Unemployment Qualification

[kwalla]

What is the name of your state? New York

Could someone please answer what the maximum distance allowed to accept work when a person is on unemployment.

For example, is there a mileage notated somewhere that specifies what is considered reasonable distance to travel?

The only information I could find on NYS DOL website is a vague mention of "an hour of travel in private transportation or one and a half hours in public" is USUALLY considered reasonable.

Second question, if there is an actual mileage that is referenced, is it from the home or the place of business.

Background Info:

My husband works construction for a company. He works at different sites all over the area. The next work site is very far from our home and his boss mentioned that he may be able to collect unemployment while they are at this site because the distance is so great. This time of year employment is "on and off" so he has a claim already open.

Thank you very much for your time.

 

[cbg]

Unless NY is very different from most states, there is no exact mileage since what is reasonable can vary greatly depending on what part of the state you are in. An hour's drive in New York City can be very different from an hour's drive in the Finger Lakes. Traffic patterns, accessability to public transportation, industry and labor strength, and various other factors can all affect what is considered reasonable.

The only ones who can answer with any authority the question of whether your husband would be eligible for unemployment, is the state unemployment office.

 

[Beth3]

kwalla, I once asked this very question of a UC adjudicator in my State and they said there was no specific definition in the law. What constitutes a reasonable commute depends on what area of the State you are in and how far/long people typically have to commute to get to work. I'm not in NY but it wouldn't surprise me if your State was similar.