The majority of jobless people either claim for unemployment insurance (UI) or find new jobs. Contrary to common belief, some employees who have lost their jobs continue to work part-time and get unemployment benefits. However, there are limits on how many hours and how much money may be made before these benefits are affected. States have different versions of these laws.
As an Example, New York Unemployment Insurance
For instance, the New York State Department of Labor states that you must work fewer than 30 hours per week and make less than $504 to qualify for partial unemployment insurance payments. You can record zero hours to UI and yet receive your whole unemployment insurance payout if you work fewer than 10 hours.
The weekly equivalent of one day of work is between 11 and 16 hours; this results in a 25% reduction in benefits; two days of work are between 17 and 21 hours; this costs you 50% of your weekly benefit rate; and three days of work are between 22 and 30 hours; this results in a 75% reduction in benefits.
Every State Has a Different Unemployment Insurance Program
Each state has its own requirements for eligibility for unemployment insurance based on an applicant's prior earnings and on specific rates of benefit penalties (or reductions) imposed to individuals who work while receiving UI.
Some states pay only a set amount — or for a set number of weeks — and require you to be actively seeking for work while on partial UI. Some states, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, have more complicated requirements for part-time employment/UI eligibility.
Concerns About Unemployment Insurance
Unemployment insurance, according to Indeed, is a brief financial reprieve from an unexpected loss of work owing to a firm layoff or a significant reduction of hours at your job. Part-time employment is defined as any position that needs an employee to work less hours and days than a full-time employee, although most smaller organisations define full-time hours or obligations differently. Larger firms (those explicitly classified by the IRS as an applicable large employer — or ALE — with more than 50 full-time or 50 full-time equivalent workers on staff) consider full-time work as 30 hours per week, or 130 hours per month.
It's also necessary to verify your work status. Instead of laying off or firing employees, employers may try to place them on short furloughs or put them to a "zero-hour" schedule. These work classifications may preclude you from claiming UI depending on where you live. It is advisable to consult your state's unemployment website for particular UI information, benefit eligibility, and protocols.
UnemploymentPUA provides a thorough table outlining each state's qualifying standards.