Collecting unemployment in MA as a student?

[JettaJayGLS]

Hey guys,

If you are here just to say, "don't abuse the system" I really feel that I am not, so just skip past this thread.

So here is my story.

I go to Northeastern University, a school that helps you get internships. Well, I busted my ass for one for the company THL Credit, and started working there in February of last year. It only counted as credit for my school until the end of june. During that time, I ramped up my skills and ended up pretty much being a full time analyst. They kept me on, full time (which means 5-7 days a week, 60-80 hours a week), for June, July and August, and then when i started classes back up in September, I would be in 3-4 days a week, for 40+ hours a week.

I have since got a job post graduation at KPMG that starts in June, and my current job is letting me go at the end of January, while they hire an intern to hopefully go through the same, life changing experience I received. The sole reason for letting me go is to give another person a chance, my deal team doesn't want to let me go (and I hope they end up letting me stay on), but what CEO says, CEO gets. Point being, I am not being fired, I am being let go.

So cliff notes:
I worked at this company for 5 months and received school credit - 40-80 hours a week
I worked at this company for an additional 3 months and did not receive school credit - 60-80 hours a week
I worked at this company for an additional 4 months while in classes and did not receive school credit - 40+ hours a week

My job is ending at the end of the month, I am being let go, not fired
I have a new, full time position post graduation starting in June

Can I get unemployment in the state of MA?

[Degsy]

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Go to your local DOL office and ask. Bring pay stubs.

[Manny]

Were you ever paid?

[JettaJayGLS]

Were you ever paid?

Oh, yeah, hourly, with overtime for over 40 hours week. Pay checks come monthly.

[Falko]

you can claim unemployment, but your previous employer can deny the claim. under what grounds they can deny the claim i don't know, but it could have a lot to do with it being a temporary internship, which in my understanding is a temp job and should be covered.

[obsolete]

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Go to your local DOL office and ask. Bring pay stubs.

They will tell you what you need to do.

I collected for a bit while I was in school after being laid off. If you paid into the system you can usually collect. Denial is very tough in MA.

[JettaJayGLS]

They will tell you what you need to do.

I collected for a bit while I was in school after being laid off. If you paid into the system you can usually collect. Denial is very tough in MA.

Cool, looks like their office is in government center...guess I'll take walk over during lunch at somepoint.

[Manny]

I don't see what the issue is.

You had a job, you were let go. Why couldn't you collect?

What you do with your other time (school) is irrelevant.

The only reason I can see you getting denied is that the term of employment had expired already, in other words, you were hired for a specific amount of time up front and that time ended.

[obsolete]

I don't see what the issue is.

You had a job, you were let go. Why couldn't you collect?

What you do with your other time (school) is irrelevant.

The only reason I can see you getting denied is that the term of employment had expired already, in other words, you were hired for a specific amount of time up front and that time ended.

I think the issue is you're supposed to be actively looking for employment while on unemployment and not just being a student and collecting, but there are special programs for that too.

[JettaJayGLS]

I don't see what the issue is.

You had a job, you were let go. Why couldn't you collect?

What you do with your other time (school) is irrelevant.

The only reason I can see you getting denied is that the term of employment had expired already, in other words, you were hired for a specific amount of time up front and that time ended.

The issue is that if a normal job comes up...I can't just quit school and take it. I can work full time, but not normal 9-5 hours. Like my hours while in school at my current job, were monday, wednesday, and thursday, 9am to usually mindnight. I truthfully am seeking another full time job, but its just tough finding one that works with my school schedule.

[Falko]

Given MA's benefits, play your cards right and the state will probably pay for your remaining education as training.

[Honclfibr]

What you do with your other time (school) is irrelevant.

Actually, it's completely relevant. Under most circumstances, you cannot collect unemployment while attending school full-time. There are exceptions for certain cases where your particular career has been displaced and you need job retraining to reenter the workforce, but in general, you cannot legally collect unemployment while you are a full time student, regardless of your past work history.

[Manny]

Actually, it's completely relevant. Under most circumstances, you cannot collect unemployment while attending school full-time. There are exceptions for certain cases where your particular career has been displaced and you need job retraining to reenter the workforce, but in general, you cannot legally collect unemployment while you are a full time student, regardless of your past work history.

I would argue (perhaps incorrectly) that since life circumstances did not change, he would be eligible. In other words, if he lost his job and then went to school full time, that is one thing, but he was already in school and working full time (40 hrs) so he would be eligible.

You need to fulfill the requirement that you are actively seeking replacement employment. As long as his new job that is lined up doesn't violate that (which it may without lying a little) I don't think his school will play a role.

[Eddie]

The big 4 accounting firms usually lay off people. I mean you have to mess up real bad in order to get fired.

That being said, sounds like you did work full time for a least 6 consecutive months. I believe you might qualify in the event you actively look for employment and do do go back to school.

Then again, I'm no expert on the matters of unemployment so good luck.

[JettaJayGLS]

The big 4 accounting firms usually lay off people. I mean you have to mess up real bad in order to get fired.

That being said, sounds like you did work full time for a least 6 consecutive months. I believe you might qualify in the event you actively look for employment and do do go back to school.

Then again, I'm no lawyer so good luck with this.

Well, I'm not working for KPMG yet, that doesn't start until June. My current job is at THL Credit, and they are letting me go at the end of the month.

At a max, I will need to collect from February 1, to May 31. I will be truthfully looking for a full time job to fill that gap, but to find one that will hire me 40 hours a week, over only 4 available work days, that knows I will be leaving in June is slim to none. Especially one that doens't leave me underemployed.

[SSearchVT]

The DOL will have the final answer for you - and it'll depend on the conditions that your employer says applied to the job. For example - If the position was listed as an intern or co-op and only offered to full time students more than likely your claim will get denied...

[obsolete]

DOL is the answer.

[SVRACER01]

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I don't get it...CEO is just a little guy and you're gonna take crap from him? Just put his coffee mug on top of the fridge and negotiate from there.

[OreoGaborio]

what CEO says, CEO gets

I don't get it...CEO is just a little guy and you're gonna take crap from him? Just put his coffee mug on top of the fridge and negotiate from there.

That took me a second. I was wondering where the hell he came into this.

[JettaJayGLS]

The DOL will have the final answer for you - and it'll depend on the conditions that your employer says applied to the job. For example - If the position was listed as an intern or co-op and only offered to full time students more than likely your claim will get denied...

Good info to have, I'm positive my guys at work will help me out with this.

[R1]

Actually, it's completely relevant. Under most circumstances, you cannot collect unemployment while attending school full-time. There are exceptions for certain cases where your particular career has been displaced and you need job retraining to reenter the workforce, but in general, you cannot legally collect unemployment while you are a full time student, regardless of your past work history.

This about sums up what i was going to post. I was laid off back in 09 and subsequently decided to go back to school because how limited i was in my field. Long story short I found out that as a student who gets financial aid i can not claim unemployment at the same time. as i am unemployed willingly to get more education and i can not substitute my unemployment with full-time employment as a full time student...

its a tricky situation but as others have said you can try and claim but the fact you signed onto the job knowing it was temporary they don;t have to approve your claim. depends on the situation really, but the DOL office is the first place to start.

[JettaJayGLS]

This about sums up what i was going to post. I was laid off back in 09 and subsequently decided to go back to school because how limited i was in my field. Long story short I found out that as a student who gets financial aid i can not claim unemployment at the same time. as i am unemployed willingly to get more education and i can not substitute my unemployment with full-time employment as a full time student...

its a tricky situation but as others have said you can try and claim but the fact you signed onto the job knowing it was temporary they don;t have to approve your claim. depends on the situation really, but the DOL office is the first place to start.

Agreed, im hoping the fact that I finished out my temporary position (I was contracted for the first 5 months I worked that i received school credit for) and they kept me on for an additional 7 months with no affiliation with my school, and did not contract me for a certain amount of time that I may get lucky. I am not voluntarily leaving this position, I am going to be completely devastated at the end of the month when I have to leave.

I'll let you guys know how it pans out.