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Did VSSOP takers get unemployment benefits?

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By scooby
Anonymously asked:

I was wondering if anyone knows whether any VSSOPers have qualified to receive unemployment benefits?
I wanted to take the VSSOP but also wanted to receive unemployment so I passed on volunteering to leave in March. I am curious how it worked out for those who left. Does anyone know?

Comments

Anonymous said…
My questions are:

If you got the VSSOP or any type of severance pay can you sign up for unemployment immediately or do you have to exhaust all of the funds you got before you can file?

If you are a double dipper or decide to retire upon getting your pink slip does your retirement count as income and therefore you are disqualifed for unemployment?

Anyone know the answers?
4/08/2008 8:27 PM
Anonymous said…
My son (non Labbie) left his job to take another job. He wanted to take a few days off before starting his new job. In those few days, the new job was pulled and he never started. He applied for unemployment benefits but his claim was denied because he had voluntarily left his old job.
4/09/2008 3:12 PM
Anonymous said…
The answer to the question of unemployment for VSSOP participants is: NO!

I just got my Notice of Determination from EDD this afternoon. It says that under Section 1256 I'm disqualified because I voluntarily quit my most recent work without good cause. (Note that they call the VSSOP a SEVERANCE BONUS PROGRAM.) I am disqualified until I perform services in bona fide employment for which I receive remuneration equal to or in excess of five times my weekly benefit amount. Of course, I guess I'd then have to be laid of from that job to qualify. So they really didn't say anything about waiting until you exhaust the severance.

Or I can appeal, but I don't see much point in that. Prior to the VSSOP, I tried to figure out if I would qualify, but I couldn't get that info for certain from the EDD web site, and calling them was pointless, since they wouldn't talk to you anyway (long story.) I had a feeling, though, that I wouldn't qualify due to the fact that I was the cause of the separation.

While they never lied to us, LLNS HR made it sound as if it was a possibility. They'd only tell you that you were on your own, but they'd never fought it before. Well, thanks again, LLNS. Just another case of partial information or disinformation.

They, in fact, knew all along that the VSSOP was designed to exclude unemployment. That's why we were made to resign instead of "volunteering to be laid off" ala LANL. Why didn't they just come out and say it?

It would have helped to tide things over until I can find another job. Maybe I should have had something lined-up prior to taking the VSSOP, but I just had to get out of there to preserve my mental and physical well being.

If anyone either qualifies, hears of someone who qualified, or places an appeal and wins, I'd sure like to hear about it.
4/09/2008 4:11 PM
Anonymous said…
lanl folks in NM were able to claim unemployment benis. Seems a bit unusual for CA not to do this.
4/09/2008 8:03 PM
Anonymous said…
Ask NNSA to open an investigation into whether LLNS legal knew (or should have known) information about unemployment that it did not reveal to employees. If it is found that they were dishonest to employees, you may have a case to win back unemployment benefits.

The fact that they phrased the VVSOP as 'resigning' is a good indicator that they knew exactly what they were doing, and how it was going to end.

"It is the policy of DOE that employees of
contractors at DOE facilities should be able
to provide information to DOE, to Congress,
or to their contractors concerning violations
of law, danger to health and safety, or
matters involving mismanagement, gross
waste of funds, or abuse of authority"
4/09/2008 8:18 PM
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