I am going to let you in on a little-known secret. When you are terminated from your job, whether it's your fault, or a lay-off from your company, the Human Resource department will almost always fight your unemployment claim. No matter the circumstances regarding your departure, your employer does not want you to get unemployment on their watch.
Even though we all get unemployment insurance taken out of our paychecks when we work, companies must pay into a fund for unemployment insurance as well. And that fund goes up for each former employee that gets unemployment from the state. So it is in the employer's best interest to fight unemployment claims.
Here are six tips to help you fight for your unemployment claim:
Always Appeal
When you receive a denial of unemployment letter, don't give up. Unless you left the position on your own, you probably have grounds to receive unemployment. Make sure you file the appeal following your state's guidelines in the letter you received. Always file within the deadline to make sure that you are able to properly appeal your claim. Taking too much time or not appealing by deadline will make your appeal null and void.
Get Statements
It is always a positive when you have statements or a letter on your behalf from other colleagues or coworkers who can back up your story of events. That may be tricky because your employer may discipline the person who has chosen to speak on your behalf, but the more witnesses you have, the better. A coworker can submit a letter for you anonymously as long as the person working on your case from the unemployment office can verify the statement made.
Submit Facts & Create a Paper Trail
If you have any correspondence from your employer, always submit that with your appeal. This includes termination letters, discipline warnings, etc. If you were given a 90 day probation to correct an issue and were fired before the 90 days was complete, this could be a solid reason for your claim to be granted.
Be Diligent
Continue to file your weekly unemployment paperwork via Internet, mail, or phone via your state's unemployment policy. Doing so will insure that if granted, you get all of the back employment that had been held since you lost your job, and will not cause any additional roadblocks to you getting your money once your claim is won.
Reply on Time
While appealing your unemployment claim, you may receive additional paperwork that has to be submitted. Make sure you complete this paperwork even after you have submitted your appeal letter.
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Questions:
-Have you ever had troubles collecting unemployment?
-What steps did you have to take to ensure that your payments started?
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