Unemployment & Pensions

[patramco1]

I hope someone out there can answer a question for me. Is it possible to retire, collect a pension from a craft union, work as supervision for a contractor a couple of outages a year, and when not working, collect unemployment from Mass. and not be penalized for the pension?

[rocknrollrick]

There's a couple more things you need to supply age? How old you are makes a difference.
How much money a month your pension is? You can work and draw your pension both being subject to tax. As far as unemployment unless your pension is really small it goes agianst unemployment and has to be declared. Each state is different you just need to call Mass and they would be able to help you. More than likely though you won't be eligible to draw with your pension.
Hope this helps.

[Already Gone]

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=dlwdconstituent&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Claimants&sid=Edwd

Try this link.

[scottt66]

what are the top five highest paying states for unemployment thanks !!!!

[Rennhack]

Why do you need to know 5?  YOu only need to know the #1 top paying state, right?

Well, Mass is #1, and Washington State is #2.

[UncaBuffalo]

Why do you need to know 5?  YOu only need to know the #1 top paying state, right?

Well, Mass is #1, and Washington State is #2.

I'm sitting in the WA unemployment office right now...wanted to make sure I had everything they need so I would be able to apply next Monday when my old claim runs out...

BUT, I think I will fly out to Massachusetts instead, because:
1.  WA is making you take all the 'orientation', 'resume-writing', etc classes if you file here.
2.  MA gives a (for me) more lenient 'Base Period' (they can look at current quarter, if needed...).
3.  MA pays $600/wk (max) vs. WA's $515/wk.
4.  MA pays 30 weeks (max) vs. WA's 26 weeks.

[UncaBuffalo]

Why do you need to know 5?

I know people who prefer to file in Pennsylvania, due to Penn allowing you to max-out on a lower wage total...

(I believe the numbers they were kicking around for receiving maximum was about $18,000/base-period in Penn vs. $30,000/base-period in Mass)

[Already Gone]

Well, that's just simple math.

Your weekly benefit is 1/2 of your average weekly earnings.  That is, they add up your total for the two highest quarters, divide that by 26 and there's your weekly average.  They divide that by 2 to get your UI benefit amount.  So, figure: 2 x 26 x 601 = $31,256.  So, the requirement to make $30,000 during your base period is really moot, because you have to have made more than that during your two highest quarters to max out anyway.

If you made $18,000 for the whole year, the highest weekly you can get is  $346 (assuming you made it all in your two high quarters).  If that is max, it isn't such a great max.  You could theoretically get more from Mass. without maxing out. In fact, if you made the same $18,000 but filed in Mass., you would get the same $346 - but you would get it for four more weeks every year than in PA.

[LaFeet]

As  for the retiement pention aspect, I am collecting a military pention and it does NOT affect the amount of money I receive from Mass.

[UncaBuffalo]

Well, that's just simple math.

Your weekly benefit is 1/2 of your average weekly earnings.  That is, they add up your total for the two highest quarters, divide that by 26 and there's your weekly average.  They divide that by 2 to get your UI benefit amount.  So, figure: 2 x 26 x 601 = $31,256.  So, the requirement to make $30,000 during your base period is really moot, because you have to have made more than that during your two highest quarters to max out anyway.

If you made $18,000 for the whole year, the highest weekly you can get is  $346 (assuming you made it all in your two high quarters).  If that is max, it isn't such a great max.  You could theoretically get more from Mass. without maxing out. In fact, if you made the same $18,000 but filed in Mass., you would get the same $346 - but you would get it for four more weeks every year than in PA.

Hey Troy...

I just researched PA unemployment and:

1.  They don't base their weekly payment off an average of two quarter, only off the highest quarter. (see http://www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/cwp/view.asp?a=357&q=236806 )

and

2.  They only require that 20% of your base period wages be in another quarter...


Yes?  No? 

[Already Gone]

I just read that info.  Apparently, to "max" out at $539/week, you need to earn a total of $21,480 during your base year.

Most of us do that.

You also need to have $13,413 in your high quarter.

Many of us do that also.

But, most of us are also eligible for the Massachusetts max of $600/week; and some of us can take home an additional $25, 50, 75, .... for having dependents.

It only makes sense to file your claim in Pennsylvania if you had a very low annual income and 80% of it all in one quarter.  If you earned < $25k, earned at least $50 in each of 18 weeks, earned most of your money in one quarter, collect for 26 or fewer weeks, and have no children, you may take home more money from PA than from MA.

For most of us, it is still Massachusetts.

[Carls256]

There's a couple more things you need to supply age? How old you are makes a difference.
How much money a month your pension is? You can work and draw your pension both being subject to tax. As far as unemployment unless your pension is really small it goes agianst unemployment and has to be declared. Each state is different you just need to call Mass and they would be able to help you. More than likely though you won't be eligible to draw with your pension.
Hope this helps.