Unemployment can i work

Many companies featured on Money advertise with us. Opinions are our own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Learn more about how we make money. More than 26 million people have filed unemployment claims in the past month, a number that shatters previous records tenfold.

The sheer size of the out-of-work population means many of those millions are likely navigating the unemployment process for the first time. One common question among them: What happens if you pick up a short-term or part-time gig to earn some side cash?

Does that make you ineligible for unemployment insurance? The short answer is usually no, as long as you're earning less in part-time work than you're receiving in unemployment benefits.

Legal Comment Legal Comment. A relative of mine wad laid off during covid but got self employed contract work full time. He called IDES to see if he could he would have to report self-employed income and collect unemployment. I told my relative that can't be possible and found that odd. So i contacted a rep myself and they told me otherwise.

They told me all income even or W2 related needs to be reported. One other question is for example some freelancers don't get paid until project is done. That could be several weeks or months ahead. So some freelancers wouldn't have to report income until the end of the year for some projects for example. Is IDES concerned about what date you actually get paid compared to how much income you report at one time?

Hi, thank you for your question. When certifying, you are required to report all income, whether it is regular wages from an employer or money earned from your self-employment. For each of the two weeks you are certifying, you must report the gross income that you earned, even if you will not actually receive the money until later. Additionally, you need to certify that you are able and available to work and are actively seeking work.

Did I get bad advice? If I did, am I in trouble. If you are still unsure, please contact IDES. Good luck to you. Can I work a part time waitressing job on pua benefits? Please purchase a SHRM membership before saving bookmarks. OK Join. An error has occurred. From Email. To Email. Message Hi, I thought you'd like this article I found on the SHRM website: How long must an employee work for an employer before he or she is able to collect unemployment? Send Cancel Close.

Post a Job See All Jobs. Are you a department of one? Work is not suitable if:. I did not work last week. Can I backdate my claim? You may backdate your claim by one week when you apply for benefits online. If you request to backdate your claim by more than one week, we will ask you to provide additional information. Can I volunteer while I am job searching and collecting unemployment benefits?

Yes , volunteering will not affect your unemployment benefits as long as you meet the regular work-search and availability requirements.

You can make a positive difference in your life and in your community by volunteering your time and skills to help others. Volunteer work builds experience for your resume and expands your list of community employment contracts.

It may even be seen as a positive reflection on your personal values. The skill sets you use and learn in volunteer work could turn into a job offer or a career change in the future. Volunteering will not affect your unemployment benefits as long as you meet the regular work-search and availability requirements. For more information about volunteering, go to www. Call the claims center for assistance as soon as possible.

Can I collect unemployment benefits if I work part-time? If you did not work more than 17 hours in any week in your base period, you may need to look for only part-time work. Working part-time usually extends the number of weeks you can draw benefits. Additional earnings also may help you qualify for a new claim when your benefit year ends. When do I report my holiday or vacation pay? Report the holiday pay when you claim the week in which the holiday occurred.

Do not wait until you are paid for the holiday to report it. If your vacation pay was accrued and there are no specific dates attached to it, you do not need to report it. However, if your vacation pay was for specific days, it is deductible and you need to report it.

Be sure to report it for the week s in which the vacation days occurred. If you are in doubt or have any questions, call the claims center for help. How does severance pay, pay in lieu of notice or continuation pay affect my benefits? Severance payments do not usually affect your unemployment benefits. However, pay in lieu of notice or continuation pay with full benefits that are guaranteed can affect your benefits.

Report any separation-related payment you receive or are entitled to receive to the claims center. You have a limited number of options to tell us why you are no longer employed. Choose the one that best describes your situation. When you select a reason, you may be asked to provide more detail. If you cannot locate a description that best describes your situation, you might want to call the claims center to apply for unemployment benefits.