Moving from New Jersey to Illinois for husbands grad school work, would I qualify for unemployment?

by Lauren
(South Jersey)

Hello,

In January my husband and I will be moving from southern New Jersey to outside Chicago, IL as he is accepted to a 4 year graduate study program. Before the economy slowed down we had only small worries of being able to find an occupation in the Marketing field which I have four years of full time experience in, as well as my bachelors degree in. I will most likely be leaving my company on December 23, 2009 as his school starts promptly after the New Years holiday.

We have both attempted to find answers on a subject like this online but have found little that deals with this type of case. Luckily to date, neither of us have ever needed to use unemployment but now the pending move has us worried that although we will both try our best to find something for me we may not because of the current state of the economy.

Thank you very much for any information you can provide!



Hi Lauren,

I'm having to check each state now because this issue of quitting to follow a spouse is one of the issues a state may modernize to get additional stimulus monies.

Currently, quitting to follow a spouse is possibly qualifying in NJ if your spouse is a member of the military.

Here is NJ's information about voluntary quits.


States do not like to give unemployment for quitting due to personally compelling reasons because along with a provision that allows the payment of benefits .. a corresponding provision "NON-CHARGING the employer usually follows suit .. to keep unrest down amongst employing units.

So, this is why, even when a state does allow for benefits for personally compelling reasons the claimant must STILL show that they first sought alternatives to quitting. Which quite frankly, most people don't know they have to do first.

You'll notice the term on the NJ website "good cause connected with the work". This is key, and it means that even though your reasons for moving to follow a spouse may be personally compelling there may be an alternative approach which MIGHT make the quit become attributable to the employment.

There are some examples that have been and could be used as a workaround to this problem.

Does the employer have suitable work for you in Illinois that makes a transfer a workable solution to your problem? If they do you should pursue a transfer.

Does the company that you work for allow others or would they consider allowing you to telecommute.

If you you cannot find a way to make your quit attributable to the work you will be dead in the water.

Chris