we are moving to California and my wife and i are looking into the possibility of her getting unemployment. per nj by laws she is eligable but will the hassle be worth it? any help or experience is appreciated!

What is the hassle? So you have to fill out some paperwork...

getting paid approx 60% of your previous wages for 5 mins of work once a week (some states, once every 2 weeks)? Definately worth it! As soon as you get to your next duty station. You file the paper work. Then you have a waiting week and then the money starts coming in. You would file with the state she is leaving. If you need more info let me know. I have done it everytime we have moved, due to my husband's PCS orders.

Do we have to wait untill we get to the new duty station? as here last day of work was this past friday and we won't be in cali untill the 10th, and then we'll be busy unpacking due to time contsraints with the truck hauling our goods.

I think you want to go ahead and file as soon as possible. Her company should have given her the forms when they gave her last check, etc. In CA, you are not eligible to collect $$ for one week after you leave the job, but I believe you can file immediately. I would file sooner rather than later, because it does take some time to process, and I would hate to think of you missing any money because you waited to file.

You will want to check with the state first before you file. The last two times I did it the states said I had to wait until I got to our new PDS. Their reasoning was this. To qualify for unemployment you have to be eligible to work. If you are still at your old PDS or in route, you are not eligible to work. I didnt realize this the first time, so they paid me from the time i quit and then ended up taking the money back for the time prior to me arriving at the new PDS. Most states have a seperate department for the out of state moves. They usually have a hotline you can call and ask what their rules are. I didnt file in California though so maybe your one of the lucky ones and can file now! That would be cool!

Thanks for the info! We'll be filing in jersey if they allow prior to us going to cali! thanks again, when i find out i'll let you know what they say.

I just relocated to Fort Bragg from New York in December and filed for unemployment, but my last employer is denying me. Any idea how I can fight this?

I'm surprised the other ladies were even able to get unemployment. I had been told that it was only for being laid off or getting fired for inability to perform the duties of a job. I always thought that voluntary unemployment did not make one eligible for unemployment.

This is probably why your previous employer is fighting it. It sounds like you voluntarily left the company so there is no reason for the employer to pay you not to work.

You are also usually not eligible for unemployment if you are fired for cause. If you are supposed to deliver mail and decide just to throw it in a dumpster so you don't have to work as hard (I knew someone that did that) then the company has cause to fire you and doesn't have to pay unemployment.

The one time that I was fired, the employer originally fought it but then backed off and paid it because they could not come up with a viable reason why I was fired (the director didn't like my sense of humor I think).

Many states now consider moving because of a spouse's military pcs as leaving your job through no fault of your own. I want to say that it was in March 2008 that this changed here in Texas.

Contact your state's unemployment office for information on how to fight the denial or file an appeal.

That sounds reasonable because it is really not by choice that the spouses have to leave their jobs. It would not surprise me though it not all states have made that change.

According to West Point's WMR webpage:
"If you are a military spouse who had to quit your job to follow a military member on a PCS move to West Point, you may be eligible to collect unemployment benefits…. Be sure to have a copy of the military members’ PCS orders. When you leave West Point for another duty location, if you have worked in NY State and move as a result of the military members PCS, you will be eligible to receive benefits from New York State". My husband is at Fort Bragg, not West Point, but it should all be under the umbrella of the military. New York State denied me unemployment when I relocated due to PCS orders to Fort Bragg, claiming I quit my job "without good cause". Trust me, I filed a dispute. I'll post the outcome when I have one.

does anyone know far in advance of the PCS a mil spouse can resign from their employment and still qualify for unemployment benefits? we are scheduled to detach in June 09 but until then the ship will be out 90% of the time and I sure could use some extra time to get the house in order but don't want to resign too soon and lose out on unemployment.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyWife27:
What is the hassle? So you have to fill out some paperwork...

Actually, it is a hassle and you have to be proactive and persistent...but it is worth it.

I currently am on unemployment. I sort of relate it to being a mil spouse. I moved to Virginia 1/08. Started working at a law firm 3/08, was laid off b/c of lack of work 12/08. I kind of relate this to military because I was the last hire, had we not PCS'd, I wouldn't have been new to the area and be the last hire. No biggy, I deal with it.

Anyway, I applied for unemployment on January 2nd. Got the letter in the mail that it was approved and how much I'll be getting. Ok, I know that the first week is held, but 3 weeks later and no check. So last Sunday, I called the automated number and found out that my claim is on hold for an "unresolved issue". Ok, nice of them to tell me.

So, this past Monday, I called the main number to get a real person on the phone. (You can't get a real person on the weekends.) I was on hold for an hour and 19 minutes before I got someone. I wasn't about to give up even though I was using up cell phone minutes. (We have no landline.) So I find out from the real person that my claim was on hold because I misunderstood a question and put a "yes" instead of a "no". Ok. Problem resolved.

Today is the 29th of the month, I originally filed on the 2nd of this month, and I checked my bank account and the check is now in there. (Retroactive of the past weeks they owed me.) Had I not been proactive and followed up, it probably would have taken months for them to get back to me, if they did at all.

Each state has different rules. More and more states are becoming sensitive to the military spouse issue of frequent relocations. In Virginia, where I live, you have to have at least 2 job contacts per week and keep track of them. When you file your weekly claim, you have to add in all of your job contacts that you had that week. (name, address, phone number, outcome of the contact). They will randomly check up on your contacts to make sure they are not just made up. You cannot file your weekly claim without giving up your job contacts.

Bottom line is that it is very frustrating but don't give up.

I quit my well-paying job when my hubby was transferred. You can apply online and it's super easy. It's very much worth it. It doesn't pay that much, but it's still money.

Actually in New Jersey you have to call in if your a military spouse since they will need your PCS orders. If you do it online and state u quit its a longer process and will be denied and you will have to appeal. In New Jersey the law was passed about 2 years ago for Military spouses. Also if she decides to go back to school at the new location and its approved school by that state's unemployment for training she can get up to a 12 months of approved unemployment from New Jersey. Tell her to call and get all the information.

ok all, fingers crossed!

We PCSd to Guam from CA in January and I left my 51k/yr gig to find that it's nearly impossible to find work on this tiny island!

Thanks to this forum - I learned that I could apply to California for Unemployment benefits (I thought that since the not quite US but not overseas territory of Guam doesn't have UI that I was out of luck - but now I see that I was thinking of it backwards).

I just mailed off my first claim form - hopefully I'll be getting $450 a week for a little while....it's the first time I've gotten unemployment since I started working at 16. I really hope it all works out!

Thanks to all of you for the information!!!!

I will be leaving Ft Hood,TX and PCSing to Ft Jackson in July. Do I file unemployment with Texas or SC?

You'd file with TX - since that's where you've been employed. Be sure to check out their site asap, but you can't really file until you get moved.