8. Who can Get Unemployment Benefits?

Yes, the US government offers unemployment benefits to all its citizens and residents facing financial constraints due to lack of work. But, there are different conditions and criteria based on which the government provides these financial aid to the people. Before facilitating them, the authorities will look into your eligibility, work history, wages, and other essential details.

The authorities will decide if you are eligible or not after cross-checking the pieces of information you share. Along with unemployment insurance, the government issued three types of unemployment benefits to US citizens and residents. They are as follows:

1. Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program or FPUC

2. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program or PUA

3. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program or PEUC

However, these three programs expired on September 6, 2021. Also, there is no certainty that the government will form similar initiatives because the issues related to the pandemic have subsided, and companies are reopening.

Anyhow, let's explore the eligibility criteria, including situations where you won't be eligible to receive these benefits from the government.

Eligibility for Unemployment Benefits

Based on your state of employment, the eligibility criteria for acquiring unemployment benefits can change.

Although we can't look into the formalities associated with different states, we have collated some general eligibility criteria. We will look into COVID-19-related guidelines for unemployment benefits as well here.

● If you have lost your job not because of your fault

Sometimes, you might lose your job because of your company's decision to reduce employees or shift their focus. They can also do so as a part of cutting down their expenses or when they are going bankrupt. There could be other scenarios where you might lose your job without your fault. Under such unexpected conditions, you can apply for unemployment benefits like insurance.

● If your company lays you off because of COVID-19 issues

Due to the pandemic, many companies have laid off their employees for different reasons. Many small businesses ran out of money as they had to shut down their shops. Many companies became bankrupt or didn't require some on-site employees. So they had to let them go as they didn't have any alternatives.

● If you have to quit because of COVID-19

There have been situations where many people had to quit their jobs after being infected. They became physically weak and could not cope with the side effects. Because of this, they weren't in a position to continue their job. Under such circumstances, those who lost their employment could apply for FPUC or PUA. However, it depends upon the type of profession you were handling.

● If you leave your job to take care of your children temporarily

During this pandemic, many people left their jobs to take care of their kids. It was because most kids were home and homeschooled. Other than that, people had to quit their jobs to look after their parents, especially those who got affected by COVID-19.

● If you are a freelancer or self-employed

Many freelance photographers, small business owners, and independent contractors could not work because of the pandemic. For them, the government formed the PUA program. Through this, the government offered support until September 6, 2021.

● If you become the primary breadwinner after the death of the household head

Sometimes, the head of the household might lose their life due to an unexpected situation. Under such circumstances, if you become the primary breadwinner and can't find a job, you can seek unemployment benefits. You can utilize its perks to support your family while searching for a job opportunity.

These are some conditions for eligibility for obtaining unemployment benefits in the US. However, remember that they can change depending upon your state and might alter from time to time. Therefore, you have to keep a check on the requirements to ensure that you are on the right track.

Conditions Where You are Ineligible for Unemployment Benefits

As part of looking into the eligibility criteria for obtaining unemployment benefits, it is integral to cross-check the conditions under which the government doesn't facilitate it. Here, we will look into them in detail:

● If you work remotely

Many companies shifted to a remote or work-from-home model during the pandemic. If you have been working remotely, you can't apply for unemployment benefits. It is because you receive your salary and other perks from your company.

● If you find a new job

If you lost your job because of some unforeseen situation and have joined a new opportunity, you can't continue to avail yourself of unemployment benefits. Under such circumstances, you have to communicate the same to the authorities and cancel your unemployment insurance plan.

● If your previous employer hired you back with the same benefits and pay scale and you rejected the offer

Imagine you lose your job, and after a while, your employer decides to take you back by facilitating the same package, work hours, and duties. If you choose not to take the position and continue on unemployment benefits, it is against the law. Hence, if you reject the job offer, the authorities will no longer facilitate these benefits.

● If you find another job and start working

While receiving employment benefits, you start working without informing the authorities. It violates the rules and regulations associated with unemployment insurance policies. Therefore, once you have found a job, you have to discontinue these perks.

● If you have no plans of finding a job soon

If you are someone with no plans to continue or start working, you cannot avail yourself of the benefits offered as part of unemployment benefits.

● If you are searching for new jobs

Unemployment benefits are for people searching for a job after losing their current one. But, if you are a fresh graduate or someone starting your job search, you cannot apply for unemployment benefits.

These are the conditions under which the authorities don't facilitate unemployment benefits in the US. It is essential to know them as well to reduce the chances of facing any issues.