2 jobs and un-employment

by laura
(san diego, ca)

Hi - I work 2 jobs - 1 full time one 10 hrs a week(just a fun job) I am getting laid off my full time 40 hr a week job. the fun job barely pays for my gas(60 miles round trip) and I earn about $88 a week from it.
From what i read my ui earnings will be reduced from the fun job . this does not seem fair to me. they are 2 separate jobs. why would i be motivated to work the fun job if this is the case? i live in California - thanks




Hi Laura,

Well let me give you a reason why you should be motivated to keep that "fun job" after you get laid off.

First, the earnings from it are also used to compute your weekly benefit amount .. and secondly, if you quit that "fun job" subsequent to getting laid off .. you'll most likely lose any unemployment benefits .. because the last separation controls the claim from then on.

Seriously, if you plan on quitting any part-time job you should do it well before you are laid off .. to avoid the quit becoming an issue for the rest of your benefits.

As far as motivation .. CA would first disregard the higher of $25 or one-quarter of your weekly part-time wages before they start reducing your weekly benefit amount.

The motivation is that 25 percent extra you could bring home each week in addition your WBA.

Unemployment has a lot of rules that can end benefits for those not "motivated" to work.

You might want to check out the Q&A's about quitting a part-time job to read stories about those who didn't think it would matter when they had been laid off from their full-time job.

Chris