Wise To Furlough?

[Fiji ST]

My wife was offered to take a furlough for 10 weeks this summer. If she does, she can file for unemployment and get a portion of her salary.

 

Is there any reason not to do this? Trying to research it, but most of the stuff I’m finding talks about government employees, which she is not.

[Richard Cranium]

What are the other options?

[Fiji ST]

What are the other options?

 

I forgot to mention that one of the main reasons we’re doing this is the money will cover the cost of our insurance since it’s through her work. If we don’t, we will have to pay it all out of pocket.

 

That being said;

1. Work for 4 weeks and get salary for that month but still be on the hook the rest of the summer for insurance.

2. Not work, find some summer job and still pay for insurance.

 

I’m just trying to find out if there’s any negatives to doing this. People keep telling her no at work, but no one seems to have a answer why. Google is no help either.

[mmrmnhrm]

I was "furloughed" once. They still haven't called me back.

[Zx2guy19]

I was "furloughed" once. They still haven't called me back.

 

Bingo- this would be my question. Is the furlough a guaranteed "leave" of absence, like FMLA? I would confirm, and obtain in writing, that she is coming back on "X date" to the same position, same pay, etc.

[zeitgeist57]

I don't know about furloughs, nor what impact they would have on her current employer if she claims unemployment...

 

However, during the Recession I was let go when a start-up bank we were organizing died on the vine. I felt I had great contacts in the marketplace but underestimated the impact the economic downturn was having. Not wanting to check the box on certain job applications that "I had received government assistance in the past 12 months", I didn't file for unemployment assistance.

 

An understandable month off of work turned into almost 6. We burned through a lot of our savings as I was carrying some unoccupied real-estate and my wife wasn't working since we had our first child.

 

I never could substantiate if unemployment benefits truly affect a person's consideration as a job candidate with companies.....but I did regret not taking even a discounted salary for a few months as a new father. I pay for unemployment insurance through the government; I should've collected when I needed to.

[Zx2guy19]

I never could substantiate if unemployment benefits truly affect a person's consideration as a job candidate with companies.....but I did regret not taking even a discounted salary for a few months as a new father. I pay for unemployment insurance through the government; I should've collected when I needed to.

 

Clay, no one gives a crap. I know it's too late now, but especially during this time, no one was looked at differently as a result of this.

 

Source: 9 years in HR, joined the field when the workforce was at rock bottom.

[Tractor]

To my knowledge taking unemployment benefits has never effected my wife or myself for job consideration. She even got lucky during the recession and got two years paid at 80%. it was a great help as she got to be home with our new born and 4 yr old.

 

I agree with the above about getting anything in writing involving the time period and situation since many times she could be cut loose at the end of the furlough.

 

Personally I'd the unemployment and enjoy the time off, you pay into it and its a rare opportunity to get something back.

[zeitgeist57]

Clay, no one gives a crap. I know it's too late now, but especially during this time, no one was looked at differently as a result of this.

 

Source: 9 years in HR, joined the field when the workforce was at rock bottom.

 

Yup. Chalked up that one as a life lesson.

[Orion]

To my knowledge taking unemployment benefits has never effected my wife or myself for job consideration. She even got lucky during the recession and got two years paid at 80%. it was a great help as she got to be home with our new born and 4 yr old.

 

I agree with the above about getting anything in writing involving the time period and situation since many times she could be cut loose at the end of the furlough.

 

Personally I'd the unemployment and enjoy the time off, you pay into it and its a rare opportunity to get something back.

 

Agree.

[Geeto67]

...Not wanting to check the box on certain job applications that "I had received government assistance in the past 12 months", I didn't file for unemployment assistance...

 

Woah...this shocks me a little. Not calling you out on anything clay, just want to clarify something in case someone else is reading it and is similarly scared into making a mistake.

 

1. Employers, or potential employers, have no right to this information without your permission and you are not under any obligation to answer the question if you see it, even if you have received unemployment or some other form of public assistance. Employers are prohibited by several federal and state laws from discriminating negatively against individuals on the basis of public assistance.

 

2. The reason employers put that question on forms is because certain programs make the employer eligible for incentives for hiring recipients, so answering the question might actually make you more attractive to the potential employer. My advice? if you know you are in one of those programs that the employer gets an incentive for hiring, then absolutely answer the question - it makes you more attractive to the potential employer if they get paid to hire you. Otherwise you aren't required to so don't provide it.

 

3. Not answering that question should NEVER be a reason not to apply for benefits you are eligible for, ever. If you don't want to apply for them for another reasons that's your choice, but don't be mislead that employers are entitled to know whether you receive government assistance as a justification for not receiving something you are eligible for and def don't put your family or financial stability on the line for that.

 

4. Under the SSI's definition, Unemployment is not considered "government assistance", and this is a definition all government agencies and most states share, so even if you want to answer the question (and honestly if you are worried about illegal discrimination, then don't but then do you want to work for a company that would discriminate illegally anyway?) you can answer it no without lying.

 

Sorry for the quick tangent, but I didn't want someone to read this and suddenly get scared about applying for unemployment benefits when they are qualified to do so.

[Fiji ST]

Bingo- this would be my question. Is the furlough a guaranteed "leave" of absence, like FMLA? I would confirm, and obtain in writing, that she is coming back on "X date" to the same position, same pay, etc.

 

Funny you say that. They made an official announcement this morning that anyone who takes the furlough are guaranteed employment in August (year contract). They lost several teachers this year so they’d be doubly screwing themselves if they didn’t hire my wife and everyone else back.

 

To my knowledge taking unemployment benefits has never effected my wife or myself for job consideration. She even got lucky during the recession and got two years paid at 80%. it was a great help as she got to be home with our new born and 4 yr old.

 

I agree with the above about getting anything in writing involving the time period and situation since many times she could be cut loose at the end of the furlough.

 

Personally I'd the unemployment and enjoy the time off, you pay into it and its a rare opportunity to get something back.

 

She’s really wanting a summer off. I don’t have a problem with it as long as we still have insurance. I just don’t want to screw anything up with her as a just-in-case.

[Fiji ST]

I don't know about furloughs, nor what impact they would have on her current employer if she claims unemployment...

 

However, during the Recession I was let go when a start-up bank we were organizing died on the vine. I felt I had great contacts in the marketplace but underestimated the impact the economic downturn was having. Not wanting to check the box on certain job applications that "I had received government assistance in the past 12 months", I didn't file for unemployment assistance.

 

An understandable month off of work turned into almost 6. We burned through a lot of our savings as I was carrying some unoccupied real-estate and my wife wasn't working since we had our first child.

 

I never could substantiate if unemployment benefits truly affect a person's consideration as a job candidate with companies.....but I did regret not taking even a discounted salary for a few months as a new father. I pay for unemployment insurance through the government; I should've collected when I needed to.

 

Never was an issue the two times I had to use it. I don’t ever remember seeing it on any job applications.

[Geeesammy]

Would not/10

 

I was put onto a similar thing when I was in construction due to a slow time in 2012. I was 19-20 making 80k a year.

 

Still waiting to “hear back” 7 years, 4 cities, 6 moves and a career change later.

[Fiji ST]

Would not/10

 

I was put onto a similar thing when I was in construction due to a slow time in 2012. I was 19-20 making 80k a year.

 

Still waiting to “hear back” 7 years, 4 cities, 6 moves and a career change later.

 

Were you guaranteed to be hired back?

[Geeesammy]

Were you guaranteed to be hired back?

 

Yes and no.

 

I was never technically fired, they basically said “hey slow few weeks coming up, gonna have to lay you off” got laid off, young and dumb so said whatever and just sat around a few months then moved to cbus and waited for a callback, never did and didn’t want to go back anyways

 

Long story short it was the owner trying to fix the books in order to sell from what I gathered.

[Mace1647545504]

Stupid question...is a furlough considered a layoff or is it another category?

 

The reason I ask is you can get unemployment if you're laid off but if you voluntarily take time off would to be considered something else??

[Fiji ST]

Stupid question...is a furlough considered a layoff or is it another category?

 

The reason I ask is you can get unemployment if you're laid off but if you voluntarily take time off would to be considered something else??

 

To me, it sounds like a different type of being laid off whereas they’re trying to save money by not having to pay you your full income for a set period of time. Similar to what Geeesammy had to deal with. The difference for my wife’s job is they have put into writing that she, and anyone else that takes it, will have their job back in August.

 

For us, my wife decided to take it after a medical emergency with my MIL came about and she won’t be able to watch our daughter for a while. Guess we will see what happens.

Edited March 25, 2019 by Fiji ST

[coltboostin]

Get it in writing and take it.

 

If she can't get it in writing-dust off the resume and establish the back up plan (never a bad idea anyways)

[mustangman2011]

What kind of school is this?

[Fiji ST]

What kind of school is this?

 

Non-profit special needs.

[mustangman2011]

ok makes sense now. They are probaly out of money/grants. She might want to look for a union based teaching position

[mmrmnhrm]

She might want to look for a union based teaching position

QFT.

 

Especially with the current Secretary of Education.

[Fiji ST]

ok makes sense now. They are probaly out of money/grants. She might want to look for a union based teaching position

 

QFT.

 

Especially with the current Secretary of Education.

 

I'm not worried about her job in the fall. Seriously, she applied on a Wednesday. They called her that afternoon for an interview the following morning. She interviewed and had a job offer emailed to her by lunch. :fuckyeah: