I apologize if this is a stupid question but I was wondering, can those who were laid off by Verizon apply for unemployment in addition to receiving severance?
I've heard somebody mention they'd be happy to get laid off because that would mean a nice cushion of severance and unemployment, and it didn't really make sense to me that you can get both.
Not in NY. They take half the severance and you cannot apply for unemployment until the end of the severance period.
In Pa. if your laid off you can collect
Yes, state by state. In MA, because you have to sign away rights to get it, it doesn't count as pay and you can file for unemployment straight away.
I live in Texas. And they were totally confused. According to their website, you can "probably" start collecting unemployment immediately if you're given a lump sum but will "probably" have to wait if your severance is paid out in installments.
Since I was former XO, Verizon had a deal to pay one week of severance pay instead of two, unless we were still employed by Verizon on February 1, 2018. So naturally a huge chunk of former XO got laid off about 30 days before that happened.
Verizon was very precise about the amount of severance. I worked at XO / Verizon for 10.42 years, so I got 10.42 weeks of severance pay and 10.42 weeks of continued medical coverage.
I was told by Verizon HR to sign up for unemployment one day after my last day of employment, which I did. For some weird reason Texas withholds your first week of unemployment, but in a couple of weeks I received a check (warrant) for one week of unemployment.
This all happened before I received my severance check (minus about 1/3 for the Feds) from Verizon.
Then I got notified from the State of Texas that I essentially got a unemployment fraudulently because Verizon informed them that they had given me 11 weeks of severance pay. (I guess Verizon was no longer so precise and thought .42 meant you rounded up.) So even though it was a lump sum they counted the weeks.
Since I hadn't cashed the unemployment check yet, I tried to return it, but they wouldn't let me do that and I had to cash it and write the state of Texas a check.
In the middle of March I was able to start filing for unemployment again.
So in Texas, I think they make it up as they go.
In MN you can apply for unemployment after the severance period is over (usually max 35 weeks, VZ pays 2 weeks for each year of service). The state checks with VZ before approving payments.
In ca you get both.
In NJ, you can get both.
As was already mentioned, it is a state by state thing. Also it can depend on how the severance is paid out and the kind of agreement they make you sign to get it.
If the entire severance is paid out in a single lump sum, in some states, you may become eligible for unemployment benefits right away. If your separation paperwork makes you give up rights to get the severance, it could be considered a contract separate from your employment agreement so may not be considered "pay" for the purposes of unemployment benefits purposes. (It's still taxable income, but that's a different topic).
If severance is paid out incrementally on regular pay cycles, you may be considered an inactive employee. As such you may not be eligible for unemployment benefits until you are no longer an employee, ie. after your last severance payment.
It really does depend on the state you live in.
Every state is different. I am in New York. RIF'd 12/29/2017. After I applied online for unemployment, I get a call about 2 weeks later from state rep stating I have to use my severance $ first before I am eligible for unemployment. They know how much you received. Rep did some calculations and then told me I can get unemployment starting in June.
you get both because the goverment knows that severance in some/most cases might not be enough.
Yes you get both. To get the unemployment, you have to wait to sign up until the next business day after your last official day of employment.