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I was recently denied benefits from EDD because my employer stated I had quit. Here is the story, my employer suspended me during an investigation that nothing was found. When I returned to work they let me know nothing was found but were going to let me go and handed my my last checks. I asked if I could let my futrue emplyers know that I had quit, they said yes and also told the EDD that I quit.

Submitted: 398 days and 20 hours ago.
Category: Employment Law
Value: $15
Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION
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Optional Information

San Jose, California

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 20 hours ago.

Info Request

Good morning,

What state did you work in before you were let go?

I’ll put forth my best effort in assisting you. When you are able to respond to my request for clarification of your situation, I’ll be able to assist you. In the meantime I would ask that you please stay on-line, just in case I need additional clarification from you regarding the factual circumstances relating to your question. Thank you for allowing me to help.

Regards,

Doug

398 days and 20 hours ago.

Reply

Ok, I am available and on line

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 20 hours ago.

Info Request

What state did you work in before you were let go?

Are you telling me you were employed in Oklohoma?

398 days and 20 hours ago.

Reply

No employed in California. I stated I was suprised they were letting me go for allegations, not fact. I then asked if I could let future employers that I quit, they in turn said they would get back to me. I called back about 30 minutes later with a question regarding my insurance and when it would laspe, the informed me that they would accept my notice.

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 19 hours ago.

Answer

Good morning,


Unless you have a written contract of employment with your employer, you are probably considered an employee-at-will. This means that there is likely little protection afforded you relating to unreasonable supervisors/bosses, as well as the typical office politics which can be so troublesome.

In California, employees are presumed to be "at will." At-will employees may be terminated for any reason, so long as it's not illegal or discriminatory. Generally, employees who work under an employment contract can only be terminated for reasons specified in the contract. In your state, an employment relationship is at-will unless there is a defined duration for the employment contract or if the contract permits termination by the employer only under specified circumstances.

However, the fact that nothing was found against you in the investigation, coupled with the fact that they told you that you could tell future employers that you quit, does NOT absolve them from paying you unemployment insurance. You are not obligated to tell EDD that you quit.


Fight the decision to deny you benefits. I believe that you have a meritorious claim for unemployment benefits.

Thank you very much for having allowed me to assist you. It would be greatly appreciated if you would click the green Accept icon so that I can receive credit for having assisted you.

Best regards,

Doug

398 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

Can you provide me help on how to go forward filling out my appeal statement and in turn contacting my previous employer? They are saying I quit, so I am denied benefits and in turn they are telling prospective employers that I am not available for rehire? I feel like they cannot have it both ways.

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 18 hours ago.

Answer

Good afternoon,

You should contact your local EDD office and ask about the procedure for having a hearing on, and appealing, your denial of benefits.

Your company's position with regard to whether you are eligible for rehire has nothing to do with your EDD. As I said, as am employee at will you can be fired for any reason--or no reason. Your company is simply saying that you are not eligible for rehire under their guidelines.

Your appeal statement is simple--you were not fired for cause and you did not quit. In CA the employer has the obligation to show that you were terminated for good cause or, that you quit. Your statement that you did not quit, and that your employed did not fire you for cause places the burden of proof on your employer.

Thank you very much for having allowed me to assist you. It would be greatly appreciated if you would click the green Accept icon so that I can receive credit for having assisted you.

Best regards,

Doug

398 days and 18 hours ago.

Reply

I received a form to fill out, it wants me to state why I do not agree with the statement" my employer said employee quit". should I just plug in response from above?

My suspension was for 2 reasons, 1)letting hourly employees drink on clock...which is false, I have termed 1 manager and 3-4 employees for this act in the previous 6 months. The culture before I got there was employees were allowed to drink and the female cocktailers encouraged by owners. 2)Excess amounts of comped/voided food/drinks, I had a ticket for $400 that I had comped because the guest (regular) was hesistant to use his corporate with alcohol on his tab, would come back in the next day or so to settle. This is common practice and I have done it before. No foul play was determined.

The manager and employee who voiced that I let them drink are both anti-model employees, one had been termed twice before and the othe has 4-5 document write ups in his file and is on his final notice.

 

 

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 17 hours ago.

Answer

Good afternoon,

Respond to the employer's allegation that you quit by saying that you did not voluntarily quit your job.

You don't need to, and you shouldn't, attempt to explain further. The fact that you were accused of doing inappropriate things at work has nothing to do with the allegation that you quit.

Thank you very much for having allowed me to assist you. It would be greatly appreciated if you would click the green Accept icon so that I can receive credit for having assisted you.

Best regards,

Doug

398 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

So short and sweet, " you did not voluntarily quit my job.", that is it?

No more no less. Thanks a million.

 

Accepted Answer

That should be your response to the allegation.

If they were to claim that your were terminated because you acted inappropriately, then they would have to prove that. As it stands now, the fact that you didn't quit is all you need respond. That simple--yes.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you very much for having allowed me to assist you. It would be greatly appreciated if you would click the green Accept icon so that I can receive credit for having assisted you.

Best regards,

Doug

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Expert: LawTalk
Pos. Feedback: 98.9 %
Accepts: 969
Answered: 2/16/2009

Attorney

I have 25 years experience in the practice of law.

398 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

I have the appeal form in front of me, it states the following on why I am being disqualified from benefits.

... you are not eligible to recieve benefits under California unemployment insurance code section 1256 beginning 01/11/09 and continuing until you return to work after the disqualifying act and earn $2250.00 or more in bona fide employment, and you contact the above office to reopen your claim.

you quit our last job with your employer rather than be discharged. Because the employer relationship was terminated at your employers request, the separation is considered a discharge. The reasons for the discharge meet the definition of misconduct connected with the work. After considering availible information, the department finds that you do not meet the legal requirment for payment benefits. Section 1256 provides, an individual disqualifified under section 1256.

Can you help me with this?

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 17 hours ago.

Answer

You need to argue that you did not quit, in lieu of being discharged. Then, if they want to talk about termination for cause, you will deal with the specifics of that issue.

You need to get to a hearing to argue that you didn't do anything wrong. Their ruling does not set forth the violations you were accused of. They sidestep that and suggest that while the allegation met the definition of misconduct--that you quit rather than being fired.

Best regards,

Doug

398 days and 17 hours ago.

Reply

I researched "section 1256" and it has to do with drugs and alcohol. Just like I stated before that I had let employees drink, etc. So I will just simply state

I did not voluntarily quit my job.",

Posted by LawTalk 398 days and 17 hours ago.

Answer

State that you did not quit, in lieu of being discharged as they allege.

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