Can I collect in California if I was a temp and found the job was not for me because of distance and domestic reasons?

by Margaret
(Santa Clarita, CA)

I live in Ca. I am currently temping at a job that is about 45 mins away from where I live. I am leaving this job for several reasons. The commute is too long for me. I am expected to work 9-10 hours a day, plus with a 45 minute commute each way, I find it too difficult. Plus, I am a single mother and need to find something closer to my home with fewer hours. Can I collect until I find something?


Hi Margaret,

Have you checked out the the California determination guide? (there's a link to it on this page)

To be able to collect you will need to prove to the state your reasons were compelling enough that a reasonable person "desirous of working" would have done the same.

Just from what you said here...I'm doubtful they will find you have good cause...mostly because you didn't mention anything you've done to try to resolve your problems.

The guide says:

"Good cause" is defined in Title 22, Section 1256-3(b):

"Good cause" exists for leaving work, when a substantial motivating factor in causing the claimant to leave work, at the time of leaving, whether or not work connected, is real, substantial, and compelling and would cause a reasonable person genuinely desirous of retaining employment to leave work under the same circumstances. Generally good cause for leaving work is decided on the facts at the time the claimant left work. Unless there is a timely connection between any alleged reason for leaving and the actual leaving, the employee has waived what might otherwise justify termination of the employment relationship and has negated the required causal connection between any given alleged reason for leaving and leaving. The claimant may submit several reasons for leaving work, some of which, when considered individually, do not constitute good cause. However, if one reason which is good cause is a substantial motivating factor in causing the claimant to leave work, the claimant's leaving is with good cause.


So I suggest you read everything in that guide about "voluntary quits" to see what best fits your situation that the state can consider good cause.

In addition to what I copied and pasted above directly from the guide, you will notice while reading it that to show good cause...most often requires some form of action on your part, prior to quitting, to find a resolution to the problem before you quit.

Both of your reasons, (distance and domestic) are specifically addressed under VQ150 and VQ155 and you can read precedent decisions under these sections here. I didn't include anything about working conditions, but it's there too.