Unemployment laws don’t make sense.
I was recently informed how weekly unemployment claim benefit amounts are determined. The gentleman I spoke with said, in short, that if you make up to $4.99 over your weekly benefit amount, you would be entitled to at least $100 in unemployment benefits. Anything over that $4.99, it is determined that you have sufficient income for the week.
My interpretation: So, if a person’s weekly benefit amount is $350 and they grossed $349 from an employer, they would receive $101 for unemployment compensation, bringing their total gross amount to $450. However, if they made $355, they wouldn’t be entitled to any benefit because $5 over their weekly benefit amount is sufficient income for the week. Really?
If a person doesn’t earn up to $100 over their weekly benefit amount, it would only make sense that they should be entitled to unemployment compensation according to this formula: ($100 + WBA) – Gross Income = Benefit amount.
Another issue: What is the purpose of a waiting week, which is never recouped? Employers don’t make you work a week without pay (unless it’s in the contract), so why should the unemployed worker go without some sort of benefit?
It makes no sense to me. How about you?
Doug Mills
Nobleboro
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