What Are Reasons for Denial of Unemployment Benefits?

Maybe you have gone to apply for unemployment benefits, only to be denied access to them. The reasons can be varied, but understanding why you specifically were denied is important.

What follows is a list of reasons why someone might not be allowed to receive unemployment benefits. Some of them are courtesy of Reasons for Denial of Unemployment Benefits, while others are widely known reasons why certain individuals are denied for benefits:

• Voluntarily leaving the previous position
• Self employed
• Receiving unemployment benefits in the past
• Misconduct
• Not actively seeking employment
• Not able to accept a position
• Documentation of prior earnings is not available
• Insufficient wages
• Labor dispute
• Incorrect filing
• Weekly regulations

Explanation

Voluntarily Leaving

If you chose to leave your previous position, then you will not be able to get unemployment benefits. However, if there are some extenuating circumstances, you should talk with an adviser about your unique situation.

Self Employed

You need to have been working at a job where the company contributed to unemployment taxes. Therefore, if you are self employed or an independent contractor, you would not have had that benefit at your previous job.

Past Unemployment

Situations can vary here. However, if you have received unemployment benefits in the past, you might be denied them now.

Misconduct

People who were let go of their previous job because they behaved poorly or out of line with the rules of the job description will not be able to receive unemployment, since they lost their job as a result of their own misbehavior or fault.

Not Actively Seeking Employment

Unemployment offices want to know that you are looking for a full time job with a concentrated effort. If you are not doing so, they can deny you benefits.

Unable to Accept a Position

If you do find a job, but you are not able to accept the position, you will not continue to receive unemployment benefits. The logic is that if you needed a position badly enough, you would take what is offered.

Documentation and Insufficient Wages

The unemployment office needs to see that you were making a certain amount of money within a specified period of time in the recent past. In addition to having the proper documentation, they will also need to be certain that you were making the stated amount of money.

Labor Dispute

If your unemployment is the result of a labor dispute, you will not receive the benefits. The theory is that the labor dispute will eventually be resolved, and you will be back to your full time job shortly.

Incorrect Filing

Be sure to fill out all of the forms correctly and to provide whatever information and documentation that the office needs. A failure to do so may very well result in your denial of benefits.

Weekly Regulations

Different departments will have various stipulations which you need to meet on a weekly basis.

States often have varying regulations regarding unemployment, benefits, and how people go about obtaining then. Therefore, check with your local department for rules and requirements which apply directly to you.