Layoff/Workers Comp

[christinaS]

Live in Alabama. Was hired approx two yrs ago for a company out of Jax. Florida for a local hospital contract. Contract to expire Jan.2001. My employe pulled out of hospital in Sept (early) gave me no notice. Now, she has made to travel 900 miles to/from Jax each week in order to have a job, I must. She has refused to lay me off, stating that we are trying to get work up here for me. She states she can not give me an eval. or raise (not have on for 17 mths) because "I am already costing her to much money". She pays me .31 a mile to drive there. Wants me to use my own car, which I feel is putting to much miles/ware on my car and is unsafe to drive that many miles. Tells me that I need to start saving that expense money because a lay off is coming. When i ask her when, she refused to say. This has been going on for three months now and has caused health, family and financial hardship on me. I also fell at the hospital and rupt. a disk. She and her payroll clerk now harass me each and every week about my workers comp. claim. They want me to "have surgery now because there is no work for you locally, so this would be a good time" I dont want to have surgery. Is this considered a lay off? What

 

[christinaS]

Can I file for Unemployment

I need to know if it is possible to file for unemployment since I no longer have a job unless I travel 800 - 900miles a week? Is an employee required to travel to a new location miles away because the employer has closed down the local location? I did not sign a contract with this company saying that I would travel. Please help. thank you

 

[buddy2bear]

I would think that you would be entitled to claim unemployment compensation. It doesn't hurt to apply for it anyway because all they can say is "no."

However, it sounds like you were injured on your job and that they want you to go on workers' comp. and have an operation on your back, which you don't want to do? If you need this operation, you should get it done while you are still considered an employee and can collect workers' compensation.

To collect unemployment compensation, you must be "ready, willing and able" to work.