Qualifying for unemployment benefits

Dear Working It Out:

I was fired from a job and was denied my unemployment insurance benefits.

Once I get a job and work for six weeks, I'll be eligible again, right?

Ineligible Ivan

Dear Ivan:

Sorry, but no. Idaho does not look at the amount of time a person has worked to re-qualify for unemployment insurance benefits, but looks at the amount of wages that person has earned since being disqualified.

Before I address your question, though, let me give you a little background.

There are two basic criteria that a person must meet before being eligible to receive benefits. First, he must have a certain amount of earned wages within a certain period of time prior to filing a claim.

Second, one must be out of work through no fault of his own (seasonal layoff, reduction in force, etc.).

Now, there are times when a person has quit his job or been terminated and still allowed to receive benefits. The adjudicator gathers the facts surrounding the separation from the employer and employee, and has to apply the law specific to each situation.

It appears that in your situation once the facts were gathered and the law applied, it was determined you were not eligible to receive benefits based on the termination of employment. Thus, you will have to re-qualify to be eligible for those benefits in the future.

Now, let me answer your question about the six weeks. The Idaho Employment Security Law reads that "a claimant who has been found ineligible for benefits shall reestablish his eligibility by having obtained bona fide work and received wages in an amount of at least 14 times his weekly benefit amount."

A person who filed a claim and had enough wages in previous quarters to be eligible for $300 per week will have to work and earn at least $4,200, and be out of work through no fault of his own to be eligible again.

Even though the unemployment insurance program is federally mandated, each state is allowed to establish its rules. There may be other states that require a person to work six weeks to reestablish eligibility, but that is not the case in Idaho.

This information is from Bonners Ferry Idaho Department of Labor. If you have a question for Working It Out, send it to bonnersferrymail@labor.idaho.gov; Fax: 267-3797; or mail to 6541 Main St., Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 83805.