should i file for an appeal???

by Dustyn
(Pea Ridge Arkansas U.S.)

I quit a teaching job in Missouri to follow my wife to Arkansas after she received a job that paid almost twice as much as we both make. I asked my employer if I could be released out of my contract early and they agreed to let me if a suitable replacement was found. This took about two months but everything went good and they released me on "good" terms-no dispute. I then moved to join my family in Arkansas were I ended up be an on call substitute for a local school. I worked as a substitute for 5 months until the school year ended. I then looked for work but none being found i filed for unemployement. Arkansas told me to file through Missouri since all my quarter earnings were made there. I filed and they went through a huge process with phone interviews and sending me a paper to fill out that had my circumstances to be addressed so the committee could make a decision. They denied me for reason of quitting? How is this when I worked in Arkansas as a substitute for 5 months and the job ended. What do I need to do and with whom Arkansas or Missouri? Thanks, Dustyn


Hi Dustyn,

Here's the problem. When you quit the teaching job in Missouri it was without good cause .. because the one provision that may apply when quitting to follow a spouse, involves working for the federal government??? Arkansas also doesn't have a provision that would work for you either.


But since you have had subsequent employment I also checked on the disqualifications for voluntary quits.

Missouri, requires that you earn 10 times your weekly benefit amount and then have a qualifying separation from the subsequent work and Arkansas requires that you have at least 30 days of covered work.

So, I think your appeal should be based on the fact that you have satisfied the disqualification .. if you have. This would require payroll records.

I should also probably address the "base period". This is the period of time that wages are looked back at to establish your weekly benefit year. It's the first 4 of the last five COMPLETED quarters .. relative to the date the claim is filed. If you filed your claim between April 1, and up until June 30, the base would be 1-1-08 through 12-31-08.

But irregardless of all this .. the last separation is the controlling separation as far as whether you are qualified for unemployment. So I need to ask if you have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work in the fall. I'm sure you know there are special unemployment rules for teachers and school districts.

If Missouri continues to deny, I believe you may file a claim in Arkansas. You cannot double dip, but now that you do have wages in Arkansas there should be no reason you cannot file a claim .. especially after 6-30.

If you're wondering where I find this information .. It's at the USDOL