Submitted by iiCe_ t3_zx7upv in massachusetts
I got laid off when my company was sold back in April, I found a new job in June but then that company sold three months later and I was out of a job again. However, when I reactivated my UA benefits, the timer stayed where it was before I took that job in June. In other words it didn’t reset to 26 weeks. Has anyone had this happen and how hard is it to get an extension if I don’t find something quick?
People who complain on Reddit aren't really asking for help. It's just venting.
Ehhhhh, not necessarily. I've not had the pleasure of trying to call the UA offices in MA but it wouldn't surprise me if it was a 3-hour slog through endless holding, multiple transfers, being disconnected while on hold, and being told different things by different people including the possibility that none were correct.
Sometimes, perhaps even often times, Redditors have sufficiently been there and done that to provide quick, concise info that's not readily or obviously available at the powers that be. *Especially* when dealing with municipalities and public agencies. I mean yes, the info *should* be there and be easy to get. Point is that often isn't the case.
Lol exactly, I don’t see what the harm is in asking a question. People get so mad when you try and find an answer out an easier way.
I have a ton of experience dealing with MA UA over the phone and I can tell you it is not fun. When I got let go in October I called every single day for six weeks. I would be on hold for at least an hour every time only to have the automated message decide that there was no one available to take my call and it would hang up on me. Also, the “press 1 to have us call you back” never worked either. I waited 7 weeks without getting any benefits, the only reason I ended up getting them is because I called my congressman. Yes, now I am actually venting!
Try the congressman again!
This is the fastest way, or your local rep is even easier to contact. Lenny Mirra’s office always figured my problems out quickly
I think it’s around 6 months you have to be at a job till UA will “restart”. There’s proabably a yearly limit too. Extensions usually only happen in emergency situations like recession, pandemic, etc.
That would make sense, I only worked 3 months so that probably didn’t qualify. I figured I’d try and see if someone had experience with this situation before I spent my day on hold only to speak with a representative that has no clue what I’m talking about
They’ll have more of a clue than us!
But also I wouldn’t ever call them, the last couple times I’ve had to collect I did it all online. Never spoke to a single person.
If you are reopening your claim within one year of initially applying then you can only use what’s left on that benefit year. Unfortunately, there are no generic extension programs for the kind of situation you described. If you haven’t yet exceeded 20 payable weeks of benefits you could try for the Training Opportunities Program (TOP) which comes with extended benefits, but you need to commit to a re-training program for a new career.
Ehhhh I’ll most likely have a job by then but thank you for the info! I was just curious in case my opportunities fall through.
Never needed it luckily, but I think half a year is the new maximum. I assumed it was fiscal.
Yeah I’m wondering what happens after you pass that one year mark. I know you have to use the 26 weeks within a year or you lose them, just curious what happens after a year. If the benefits don’t carry over Y2Y I would assume the only way around it would be to apply for an extension
You open a new claim if you’ve lapsed the year. You’ve worked within that so you should most likely be fine.
TheDeadlySpaceman t1_j1yuymd wrote
Two thoughts:
you say you re-activated your benefits, not applied for new ones. As far ask I know that would just restart the benefits you were already approved for.
You may not have had enough earnings as an employee in the past year to qualify for new benefits.
Either way, asking here isn’t going to help, call the UA office.