New Job/Unemployment Compensation

[Penthesilea]

So I was laid off this past Friday (I was expecting it) and I wasn't really planning on finding a job right away because I've had 0 vacations in over two years. Can I file a claim for unemployment for just 1 week (in PA) or should I not even bother to go through the hassle.

I just got an offer for another job, so I'm kinda wondering if I should even bother with it.

Also, the past month I smoked fairly regularly (4-5 times a week) but cut back to 1-2 times a week for the past two weeks. Should I be overly worried? I work out so I've been taking creatine off and on and I know that sometimes testing sites will pick up "masking agents" so I'm kinda worried about them then requesting a hair test.

Anyone have any input?

[Cephius]

If you have an offer for another job and turn it down you can't collect unemployment. You basically have to prove you're actively looking for a job and can't find one.

Are you talking about smoking pot or cigarettes? If it's pot you should quit entirely and give it at least 3-4 weeks to get all the traces out of your system. Longer if they do a hair test.

[Penthesilea]

Yeah, I'm talking pot. That's the only thing I'm worried about. Guess I gotta go and find a self testing kit and check myself.

What I meant about the UC was that I just got laid off Friday and that I'm expecting an offer this Friday. Do I bother going through the hoops just to collect a measly 500$?

[Cephius]

I don't think unemployment works retroactively, so no I wouldn't bother (you should double check, but I'm pretty sure it's only from the date you apply and get approved for benefits)

And if you're still smoking pot at all and they do a piss/hair test, you're gonna fail it.

[Penthesilea]

Yeah, I smoked last night, but before that it was a week ago. And before that it was a week. I'm hoping I can put off the testing for another week and it should be clear for piss.

Ok, well I just applied for unemployment yesterday, probably won't get my paperwork in time anyways. Ok, thanks.

[Dolmen]

I don't think unemployment works retroactively, so no I wouldn't bother (you should double check, but I'm pretty sure it's only from the date you apply and get approved for benefits)

And if you're still smoking pot at all and they do a piss/hair test, you're gonna fail it.

This.

If you're only going to have a one week lapse from laid off to offer, don't bother. You likely wouldn't start receiving unemployment benefits until after the offer, which I'm assuming you'll take.

[archibaldcrane]

I don't think unemployment works retroactively, so no I wouldn't bother (you should double check, but I'm pretty sure it's only from the date you apply and get approved for benefits)

It's a little bit retroactive, at least here in CA. If you're within about 2 weeks of your "laid off" date, your first claim form will cover that period.

However, you cannot collect any benefits for the first week after you are laid off - you "claim" that week but receive $0 for it (in California).

If you turn down a job offer but still want unemployment, lie on your form - always say you are actively looking for work and are willing and able to work on each day you are claiming (even if you are out of town or whatever) and always say you did not turn down any work.

Tips from an unemployment pro - I file about 5 times a year due to my constant gain and loss of jobs working in television.

[Melchiah]

Hair test is usually cost-prohibitive. As for urine, you have options:

1) You can dilute the concentration of urine in your bladder directly before the screening by consuming large quantities of water. Be aware though, some test sites will reject a sample based on clarity.

2) You can go to GNC and get yourself some pee-clean. There are various products that will cause the drug screen to come back inconclusive, but many of these can also be tested for. If you wish to go this route, I would prepare some sort of explanation for why you have a particular product in your system. I would find one that also offers some sort of multi-vitamin or dietary supplement in addition to the cover-up effect. You can explain that away very easily as your using it for those properties on a regular basis.

3) Buy online: ClearTest.com

[ringthree]

I don't think unemployment works retroactively, so no I wouldn't bother (you should double check, but I'm pretty sure it's only from the date you apply and get approved for benefits)

And if you're still smoking pot at all and they do a piss/hair test, you're gonna fail it.

That is not true. Depending on your body you can pass a piss test in a day just by drinking water. I would not suggest this though, and I would suggest stopping until you need to take the piss test, but there are plenty of ways around a normal piss test. Golden Seal, for one, but almost any system cleanser at your local GNC will be enough to get you by even on a day or two notice.

Cephius is correct though, I believe that you have to prove that you are pursuing employment and have not yet received an offer.

[SephYuyX]

Isnt unemployment on your federal record to? So if a boss ever wants to do a background check, itll be on there, and see that youre lazy.

[Gadritan]

Cephius is correct though, I believe that you have to prove that you are pursuing employment and have not yet received an offer.

Negative. You only have to prove you're pursuing employment, but you're not obligated to accept any offer. Otherwise employers could take advantage of anyone on unemployment. Of course the other side of the coin is that you get shitsticks that sit around burning up all their unemployment before they REALLY look for a job.

A lot of states do reimburse you for time lost during the application process as well. Keep in mind they have a cap as well, and you more than likely won't see that $500 you want.

[archibaldcrane]

Isnt unemployment on your federal record to? So if a boss ever wants to do a background check, itll be on there, and see that youre lazy.

Hahaha.

Haha.

Ha.

Oh lol.

At the same time, couldn't your boss look at your resume, see a gap in work history, check your "federal record" (no idea if this shows up, but I'll play ball) and if they don't see an unemployment filing, see that you're too retarded to take free money?

[SephYuyX]

Idk. Im just taking a stab in the dark. I always heard that filling for unemployment, food stamps, etc, fuck up your shit.

[Melena]

I spent a few months on unemployment about 7 years ago during the dot com bust, and was never a negative on any job application, and i've gone through background checks due to my current job working for a sheriff's office. If they can overlook that and grant you access to work in a jail, I don't think any job will fault you for being on unemployment.

[Takedown3]

unemployment is there to proctect/help people you aren't going to get slighted from a possible job for every being on it.

[Tits]

As someone in Philadelphia who has been on unemployment I can confirm that you CAN file for a single week. You file one week at a time, in fact.

[Benevolentone]

<3 people that take advantage of a terrible welfare system. Really I do. All you able bodied men and women out there who can find jobs quickly, be sure to take government money just because you can. Hopefully the more people exploit it the faster someone will come to the realization that it is the worst idea anyone has ever had. Hurray for governments that support lazy people.

[Tits]

<3 people that rant about flawed government systems and offer no viable alternative. Really I do. All you naysayers out there who can bitch and whine about a program that you likely will never be part of, be sure to continue to pay your government taxes. Hopefully, the more of you dumbasses that continue to work and contribute to this "terrible welfare system" will be too dumb to realize that you're paying my salary while I'm out looking for a job that's worth my time. Hurray for lazy people that chastise a governing body and offer no direction or possible alternate thought. You're all winners.

[Soa]

As someone in Philadelphia who has been on unemployment I can confirm that you CAN file for a single week. You file one week at a time, in fact.

This is correct. You also do NOT have to be actively looking for a job to get benefits in Pennsylvania. You can apply for benefits online and get money put right into your checking account within a day.

Basically you have to "reapply" for benefits online every week, then they put the money into your account. So just apply for 1 week and you'll get paid then don't apply any more after that.

My wife was laid off for almost a year from late 2008-late 2009 and thats at least how it worked 6 months ago.

[archibaldcrane]

<3 people that take advantage of a terrible welfare system. Really I do. All you able bodied men and women out there who can find jobs quickly, be sure to take government money just because you can. Hopefully the more people exploit it the faster someone will come to the realization that it is the worst idea anyone has ever had. Hurray for governments that support lazy people.

Unemployment compensation isn't welfare lol.

It's funded almost entirely by employers. It provides a disincentive to firing people without cause. At most you're making about 40% of your "working income" on unemployment so it's not some great deal that makes you not want to work again, you have to work for a decent period of time to claim it, and it doesn't last forever.

My occupation would be significantly more difficult to survive in, especially when getting started, if it wasn't for unemployment compensation.