What is a "Good Reason" for Quitting

**Tombigbee** · 06-29-2010, 11:40 AM

My question involves unemployment benefits for the state of: Alabama

I have a friend who would like to quit her job due to the terms and conditions of her employment having changed. She must have unemployment benefits to do this, since her finances are too tight to go without income even short-term while job hunting.

It is well-known that her employer is financially strapped, and for that reason she has been told that her health insurance was being terminated, there would no longer be paid vacations, no more paid sick days, and the length of a vacation they approved many months ago would be cut in half (she is a quite indispensable employee there). And, she has been a model employee in her 3 years....never called in sick, never late, customers love her, etc.

As far as I know, there is no written documentation of any kind, from either her or the employer.

Alabama's unemployment handbook simply states that one may be eligible for benefits if a resignation was for "good reason". So, what would some of those reasons be?

Thanks for any help.

**PattyPA** · 06-29-2010, 12:09 PM

Generally speaking, a change in benefits probably isn't going to do it.

She'd be better off dealing with it for now and job-searching like crazy. Not unusual with companies these days.

The maximum benefit in Alabama is only $255/week.

**cbg** · 06-29-2010, 12:38 PM

While only the state of Alabama can say for certain, I would not expect these changes to constitute "good reason to quit" and still get benefits. A pay cut, maybe, if it were deep enough. A benefit cut, I doubt it.

Patty makes a good point, too. I don't know off hand how unemployment benefits are calculated in AL, but there's no guarantee that she'll get the maximum benefit. In fact, if she isn't making considerably more than that, she WON'T get the maximum benefit. UI is always only a fraction of what you're earning. In my state, which has THE most generous benefit in the US, you'll still be looking at slightly less than 50% of your average weekly wage for the last 12 months. EVEN IF she qualified for UI, which is not even close to certain, if her pay has not been cut she's going to be looking at living on much, much less than she is now.