Question about Unemployment benefits

[mrskal]

I just filed for unemployment in Illinois where I have lived and worked my whole life. I am moving to Florida next month, do I still get the benefits until I start working again? I have my own business, that I will start up again once I am there, but may not see any income for a bit. Most of what I make in the business will go toward the business to get it running again. Does that count as income? I now am an S corp, and will start a new S Corp in Florida.

Any advice on unemployment appreciated, this is a first for me.

[AngelinaCat]

I am not sure how owning a business will work with Unemployment Compensation, since essentially you work for yourself and can decide when to work. If you are able to qualify for UC from Illinois, I would draw on that, as that is where your employment history is located at.

Here is a link to the Florida Unemployment Claims site that may help answer some of your questions.

http://www.floridajobs.org/unemployment/uc_emp_claims.html

Good luck and welcome to our state.

[mrskal]

I am not sure how owning a business will work with Unemployment Compensation, since essentially you work for yourself and can decide when to work. If you are able to qualify for UC from Illinois, I would draw on that, as that is where your employment history is located at.

Not sure either, but in my case, I stoped working back in the end of August as I had a flare up with a bad back, I refered most of my clients to other people thinking I would go back to work. Then came the Bk, and I really thought I would have had it done and been moved by Oct1, but that did not happen. Now I am filed and the 341 is Nov 15, I will leave Illinois the next day. I really cant work for anyone else now, and have lost my clients, since I am moving in about 4 weeks.

I did go to the unemployment office the other day, cuz I was in the area, and he said I am eligible for benefits even though I worked for myself. I did pay into it. Probably becuase I really worked for the corporation.
Thanks for the info! With drawing from one state, can you live in a different state?

[backtoschool]

The standard for collecting unemployment insurance is that you have to be "available for work". Starting a business is sometimes interpreted as not being available for work by UI standards, but sometimes it is fine, especially if you are not bringing in a lot of income. Any profits and income from the business will be considered income though, so that will affect the amount of money you get.

[AngelinaCat]

BTS is correct. Florida asks each and every time you claim a week, if you are available for work. If you say 'no', you will not be allowed to claim that week. You will also be asked if you have 'looked for work as prescribed by this agency'--that is usually making two job search contacts a week. That can be as little as checking websites for businesses in your area to see if they are posting job openings.

One of the questions that Florida asks when you first apply for UC is whether or not you are receiving UC from another state. I didn't have that situation, but I suspect that answering 'yes' to that question, would knock you out of Florida's program. So, that is why I suggested that if you can qualify for Illinois, draw on that.

[discouraged]

I believe that is true. Illinois will pay the benefits - not certain of all the procredures for transferring it. I think it's a certain period of time - maybe 6months? You should call or stop in at the UI office and ask their procedures.

[mrskal]

I should clarify, I will be looking for a job now that I know the date I am moving. It will take some time to build my clientele up so it would probably be part time. I just was not sure if Illinois would still pay once you move. Thanks for the responses!

[AngelinaCat]

Hi mrskal: I believe that Illinois will pay if you qualify. You just have to jump thru the various hoops they set in front of you, and that inlcudes being available for work and your job contacts, which you will/should keep in a diary and be ready to email them if and when asked for it.

I am now going on three years with UC, and while grateful, I am not happy. I would much rather be fully employed and earning a living. Instead, I am 58 years old and at the age where no one wants to hire me FT, because I will 'retire in a few years', no matter that I tell them that won't happen. Also I have a great PT job, and have applied for FT at the same place thinking I could just 'step up'. But no, while they like me as PT, they chose to hire a 30 year old for half the pay, even though I said I would work dirt cheap.

My county has an unemployment rate of around 14%.

So good luck to you.

[platter]

I'm a resident and I've received Florida's employment several times. It pays LESS than other states like Pennsylvania, Maryland, TX, etc.

Yes, you can draw from other states and even though I'm a FL resident, I've worked in other states and can draw off them. I worked in another state July '09 'till Jan '10 and I was eligible to draw off them but some reason some jerk in Tallahassee said I'd not worked in FL back in certain quarters or something and so I didn't bother. I found out yesterday that when I have to entend (file a new claim) in January '11 that I need to draw off MD and I'd be getting about $424 weekly vs FL's at around $295 weekly. (Have your taxes taken out of it.)

My search history consists of making phone calls, the number, person's name and whether they yes or no that they're hiring or not. Just a phone call and if I get a recording, I just write in my note that I got a recording and left a message.

I bet in the past ten years, I've only had to submit a job history search to them two times. I don't know why they don't ask for it on a regular basis. And when I didn't have one, which I don't have right now either, I just go through all the names of companies that are in the construction line of work that I do, and I backdate the dates, etc. I never call anybody that I think is hiring either. (So, it's not like you have to go for interviews to prove your search. You don't. Just begin keeping a list in the event that a few months down the line they request for it to be sent in.)

I've told people that I think it's more for those that have finished a training program or something associated with FL's Workforce Developent (see EmployFlorida.com) and they need to prove their searching. They're not going to call all these out-of-state companies that I've called because of funding and manpower, they can't. So, I think it's just for the record of all this, know what I mean? They've never contacted me over it and they know bloody well that many of us are intending to stay home until we exhuast all of our amounts due to us.

Draw from the state that pays you the most.

In Virginia, just recently, a friend trufully answered the question on their state's procedure and said she was in school. Well, it's an online coding course that she paid for herself. Now she has to contact them and it get straightened out that she really is available for work.

The Employ Florida site...you can look for jobs there but if you to the office and sign up on this thing, and go through their WIA program that pays for you to go to school, then it's mandatory that you search and you also have to do about two searches from their site and the counselors can track your activity from your profile. I'm having to do that now since I'm signed up with them but if I understand correctly, she said I just need to show 2 and also show that I need the skills for these jobs (to justify why I need more training) is what this is all about.

The main 800.204.2418 is the call-in number that FL uses for us to claim our weeks. If you use FL, as previously said, just keep your own list of job searches. There was only once that they sent me a basic form to put record the searches on and I think that I'd submitted (via USPS) my searches from a spiral notebook piece of paper and some of them, the company didn't even give me time to get the person's name that answered either so I just put 'receptionist' for the contact name. And I also used numbers that I knew were no longer in service, from previous construction sites that I'd worked for that I knew wasn't the corporate office number. Never heard a word about any of it in the future either.

November 22nd is some sort of new filing period that the gov't gave or something. I don't understand it all but I'm only receiving $49 this week and then it rolls over into another category and she said Jan '11 to file with the other state and get more money.

A lot of co-workers live in other states and when they returned home, after having worked in Pennsylavania (Iowa, or others), then they drew off that higher-paying state.

Also, I worked for a company where the jobsite was in TX but their corporate office was in TX and that's the state they'd pay the benefits from...I went to work quite quickly after a layoff and didn't draw from them but a friend did from Alabama did and he received more money than what Alabama paid.

Again, FL is low-paying on the benefits.

[tobee43]

I just filed for unemployment in Illinois where I have lived and worked my whole life. I am moving to Florida next month, do I still get the benefits until I start working again? I have my own business, that I will start up again once I am there, but may not see any income for a bit. Most of what I make in the business will go toward the business to get it running again. Does that count as income? I now am an S corp, and will start a new S Corp in Florida.

Any advice on unemployment appreciated, this is a first for me.

well we moved from another state to florida...we collect from the other state, but we are both still very much unemployed.

angelinacat...florida's unemployment laws will not be applicable to this particular situation due to the fact the OP has only contributed to their "home" state. florida is a different animal...LOL!! we certainly found that out when then said we have absolutely nothing to do with your unemployment you never worked in florida!...makes sense.

however, in the case where you are starting up a business, i'm not certain. if you have income i know if it's NOT full income in the state we come from we can collection "partial" in other words...if for example we made 350 per week from our unemployment insurance but earned 200 from a job one day we would have to claim it and it would be deducted from the 350 payment so that week we would only be allowed to collect the 150.

so it's going to depend on the STATE you are collecting FROM not MOVING to.

best of luck on your move...we LOVE it here...except we are starving because there's no place to eat!! LOL!!!

[mrskal]

Thanks all! I dont think I will collect for too long, I am pretty sure I will get work once I am there. Anything I can get in the next month will help pay a few bills though.

@tobee43-no good restaurants?

[tobee43]

mrskal....nope...we live outside of orlando...and holly cow...we had to even walk out of a denny's because all they used was LARD!!!

if we do want a good meal we have to travel over 45 minutes....and if you think you're getting pizza or chinese for a "quick" meal...well...forget it!! LOL!!!!! my last good chinese food was when i hand brought it from san fran.

i have to go hunting for food...really...miles to get FRESH fish and we are surrounded by water....most all the veggies and fruits rot quick....

good luck getting work...i really will be thinking about you. in our general area the unemployment rate is over 13%....however, where we are is the very last developed area between orlando and tampa...so it actually is still building up...so the unemployment doesn't seem correct, since we have been here at least 10 big stores have opened around us...like walgreens...a new publix...(which is a huge grocery chain in florida)...new staples...golden coral...NO WE DO NOT EAT THERE! LOL! i want to keep us alive for the next 20 years of so.

but all and all we do like it here....much better than up north.

best of luck on your move and let us know how you make out with your bk!

[mrskal]

That is what I have been told, going to make it tough coming from the Chicago area for sure! LOL I did find a great BBQ place last time I was there in May, I think it was called Wildside, it was on Summerlin I think. It was really good. I keep telling one of my friends to come and open her restaurant down there she would make a killing. They make the BEST Italian food ever.

[tobee43]

That is what I have been told, going to make it tough coming from the Chicago area for sure! LOL I did find a great BBQ place last time I was there in May, I think it was called Wildside, it was on Summerlin I think. It was really good. I keep telling one of my friends to come and open her restaurant down there she would make a killing. They make the BEST Italian food ever.

no...she doesn't I DO...LOL!!! but i'm tired of cooking and want a break!!! where is summerlin????


now do not get me wrong...in the miami area there is GREAT food...we love cuban food as well, i cook it also. but as i said after over 40 years of cooking i would appreciate someone else cooking for me once in a while...and prefer something i will not choke or gag on trying to swallow it.
tomorrow i'm invited to a chili contest cookoff.....which I WILL WIN!!....i was raised in san fran so mine is more mexican chili than texas...so i'm not knowing if anyone will even know what it is.

orlando does have some outstanding places...it's just we don't want to take the ride by 5....we are tired and just end up having a drink watching the sunset and eating scrambled eggs and toast and fruit...LOL!!!