Do I have to accept 1 hour a day employment when I used to work full time? Is this Suitable Work?

by Jeanette
(Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits)

I was employed full time (@ 7 am - 3 pm / 5 days a week). My position was furloughed, and I applied for unemployment compensation. I just received a certified letter from my former employer offering me a part time job for 1 hour a day (with a different job title than my former job). Do I have to accept this job in order to receive unemployment compensation? My gut feeling is that this is not "suitable employment" based on the hours I used to work. However, I want to make sure that if I do not accept the offer that I am not giving up my right to collect UC in the state of Pennsylvania.

THANKS!



Hi Jeanette,

The amount of hours you work isn't the best thing .. at least in my opinion to determine what is suitable work .. although less hours is good for collecting partial benefits when hours are reduced or a substantial, permanent, unilateral reduction in hours can be good cause to quit ..

I would prefer comparing what you use to do with what you have been offered and the rate of compensation. Prior experience and training and the rate of pay expected for a job can be researched at the BLS.

Denial of unemployment benefits come frequently, when an employer just protests your benefits by saying that you you refused an offer of continuing or suitable work.

This is really what you need to guard against.

The disqualification for refusal is usually similar to a voluntary quit disqualification. Therefore, If I were to refuse a job based upon the fact that I do not think it is "suitable work" for me .. I'm going to be able to throw as much documentation as I can throw at the UI dept. in an effort to prove any employer's protest was generalized and way off base.

And I'm going to start searching or trying to create this proof that defines an offer or the new conditions of employment of the job I was offered .. before I refuse the offer .. not after.

Overkill? Maybe, maybe not, but why mess around if I have to rely on unemployment benefits to eat.

Chris