Do I risk loosing my unemployment benefits if I sign a future employment contract?
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Do I risk loosing my unemployment benefits if I sign a future employment contract?
I am currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits. I was now offered an employment agreement with a future employment date starting in about 6 months from now but the employment
agreement is dated with the current date. This employment agreement is for a different position than the one I previously held and was laid off from so I am still hoping to find something better. However, I would still like to sign the employment agreement as a back up plan, in case I am unable to find a better match in the meantime it is at will so can be terminated any time. Do I risk loosing my unemployment benefits when I sign an employment contract now with the current date but that has a potential future starting date? I want to make sure that is not the case. I won’t be receiving any money
from that future employer until I actually start and won’t perform any work for them until then but I want to make sure this does not jeopardize my UI benefits.
Asked on April 17, 2018 under Employment Labor Law, New York
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
The purpose of of unemployment benefits is to help an unemployed worker financially until such time as they can find suitable employment. It is not to help support someone until a future start date of employment. Therefore, you cannot just collect benefits for the next 6 months while waiting to begin work with a new employer. That having been said, if you will still continue to look for work while having the promise of this other job as a back-up, then that would be appropriate.
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