by karen
(maryland)
I was collecting benefits up until my temp agency called with a job offer. The job was 25 miles away from home one-way. I declined the interview and was called by the unemployment office and then a phone interview as to why? Unemployment has now sent me a letter stating that they are denying me further employment benefits because I refused the job due to excessive driving. I thought if offered a job and that it wasn’t compatible with last job you could just decline and move to the next offer without losing the benefits. I live in the state of Maryland. Can they do this. The commute was almost 2 hours a day?
Hi Karen,
Refusal of suitable work is cause for stopping unemployment benefits.
And since your most recent employment was with a temp agency your refusal was reported to the Maryland DLLR to avoid being charged for any benefits paid to you if, or should, the temp agency be charged as a base period employer.
Here’s the Maryland unemployment decision digest and specifically the information dealing with suitable work.
The unfortunate part is it would be a more valuable research tool if all decisions were linked. It might explain that some precedent decisions are what contain all the things that might be considered when it comes to what is suitable .. including the mileage cutoffs that make an offer of work unsuitable.
Appeal. Just make sure it’s timely.
Then, use the digest to find out how and if you can argue your refusal was indeed due to unsuitability of the distance or because the combination of whatever the pay was caused an onerous financial burden on you of getting to and fro.
Distance is just one element of what can deem offered work suitable or unsuitable and it also can depend on the individuals circumstances.
Good luck with the argument to get your unemployment benefits reinstated.
Chris