Mona - I'm in N.J. and on unemployment after being laid off in February. My income wasn't much higher than hers and I get a fraction of what I earned. There's got to be something else to her story because that would make no sense.

Unemployment here is normally for six months but our unemployment rate is high enough that I believe it's usually extended.

goldgirl, I believe unemployment compensation has been extended nationwide to 18 months per Obama's directive, but I may be mistaken.

I agree, her story doesn't make sense, but my daughter spoke with the young lady and she says it's true.

She is unemployed from NJ but is currently living in NY. Could she be "double dipping" from both states?

I live in NYS and you can collect unemployment for (up to) 18 months. It is indeed a fraction of what your gross earnings were.

I agree with goldgirl...something doesn't add up. As far as "double dipping" from both states, I have no doubt that it's been done and she could be doing that, but it sounds unlikely that anyone who is doing that would advertise it (unless they're incredibly naieve or a bit dumb).

I know that in Oregon unemployment compensation was raised, but it's no where near what the wage had been. My DD was finally approved for UC, and she got a very part time job (15 hrs a week) and UC pays the difference between her wages and her UC. She was employed FT and made a very good wage.

I know that I'd be able to collect the max, and that's not even a 1/4 of my salary. So I can't see how someone would make more than, or even equal to their salary on UC.

According to the New Jersey Estimate of Unemployment Insurance Benefits calculator, if she earned 26,000 and worked for a full year, her weekly benefit rate would be $300, and the maximum she could collect is $7800.

Looking at monablair's message, I can see where the confusion lies. The young woman isn't getting 30,000 dollars. She's getting 30,000 cents, or $300 dollars a week.

That does not make any sense. Are you sure she does not fall under the category of a displace worker due to a factory closing or something like that? There are special programs for displaced workers that have extra benefits. Is she now going to school "to learn new skills"?

Also keep in mind that sometimes checks are issued by mistake. If there is an overpayment the gov WILL try to get it back.

suero, she did say $30,000.00 per year.

According to my daughter she's getting a $600.00 check every week.
Her previous job was in a department store where she was a customer assistant...certainly not skilled labor.

Oh, well. Some people are just lucky, I guess.

Mona, when my hubby was laid off, we lived in NJ but he worked in PA. His unemployment came from PA not NJ and like Goldgirl it was approximately $300 per week. Something is clearly not right in Denmark or NY and she has to be mistaken. For the record, he was making much more than she was but did receive a large amount with his layoff.

From what I am reading at NY & NJ, she shouldn't be allowed to double dip, she has to choose which state she will collect from and file there.

I wonder if her $600 check was for back unemployment and that she's mistaken on what she's actually going to get. I'm curious what state she is actually collecting from.

I will say that if she is double dipping and gets caught, she's going to learn a big lesson. I know NJ is getting anal about who they pay what to. You have to send them proof of actually applying to a certain amount of jobs per week.

NY unemployment

NJ Figuring Out Your Benefit Amount How Much Can You Collect? The amount of unemployment benefits you may receive each week is your Weekly Benefit Rate (WBR). The amount will be 60% of the average weekly earnings during your base year period, up to a maximum of $584 (in 2009). The maximum amount may change each year.

If you are not entitled to the maximum amount of weekly benefits, you may be able to increase your entitlement with Dependency Benefits.
Total Amount

The total amount of benefits you may collect is called your Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA). The MBA is equal to the WBR times the total number of weeks worked in the base year period. Generally, for every week you worked during your base year period, you may be entitled to a week of benefits, up to a maximum of 26 times your Weekly Benefit Rate.

Here is a link that might be useful: NJ unemployment

When Bombay Co. closed and I began collecting unemployment it was a little weird. Because what you get in unemployment is based on the wages that you earned for prior quarters I ended up bringing home more from UC than what I was making at Bombay. That was because I was making so much money in the medical field working FT before I left to work PT in retail that almost all of the money I was getting from UC was based on 3 quarters of my FT medical salary. Despite the fact that I was re-employed again in a month albeit only PT again I was eligible to collect partial UC again based on my medical career wages thereby garnering me more money working PT than as if I'd been employed FT at my current job in which case I would have had to give up my partial UC and make less money overall.

That makes sense ttod and it is not uncommon for someone making good dough to be laid off and then take a substandard job, and then get laid off of that. UC would be based on the previous year's work. Soooooooooooooooooo, if I worked as a heart surgeon for 6 months and the hospital closed, and then went to work as a Walmart greeter for the next six months, and then lost that gig, I would pull in more in UC weekly than made by working weekly at Walmart.

Good point ttodd! And roselvr - the N.J. online unemployment filing requires only that one certify that yes, they were available for and looking for work. No proof required.

I'm holding my breath at the moment for an awesome job I just applied for with the help of a friend already working there. Don't want to get my hopes up but it would be so nice to feel wanted again :)

Well goldgirl, I will secretly cross my fingers and hold my breath for you. That way since you're not doing it, it can't be jinxed!

Goldgirl, there is a pretty long post about it in the NJ forum at citydata; I used to follow it but haven't. From what I read there, you had to check in by phone or online in order to keep qualifying. I guess things have changed?

On the NY site - NY state resident Q: If I am a resident of New York State, but worked in another state where do I apply for benefits? - A: If you currently live in New York State, but all your work in the past 18 months was in another state, you must file your claim with the state where you worked. For information and filing instructions in other states, Click here.
If you worked in 2 or more states in the past 18 months, you must file your claim with one of the states where you worked, regardless of where you reside. You may be able to combine wages from all the states where you worked in the past 18 months, OR use only the wages earned in the filing state. Once you file your claim in a state where you worked, that state will advise you of all your filing options in order to receive the highest benefit amount. For information and filing instructions in other states

The only other thing I found was here Commuter Information Lived in New Jersey While Working in New York If you lived in one of the following New Jersey counties while commuting to work in New York, and you are looking for new work in New York, you must file your unemployment claim by telephone with the State of New York. The telephone number is 1-888-209-8124.

Bergen Essex Hudson
Middlesex Passaic Union

If you are not looking for work in New York, or if you live anywhere else in the State of New Jersey, you must file your claim by calling New York at 1-877-358-5306.

roselvr - You do have to answer a series of questions every two weeks either on the phone or online, but there's no requirement to prove that you've really looked for work, like in days past where I believe you had to show where and when you applied for jobs, etc.

Thanks ttodd!