Can I Get Unemployment If I'm on Leave Without Pay?
A person may not be completely fired from a position, but placed on unpaid leave either temporarily or for an indefinite period of time. This unpaid leave differs from firing as you may be able to return to your job. Additionally, you may still receive benefits, such as health insurance, while on leave. In some cases, you may also be eligible for unemployment benefits.
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Unemployment Eligibility
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You are eligible for unemployment benefits if you experience a drop in work-related income, either by losing a job or by receiving a severe cutback in the amount of hours you're allowed to work. An unpaid leave might fall into this latter category. To receive benefits, however, you might need to search for new employment and accept any offers for work.
Furlough
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Oftentimes, employees will be on furlough, which means they are forbidden to go to work for a brief period of time, often a day or a week, without compensation. Government agencies, for example, will place workers on furlough during budget crises. While a person could potentially file for unemployment during this period, the length of the furlough may be so short that it would not make sense to do so.
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Leave Without Pay
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In some cases, a person will go on leave without pay, which differs from furloughs in that they may not have a set day to return to work. While furloughs may be applicable to an entire work force, leaves without pay are often issued to a single worker. The rules that apply to furloughs may apply to these leaves, but the longer length of time for these leaves may make unemployment benefits a more suitable option.
Considerations
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Whether a person is eligible for unemployment benefits while on unpaid leave will also depend on whether the person took the leave voluntarily. In most states, a person who chooses to leave a job voluntarily is not eligible for unemployment benefits. Some states will also not provide benefits to a person forced out of his job for misconduct.
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