Retired Military and Unemployment Benefits

As a resident of New Mexico and as of 31 May I am officially retired. I will not receive my first retirement check until 01 July, am I eligible to receive unemployment for one month during the transition from active service and my first retirement check?



Hi,

I don't believe so, but unemployment for ex-service members is covered under it's own program called UCX and some eligibility conditions may differ for you, so don't take my word for it .. because contrary to what some may think .. I don't know everything there is to know about UI benefits.

The state you file in does administers the UCX program for the federal government and it is the states UI statutes that also control many aspects of a claim.

I don't believe you would be entitled because "retirement" is usually considered a voluntary quit without good cause unless there is an exception for "compulsory retirements".

Additionally, the branch of service you retired from becomes your "base period" employer and pensions and retirements from base period employers have the effect of affecting even UI benefits you might otherwise be entitled to.

But should you find a civilian job and it lasts to the point the military is no longer in your base period this might also make it possible to collect benefits should something cause the civilian job to end simply because the military no longer is part of the base period.

Base periods are a very important part of any claim for unemployment benefits and all to do with "monetary issues".

My thought is .. when in doubt apply. The first determination of any claim is the monetary determination based upon your base period wages from your base period employers (Generally, the first four of the last five COMPLETED quarters, relative to the date the claim was filed.)