I think I may be denied unemployment for refusal of employment because the hours weren't doable hours.- Illinois

by Stephanie
( IL Unemployment Benefits)

I think I may be denied unemployment for refusal of employment because the hours weren't doable hours.

I was laid off on 1/6/09 due to the economy. I was a staffing consultant for a staffing service. My ex co-worker text me--not called me on 1/16/09 regarding a temporary 3 week position. I stated via text message that i could not take the job due to the hours. My hours while I worked at the staffing agency were 8-5:30pm when I started in May.

Once my daughter started back to school my hours were changed to 8:30-5:30pm because I am a single mother and have to drive my daughter to school. The staffing service tried to offer me a position where the hours were 8-4:30pm; knowing I would not be able to take the position due to me needing to take my daughter to school. the staffing service turned this into to the UI office as a refusal of work. I have seen my old boss due this to many people to try to get out of paying unemployment benefits. I feel that I have shown good cause for refusing this offer.

I had my hearing but the gentleman conducting the hearing was not very nice. I even turned in my phone records to prove the staffing agency never called me regarding the job offer and standard protocol is to call potential employees for work, not text or email them.

I am a single mother, raising her daughter alone and I am not on any kind of welfare. This is really upsetting me because I feel as though I am being portrayed as someone playing the system.

I don't know what to do.


Hi Stephanie,

Ouch!! A refusal of suitable work is basically treated just like a voluntary quit...and good cause needs to be shown for the refusal.

This hearing you were at...was the employer there also? Or was it a claims adjudicator calling for more information in response to the employer notifying them you had refused suitable work...and refusal with or without good cause is the issue.

If you haven't already..take a look at Illinois publications on the official Illinois unemployment website.

I can't really tell where you are in the process. The gentleman may have been gathering information for a reconsideration. If the employer was on the phone too...it was a hearing and the decision will arrive soon.

Hearing decisions can be appealed, but they are an even more complicated appeal. I strongly you have someone with knowledge and experience with unemployment write any board level appeal.