CAT Tracks for May 5, 2011 CAN I FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS?

That was the question e-mailed me this morning by a CAT who resides in Missouri.

Without hesitation, I replied:

"Easy answer to that one...NO."

Well...

Apparently, that's not necessarily true.

I shoulda known better...

I mean...back in the day...I routinely refused to advise people on whether or not they should sign up for early retirement plans. I wisely advised them to call TRS...the downstate Illinois Teachers Retirement System...the people who had the expertise. I certainly did NOT want to risk giving bad/wrong advice on an issue that folks might have to live with the rest of their lives!

Unemployment benefits are NOT quite in that category, but it IS money...money that could be the difference in this time of natural disaster and displacement.

Anyway...

It seems that the question of whether teachers can file for unemployment benefits during the closing of school for natural disasters is not as simple as I thought. My bad...

The aforementioned teacher called the MO Department of Unemployment and received confirmation that, indeed, he COULD file for benefits for the past two weeks and any weeks to come.

So, I stand corrected...

We have CATs that reside in at least five different states. Each state has its own system.

So, "take it from me"...call the folks who know (your local unemployment office)...see what THEY say!

Hey, ya ain't got nuthin' else to do today...