Am I eligible to collect unemployment benefits?

by desperate

(PA)

Both of my parents passed away within two weeks of each other last month. I took a week of bereavement time after each passing. I am four months pregnant and my husband and I just moved into a new house last month also. As a customer service representative I am completely overwhelmed at work and my coworker just went on disability last week for several weeks. With everything that is happening I can not sleep, cry constantly, can not focus and am extremely depressed. I have missed several days of work because the stress of being there is making me sick and I was told today I should take FMLA time. The problem is that the situation at work (stress, over work, constant coworker interruptions) will not be any different no matter how long I take off. I have been told to see a psychiatrist to help me begin working through these issues. If I leave am I eligible to collect unemployment?

No you won’t be eligible.

You can quit .. if that is what will make it all better at least to the point you can deal with all the other stresses you have in your life right now.

But you just had to include collecting unemployment in the equation which changes everything. ..

Nobody that decides unemployment eligibility will decide to circumvent how these situation have to progress if you want to be eligible.

Not for you .. not for me .. not even for people fighting cancer or nursing a spouse with cancer while they still perform their jobs while under stress.

Take the advice. See a psychiatrist, take the FMLA and stop thinking about hurdling hurdles you can’t see yet, but assume will be there.

Just concentrate on getting through today .. everyday until you can see things clearly again.

Chris

Comments for Am I eligible to collect unemployment benefits?

Be hopeful…

by: Heather

While each of you is fighting a battle which seems never ending and as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel, continue the fight. I personally believe that some individuals are denied despite actually qualifying. I also believe that if you can find the right individual to argue for you and on your behalf, you may come up with a different result. I quit a job simply because I was going to be terminated. I received my unemployment benefits without even going to a hearing because I had documents which proved that the reasons I would have been fired were falsified. Continue looking for other employment as that is probably the best solution-just to get another job. But until you have another job- DO NOT GIVE UP! It will be worth your time and effort if you do win and you are not any worse off fighting to advocate for yourself, than you already are. Fight for the possibilities despite the fact that they may not be the probability.

Unemployment

by: Peggy from IL

Hi desperate,

Chris is so right in her advise. I quit my job 2/2010, but only after numerous months of collecting emails & making documents that my employer was causing me serious medical problems, along with making threats to employees and sexual harsmnt. Very very difficult working environment. But if you don’t document, you will not have any case. I’m so sorry to hear about the deaths in your family & being pregnant on top of that. You have to take care of yourself & try to do something to cope with that stress so that you don’t medically get more intense & it hurts the baby. If you can afford the FMLA then take it because you need to get your self together. You are dealing with too much stress. It’s so unfortunate that for anyone to quit you have to have every duck in a row! I follow Chris’s stories and know it must be difficult for you. I just wanted to say best wishes to you & keep in touch on what you choose to do & remember that you and the baby are #1; not your employer!

You won’t get it if you quit

by: Susan from Ky

Trust me, I’ve been fighting for unemployment since March after quitting a extremely stressful job where I was constantly bullied by a supervisor. I was told by my doctor to quit after having a panic attack at work and dramatic weight loss. I had documentation of all of this and provided it at my hearing. I’ve been denied benefits every time I appealed. My only hope is to appeal to my county’s circuit court. It’s been just as stressful if not more trying to get my unemployment. It would benefit you to find another job before you quit that one. It sucks, but they don’t care what the situation you are in if you quit a job during these hard times. Good luck.