Should I appeal my Monetary Determination

by Kyle Smith
(Elizabethton TN )

My name is Kyle, I was recently laid off due to Lack of Work in Elizabethton Tn.

I recently filed for unemployment on 10/20/08. I was not monetarily eligible for benefits because my average of wages reported in my two highest "quarters" does not equal or exceed $780.01. Now I'm not exactly sure why i should equal or exceed this set average and how this amount was determined for my situation, but however my "quaterly total" was $767.50. I'm not sure if this was an automatic denial and was not looked into closer by an individual that I was denied because i was $12.56 short of what they wanted me to equal or exceed. I have never applied for UI before and I'm not sure of how anything works. I was never given an opportunity to explain and I noticed your web site and Id be grateful for your time and consideration. I want to make an appeal because I found this to be unjust to my situation. Any information you could give me for my appeal will be greatly appreciated...

i filed In Elizabethton, TN and I have read all the criteria for UI Benefits. I meet all Of them. So I guess this was the only problem on my determination.

Thank You Sincerely,
Kyle Smith


A.

Kyle, you are having a problem many people that are laid off are having. You should be getting an unemployment check, but you either didn't make enough money to qualify monetarily, or you had been out of work and did not work long enough at your new job before you were laid off.


You live in Tennessee so here's what you need there to be monetarily eligible. >780.00 (780.01) in your high quarter. This is the minimum, plus you need the lesser of 6 x the Weekly Benefit Amount (wba) or $900 outside the high quarter.

Tennessee uses this formula: Multiple of Weekly Benefit Amount, the state first computes the worker’s weekly benefit
amount. The worker must have earned a multiple–often 40–of this amount during the base period. For
example, if a worker’s weekly benefit amount equals $100, then the worker will need base period earnings of 40
times $100–or $4,000–before any UI would be paid. Most states also require wages in at least two quarters.
Some states have weighted schedules that require varying multiples for varying weekly benefits.

Tennessee determines that your base period is the first four of the last five completed quarters. This means they are looking at the wages you earned from 7/1/07 through 6/30/08 because this quarter Oct-Dec 08 is not completed so it doesn't count.

You can try to requalify 1/1/09 if you haven't found another job yet.

And if you don't think companies understand this and that the timing of layoffs are not planned. Think again. It stinks, it's a cheap shot, and points out just one of the fundamental flaws in the unemployment system.

Who the heck can wait 2-3 months for some income. Once you become reemployed and the longer you stay employed the more their exposure decreases.

Sorry I didn't have better news.

Chris