clearly a substantial lack of concern for the employment
Examples of discharges that could potentially make an applicant ineligible are:
- Continued, unexcused absences and/or tardiness
- Using drugs or alcohol on the job
- Breaking company rules
- Intentional neglect of duties
- Insubordination, theft, fighting, or harassment
Examples of discharges that probably won’t make an applicant ineligible include:
- Absence because of illness or injury with proper notice to the employer
- Inability to meet the employer’s performance standards
- Ordinary errors or accidents not due to carelessness or negligence
- Inefficiency
- Honest mistakes or omissions
If an employee is discharged for aggravated employment misconduct the employee will not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Aggravated employment misconduct is any act that is a gross misdemeanor or felony if it affected the employment.
Examples of aggravated employment misconduct:
- Neglect, abuse or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult
- Theft of more than $500
- Assault and battery, arson, sabotage, or embezzlement
Finally, an employee who leaves employment because they are participating in a strike or are a member of a striking union at the establishment where they were employed, are not eligible to receive benefit payment during the strike. Participation includes the failure or refusal to accept and perform available and customary work at the establishment where they were employed.
