can i collect the remainder of my original claim for which there is a balance

by john
(south kingstown , ri )

I was collecting unemployment, and still had more money in my claim. I found a job and went back to work, I have since been laid off again, in a very short time 1 month, can i continue to collect the balance of my original claim, or do i have to go through the whole process again ,.. which i fear because my original claim, I was taking home substantially more , than what i project a new claim will yield.


Hi John,

As long as your benefit year hasn't ended you will just have to reopen the claim and continue collecting the balance remaining.

But since you had "subsequent work" since you first filed .. they still must check on the separation from the "most recent work".

It is always the last job that determines if you will continue to get benefits, regardless of which employment those benefits are coming from.

There are legitimate reasons for this. One is because some of us are quite willing to make our way through life of paltry unemployment benefits and therefore do some pretty weird things to not be employed any longer.

Another is because the most recent employer may not be charged for benefits at this time, but if they do become an employer in the "base period" of a new claim which you might need to file .. they would be charged then.

I know, I do run on, but suffice it to say .. if you have an existing claim which hasn't ended yet with a balance and you were laid off which is a "lack of work" .. you will be able to start collecting what you were before you took this last job.

So don't get nervous. It should be just fine.