Unemployment

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

I am currently unemployed! Huzzah!

So I got laid off today for the first time in my life. I've been working since I was 16 so I guess it was bound to happen someday.

My question is this, my employer (located in Virginia) cited "performance issues" as the reason they let me go. Which means getting anything from unemployment is probably out of the question. I haven't filed yet. I was also employed there for 6 months.

But I do have issues with this, and I was wondering if it would matter that 2 things happened:

1) They never approached me SAYING they had an issue with my performance. Not even in passing. Earlier, maybe 2-3 months into the job they pulled my aside and said hey work on this, work on this, you gotta do this better. Not long after that, they had mentioned that I was doing a lot better. Since then, they never said a word about me under performing.

2) Since THEY never approached me, I always approached THEM to ask about my performance. The last time I did approach them to ask how I was doing (which was early in December) and if there was anything I could do better, I was told "No, you're doing just fine." Unfortunately, I don't have any documentation that those meetings happened.

I wondered if any of this mattered if I ended up filing an appeal for unemployment. Or trying to file at all. I might not and just try to throw as many resumes out there as I can in a few days and see if anything sticks before the end of the month.

I'm sorry I am so late replying to you, but I do have some experience with this.

Virginia is basically one of the hardest states to get unemployment benefits from. In this state, unless you lose your job because a place went out of business, you are pretty much screwed.

If there is any bad marks on your work record for ANYTHING, and I mean even the most insignificant thing, you won't get benefits. They tell you that you have a right to an appeal, but don't waste your time unless you have a high powered lawyer and lots of money.

The first thing that happens when you file for VA unemployment, the VEC will call your former company and get the facts on your dismissal. They purposely ask questions to find out if there was EVER ANY incidents concerning you. Even if you were 5 minutes late one time, the VEC can determine that you had "misconduct" and basically you are ineligible for benefits.

I was laid off in July of 2011, everyone that I worked with were put in a meeting and we were told that more than likely by November our company would be out of business and that they were trying to cut jobs to try and stay afloat. But when I went and filed for benefits, I was told i didn't qualify because the interviewer determined that "Misconduct" had occured. don't ask me how. But that's the truth..

Good luck my friend.