Worried about unemployment elligibilty

[happytobeout]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

My former employer was having MAJOR financial problems. The company is deep in debt, over extended credit line, and owes 300K in back taxes to the IRS.

I've been trying to get out of there for a while, but was afraid to quit before I had something else lined up. Yesterday, they laid me ff because of cash flow problems. I was told that the termination was not performance based, but rather because of the company's financial problems. Frankly, I was relieved to have been terminated because it would give me the security of unemployment while I looked for something new.

Here my question/concern:
My coworker (the only other internal employee working there now) told me that he will be giving his notice in a week.
What if my former employer calls and offer to rehire me? The company's finanical problems and low prospect of new revenue will not have changed. I don't want to go back there. Can I decline a possible offer of rehire and still be elligible for unemployment benefits? Working at this company has been making me miserable for months, but I can't afford to be unemployed without some money to cover bills.

Your thoughts please.

 

[Beth3]

Can I decline a possible offer of rehire and still be elligible for unemployment benefits? If you are offered a position and you have the qualifications to do the job and refuse, almost certainly the UC office will deny further benefits.

 

[SuzieWahoozie]

The Bright Side

There's nothing to stop you from going back to work for them and continuing to look elsewhere.

Besides, if they are in the financial straits you claim they are, and they have only one employee left, it is quite possible they will accept his resignation and then close the business. They probably aren't going to hire/rehire anyone - not any time soon anyway. They want to get out from under, too.