Was recently laid-off (displaced) from the Chandler site. I am getting a severance and paid out for PTO and two months of paid non-working time. At what point should I contact AZ Unemployment office? From what I can tell, I won’t qualify for unemployment benefits while getting severance. Is this true? I don’t want to sc--w myself out of the little bit of unemployment AZ offers as every little bit helps, but the AZ DES website is very confusing and impossible to get a live rep.
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Not generally a fan of living in a deep blue state (super high taxes) BUT it was really nice with unemployment. $1200/week and was able to collect while on severance. All that unemployment taxes that they have been collecting for 25+ years finally turned into a benefit for me.
It is a super crummy time to get displaced. The market su-ks. I was lucky and actually improved my situation financially with the new company but it was incredibly stressful and I literally had no bites except the one job that I landed. Feel awful for everyone that has been displaced by Charlie.
Good luck to you. Hope you find something soon.
@cq Arizona Revised Statutes Title 23. Labor § 23-621. Unemployed; definition
Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
A. An individual shall be deemed “unemployed” with respect to any week during which the individual performs no services and with respect to which no wages are payable to the individual, or with respect to any week of less than full-time work without any fault on the individual's part if the wages payable to the individual with respect to the week are less than the individual's weekly benefit amount.
B. An individual shall not be deemed “unemployed” with respect to any week of less than full-time work if the loss of full-time work is directly attributable to the fault of the individual.
C. An individual shall not be deemed “unemployed” if the individual is receiving wages in lieu of notice or severance pay. The period of time for which wages in lieu of notice or severance pay are allocable shall be determined by either of the following:
If there was a written contract between the employer and the claimant in effect at the time of separation, allocate to the appropriate period in accordance with the contract, continuing for the number of work days that the pay would cover at the regular wage or salary rate.
If no written contract was in effect at the time of separation, allocate to the appropriate period following the last day of performance of services, continuing for the number of work days that the pay would cover at the regular wage or salary rate.
D. For the purposes of this section, “severance pay” includes all amounts that an employer pays to an employee due to the employee's resignation, termination or participation in an exit incentive program or inclusion in a reduction in force or in consideration for the employee's release of actual or potential claims for the termination of employment. Severance pay does not include any amounts that the employer pays for health benefits or pursuant to any employee benefit plan.
@cq Az code says lump sum not an issue the contract is and you sign one to get severance. Whatever length of time is on contract for severance means no claim for UI allowed. Title 23 621 section Az UI code. Not sure if the link below will work or not (it does for me now)
https://codes.findlaw.com/az/title-23-labor/az-rev-st-sect-23-621/#:~:text=An%20individual%20shall%20not%20be,the%20fault%20of%20the%20individual.
@ae each state is different re severance. california allows unemployment during severance period
If I don’t receive unemployment until after my severance ends, does that mean I should take the lump sum up front then? Or, will the unemployment office factor the amount based on the weeks of severance/ amount I’d earn in severance?
Severance counts. They will equal weight it (if you collect 26 weeks in week 2 they wont pau til week 27) so don’t get an advance. Apply day after employment (60 day notice) ends but put in severance in application. They will figure it out. 320 per week max for 24 weeks. Call center is cr-p everything is cr-p there. It may take months (took me over three months from applying) so start after no longer employed.
@OP YES. APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMEN AS SOON AS YOUR 60 DAYS ARE UP. GOOD LUCK
@ae cool, this is for AZ, so your comment is worthless
If you figure out a definitive answer please come back and let us know. I'm Chandler and still have a job at the moment but my manager told me on the low that I'll be out before eoy
I'm CA and after I was displaced, I was able to apply for unemployment benefits after the 60 days non-working time.
so i am in a different state with different rules but i googled az and it said to apply after your last work day. however you will not receive any benefits until after severance ends which you will submit along with your application