Did I screw myself by working part-time while receiving unemployment?

January 17, 2011 6:34 PM

Did I screw myself by accepting a part-time job?

I've been unemployed for 28 weeks now, and was under the assumption that (if needed) my unemployment benefits (Mass.) would last for 93 weeks. However, today I came across this article which seems to indicate that my unemployment benefits will be redetermined after 52 weeks and if I am working part-time (I am), the benefits will be recalculated based on my part-time earnings for the previous year. I did some research on the Mass DUA website and this seems to be correct. Has this happened to anyone? Have a made a foolish mistake in working part-time? If I hadn't worked at all, I would still be eligible for my full benefits based on my last employer? Please help! Feeling very under the gun with 24 weeks to go. Thanks!

posted by Sal and Richard to Work & Money (3 answers total)

If I hadn't worked at all, I would still be eligible for my full benefits based on my last employer?

Yes. My claim went past the year, all I had to do was call up and everything stayed the same.

I haven't worked part-time so I can't attest to that. The MA DUA site is hard to deal with and I still dont understand entirely how it works, but I've heard of people who were punished for taking on part-time work. My husband also lost one of his jobs, and at his part-time remaining job made extra money one week, declared it honestly even though it was a cash bonus (on a 1099), and now he's run into trouble where he can no longer receive checks and needs to be "audited", even though he explained to the claims person on the phone that it was a one-time holiday. This, we were told, could take 12 weeks. Wonderful.
posted by kpht at 6:45 PM on January 17, 2011

well, there's no looking back now as you've already accepted and worked the job. there may be benefits you can't see right now, like being eligible for full time employment at the place you work part time, not having a gap in your resume, etc. that will make it worth potentially 'losing' a portion of your unemployment for 39 weeks. fingers crossed that you get an awesome full time job between now and week 52 so this is a moot issue! :)
posted by 2003girl at 8:41 PM on January 17, 2011

This is in Ohio so maybe Mass. is different but a buddy of mine accepted a part-time job (and he made a pittance after taxes and gas) b/c he thought that's what he was 'supposed to do,' and it totally screwed him. His benefits were adjusted to some ridiculously low amount for his 4-person family until he went back to his seasonal, full-time job. No amount of explaining circumstances to the ODJS seemed to make a difference. Good luck.
posted by phogirl at 5:20 AM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]