Human Resource Blog

Eligibility to Draw - Length of Employment

If a person started working for an employer in July 2007, and the employment ended May 2008, has the employee worked long enough to be eligible for unemployment benefits. I am trying to understand the “quarters” thing.

We’d love to help, but there is no single standard for unemployment insurance throughout the US. Unemployment is a state program, and every state plays by different rules.

In the majority of states, a person with 10 months of employment would qualify for unemployment benefits. Many states require 12 to 22 weeks of employment before the worker is eligible.

 

The only certain way to determine eligibility for unemployment is for the worker to apply for benefits. It’s not a demeaning process, and in many states can be done online.

 

Which employer is “charged” with the claim also depends upon state regulations. But in many cases, if the employee worked for the employer more than 13 weeks, the most recent employer is charged.

If you would like to post another question mentioning the state you are in, a more specific answer can be supplied.