Can you quit and get unemployment due to a medical issue until you find a new job?

by Terri
(Florida)

I got a job doing Customer Service Call Center work from home. The job was perfect - or so I thought. Sitting 8 hours a day for 40 hours a week has started giving me severe back pain. A Orthopedic Dr told me I have degenerative Disc Disease and need to find a different job. I have been cutting back my hours whenever possible due to the pain. The company has also just added to our job, troublesooting all Home Theater problems. I know nothing about electronics. I have been reading every educational thing they send to us to prepare us to do this additional task. I can't even program my dvd player that I've had for years. I am trying - but I am clueless and upsetting the customers by not being able to understand their problem and help them through it. Can I quit & get UI either for no longer being competent enough to do the job or due to the medical issues I am having?


Hi Terri,

You of course would have to first seek accommodation from the employer to comply with what the doctor says would help your condition.

As for the other issue of being asked to learn how to troubleshoot home theater problems .. that's iffy. I think the safest course there would be to tell the employer you do not feel qualified to do the job. Explain that you are doing that part of your job to the best of your ability, but you don't understand electronics .. and your best is causing customers to complain and document everything you do in an attempt to resolve this with the employer, such as finding a more appropriate customer service area which you are competent in.