Unemployment Claims

[retired nuke]

This is going to significantly alter some people's work patterns and/or lifestyles. After reading the rule, it seems it was designed to close a loophole specifically used by a lot of workers with jobs just like contract technicians.

Pilgrim and the Pennsylvania plants are going to become very popular places to go for an outage each year. I can think of a few places that are going to lose out... and some of them can't afford for it to get harder to attract technicians.

Location, location, location.

I see the southern plants getting real hard to staff without the Blue or Atlantic tying in a northern job as part of the deal.

Make sure the northern CWC claim site is first.....

[Already Gone]

Pilgrim is looking good these days.  Or, you could ask Bartlett to hire you for a week to clean their bathrooms at minimum wage every year.  Or, you could work in Mickey D's in Pittsfield for a week every year.  You could even coordinate that so you do it right before you start your claim.  The trick is getting laid-off from McDonalds without quitting.
Maybe I ought to open a lawn mowing business in Massachusetts.  Looks like I can find a lot of employees to mow those lawns really cheap.
How do you all feel about bringing your own mowers up north?  You could always rent one for a week.

[jowlman]

Maybe Bartlett should take a page from the Numanco playbook and start paying all of our wages through Mass. Eric are you listening to this?

[Rob143]

Maybe Bartlett should take a page from the Numanco playbook and start paying all of our wages through Mass. Eric are you listening to this?

Pointless endeavor.  They're not looking for wages paid from the state.  They're looking for employment IN the state.  I'm disappointed by this change, and hope the new labor department might reverse it, but honestly we all knew this was coming eventually.  We basically have two options after January 6, 2009.  1) Work in Massachusetts during your base year.  2) File for unemployment elsewhere in a state we actually worked in.  As was mentioned PA might be a good second choice given its 5 plants and $539/week max.  It's not $628 but it still beats states in the $200's & $300's.

[Already Gone]

That is not how it works.  UI is based on wages REPORTED to a state.  It doesn't matter if you worked there at all.  So, if Bartlett were to report all wages as paid in MA, you could either file a normal UI claim in MA, or you could file an interstate claim from your home state against MA.

This only affects the workers who file CWC in MA.  If you live there, this doesn't hurt you at all.

Considering how much this would cost, I don't think Bartlett would do it.  Of course, they ARE ALREADY paying for most of their employees to collect from MA, so the cost would not likely increase, and the reporting of wages would get a lot easier.

Eric, what do you think?  How would that change your FUTA and SUTA rates?  Would it change them at all?

[hamsamich]

what is the minimum amount of money you need to earn in a state to qualify TO FILE THERE?  Can I go hang drywall in Mass for a day, report the income, then be all set?  there has to be a way around this!

[thenukeman]

Bartlett would have a good barganing chip if they paid from Massachusetts for their Techs.  Good Idea BeerCourt. I have basically a permanent job,  But have worked for Bartlett before and they treated me well!!  If I had this option I would really try to get an Outage or DOE work from Bartlett versus some other  company!!!  Could  they make this an option??

[RADBASTARD]

I hope when we work in brazil they pay our taxes to mass.

[KEVIO]

I have another week left on my benefits here in Ohio and then I would have to open a new claim because the time period was up, even though I still have money left for the year. Am I eligible to go to Mass and apply for unemployment there?

[hamsamich]

You have to have earnings in the last 4 qtrs (from the day you plan to claim) never used by OHIO unemp.  If you do, you are eligible until the new law is in effect (must have worked in claiming state), but if you don't have 2 quarters with a combined earnings of around 30,000$, don't go to Mass.  Go to PA if you have 2 available quarters that are much lower than 30k.  It is easier to max out in PA, and it is still pretty high weekly payout.  Plus it is closer to ohio!

2 qtrs combined about 20k, go to PA.
2 qtrs combined about 30k, go to MA.

[let-it-ride]

What are the rules about getting unemployment when you retire?
Can you do it, what things should you know or have done, etc.

[stownsend]

I was wondering if Ashley Dupre (associate of Elliot Spitzer) who worked in multiple states and now because of the media has to stay home and collect unemployment insurance is elliglible to file in Mass.
Can anyone please advise this poor girl.She can type three words a minute!

[Already Gone]

You can get UI while drawing a pension, but the states rules for this are all different.  You need to have returned to work after retiring to establish a new base period based on the new employment.
Retirement itself is usually not a qualifying condition for UI.  In most cases it is a voluntary separation.  so, you need to go and get laid off from somewhere.  But just working a couple of weeks after retirement won't get you  much, because the employer you retired from will have the right to contest your UI.  So, any wages or pension that you got from them won't count.
But, it all depends on a lot of things.  I, for instance, will get a small pension from a company that I will not have worked for for over 25 years when I do retire.  That company will be irrelevant in determining my UI.
This is one where you need to check with the state where you plan to file and ask them what their rules are.

[let-it-ride]

Thanks for the info on retirement. I was misinformed I guess.
Was told that it was a little easier to do.
Thanks

[nuke_girl]

Also, once you have exhausted your benefits in PA..there is a recording when you call in about Pres. Bush authorizing an extra 13 weeks of benefits there. This does not apply to seasonal workers filing from interstate claims unless you are a resident of PA. I was told to report back to the state of my residence to apply for benefits there.

no problem doing this, i just didnt realize i wouldnt qualify.
just passing alsong the info

[SloGlo]

i thaught the extenshun wuz for every buddy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27821595/

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1637524620080417

[RAD-GHOST]

Big changes in Mass as of January 10th, 2009!  Better get it while you can!

RG   

[roadhp]

Yeah, RG, just got my letter in the mail, "effective January 11, 2009 and after, you cannot file a Combined-Wage Claim with Massachusetts as the "Paying State" unless you had employment and earned wages in Massachusetts during the base period (the four completed calendar quarters prior to filing), regardless of whether you traveled to be physically present here."  Bummer.

[hamsamich]

Dose this letter happen to specify a minimum the in-state wages have to be and a minimum work time to be eligible to file?

[roadhp]

No, just that "the claimant has wages and employment in that State's base period(s) and the claimant qualifies for unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of that State using combined wages and employment."  The other bummer is when switching from MA to PA, you lose a quarter's worth of employment the first time.  MA includes the last full quarter completed, first four out of the last five, while PA skips a quarter before it starts its base period.

[vikingfan]

is the change a federal change or just a change in MA state guidelines for unemployment insurance ?

[roadhp]

Unfortunately, it is Federal.  It says that,"since this is a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration ruling, all States must follow this amendment.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

   ..."Dear Combined Wage Claimant:

         The US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration amended the regulations governing combined wage claims filed under the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation Program.
         Beginning January 6, 2009, the definition of "Paying State", when filing a Combined Wage Claim, has been changed...
      ...this means, effective January 6, 2009 onward, that in order to file a Combined Wage Claim, you must have had employment and earned wages in the paying state's base period.
         This notice is to inform you that for new claims effective January 11, 2009 and after, you cannot file a Combined Wage Claim with Massachusetts as the "Paying State" unless you had employment and earned wages in Massachusetts during the base period (the four completed calender quarters prior to filing), regardless of whether you traveled to be physically present here.
         Since this is a US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration ruling, all States must follow this amendment."

      ...received by paper mail...
        ...Mon, Nov 25, 08...

[RAD-GHOST]

Looks like Pilgrim will be a high demand assignment!

There are several other states that pay in the low to mid $500.00 per week.

Some of them have had this rule in place for well over a year.

Happy Hunting..............RG!

[hrdwrkndg]

What if you live in Ma. but still don't work in the state??