I live in California and need to know if it's to late to appeal a denial of unemployment benefits.

by Ray
(Fresno, California)

I've already had the phone appeal that basically said the store said no. Can I appeal that? I have been unable to find work since then. I worked for the same company for 16 years.
I had no problems at all till I went up for a interview for a manager position and I found out that the other 3 asst managers (men) were paid at least $6.00/hr more than I. I have never had any warnings on my job file.

Then a week after my interview I returned something my husband bought without a receipt valued at less than $10, later that week they pulled me in and told me that they couldn't prove it, but they thought it was stolen and they suspended me a week without pay this was around Labor Day, and they would let me know if I had a job to return to. Well when I came back they said I was lucky I was not being hauled out by the police, but since they couldn't prove it, they would just fire me. Well they denied my unemployment, and it has been pretty darn hard to find any work. I AM NOT A THEIF!


Hi Ray,

I'm having a difficult time determining where you're at in the
process.

You've said some things that makes me think you should probably have filed an EEOC complaint, but there is a time limit to when and if you can do this and if you haven't already passed the deadline..it will be any day now.

If you read the information about the process maybe you can give me a better idea of exactly where you are in it.

It's never the employer that denies unemployment benefits....they just have to show the state agency why they had good cause to fire someone.

An appeal is just the tool that initiates an appeal hearing. The main reason I'm not certain as to where you are in the process is because California primarily conducts hearings in person. They do allow participation by phone due to distance, but I can't tell if you are talking about an initial determination denying you benefits or if you participated in a hearing which would have involved a judge, the employer and you all together at one time where testimony was taken and a decision is rendered by the administrative law judge.

Let me know and I'll be more than happy to help you some more. Just click the link to post a comment to this page.

The date the last piece of paper was mailed saying you were denied would be helpful also.

Chris