Unemployment Victory

So here’s the big story with the unemployment. I worked for a staffing company from January through March. Then was laid off. Found another job about six weeks later, through a different company, and had a start date 2 weeks later, on April 30. I accepeted and after a few days, Company A called me up again, and offered me another position starting immediately, but at a lower rate of pay. I worked there for about a week and then gave 2 days notice, then started back with Company B right on time. Laid off from there in early August, filed unemployment claim immediately afterward.

Ok fast forward. After my unemployment claim was completed and they weren’t giving me any more money, I got a notice in the mail saying that I quit my job voluntarily, so I’d have to pay back ALL of my unemployment claim (which included the third position). Ridiculous. Actually, I had completely forgotten about that one week interim position, and didn’t even mention it on the unemployment claim.

Filed an appeal and had a telephone hearing on Friday. Really nervous. The form that had the hearing info on it said I could send in documents supporting my claim, but didn’t say exactly what kind of documents I should have sent. They already had my appeal letter; they already knew what my dates of employment were from my original claim…or did they?

At the hearing, the judge asked me a lot of questions I only sort of had the answer to, like my exact dates of employment (although “January fifteenish” was acceptable enough it seems). But in the end it sounded like it was going to work in my favor — since I left the job voluntarily to take another one, and not to just sit on my butt and collect unemployment, my claim is still valid and stands up. I won’t have the decision for a few weeks, but I think I’m NOT going to have to pay back $6000 to the state of NJ! Not that I would or could anyway! Anyway it was interesting, although nerve wracking, and over all a good experience.

Interesting and slightly awkward side note though: Company A is who I’m employed with now, and the company where I’m working is the same company I quit back in April! A coworker was just telling me to come in & do the call from work, but I felt just too awkward doing that (and didn’t want to miss any of that paperwork!)