If I am laid off do to lack of work with a definite return to work date in six months, am i required to search for a job?

by Skip

(Florida)

I will be laid off at the end of dec. due to a lack of work. I have a return to work date of june 1st, am i still required to search for a job to get benefits?

Hi Skip,

What you are asking about is what I know as “job attached status” which does exempt some people from the job search .. but not in all states and I’m pretty sure it isn’t for the full six months in all those states.

I wasn’t sure whether Florida used this kind of status .. so I had to check and the following, which I found at the USDOL, made me suspicious.

FL – quit must have been from temporary employer with the purpose of returning to work immediately when recalled by worker’s former permanent employing unit that temporarily terminated claimant within the previous 6 calendar months.

Just the fact that they make this exception .. made me think exclusion from a job search wouldn’t be allowed for the full six months.

Check the FL statutes for 443.036(42)

A temporary layoff .. it seems, cannot exceed 8 weeks in Florida .. therefore, I assume you cannot be excluded from the usual required job search .. because your layoff is not considered temporary with a RTW date of June 1.