Do I qualify for unemployment in the state of Missouri?

by Christy
(Miami Beach, FL USA)

My husband lost his job after 12 years with the same company. Within one month he had an opportunity that he accepted. I had my end of the year review with my boss who stated that in February I was going to be put on straight commission. Even though I had raised my territory to over $600,000 in 2008 from $520,000 in 2007 in this economy. Weighing all of these options...my husband's only option was to move to Florida to accept this position. We just got married in September. So for me to say that I could have kept my job in St. Louis and let him move to Florida would not have been possible. I would not have been able to live on my own with the salary that my boss was going to put me on. If he would've put me on straight commission...I would have gone from making $65,000 to less than $35,000 based on his commission scale. I gave my two weeks notice (verbally) and moved two weeks to the day with my husband to Florida. I received a call from a fellow co-worker stating that he saw all of my filing papers in the office including my social security number, my salary, and the reason that I was filing for unemployment. The accountant left all of these papers out in the office for over a week until he decided to fill them out and return them to the unemployment office. This co-worker said that my

boss and the accountant were laughing at me for even filing for unemployment. They said that since I quit my job that I had no business for even filing. The accountant then bragged that in the last 11 years of being in business...no one has ever been allowed to file for unemployment. I was employed by this company for three years almost to the day. I never meant to cause problems, but I am unemployed and I feel that I have a valid reason. Please let me know if you need additional information. I was employed in St. Louis,MO and am now living in Miami Beach, FL.



Hi Christy,

MO is an attorney state so I am not as familiar with their statutes, but I checked the "nonmonetary chart at the USDOL and it says MO would only find you eligible for moving to follow a spouse if you and your spouse had the same employer.

The other reason you gave of being switched to straight commission hadn't occurred at the time you quit. So even if your decision was influenced by anticipation of this happening I think it is doubtful the state will find in your favor because it wasn't the motivating factor for quitting, but I do think it is the only arguable option you do have. I just doubt your chances for success.

I'm sure the accountant wasn't bragging about not allowing anyone to file, but rather never losing a case when someone claimed unemployment.


Chris

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