Unsuitable job offers can hurt unemployed workers in Minnesota. Money, salary, and wages make a job offer suitable.
When employers and temp agencies hide the details of an offer, this makes reviewing suitable offers versus the unemployment rule, job seekers get stuck.
Thus, let’s take a quick look at this issue.
Job Offers: Pigs Get Fed
If you have ever watched Wall Street pundits or hung around a pig farmer, you likely have heard the phrase pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. Applying this saying to an unemployed worker, it might appear they should jump at the first job offer. But, what if the job offer is ridiculously low?
Well, a lot of folks end up seeking advisement on rule 268.085, subdivision 13c, which is actually quite long. Basically, it says a worker is ineligible for benefits if they reject a reasonable “suitable employment” offer for work.
As you can probably guess, what is suitable or reasonable for some, might not be suitable or reasonable for others. In no particular order, here are a few factors to consider:
- How long has one been unemployed
- The size of one’s labor market
- Commute length
- Shift work
- Previous jobs or careers
- Past wages, salary, commissions, etc.
- Difference in pay compared to job history
- Occupation
- Contract terms
Again, this is a very subjective list and it will be different for nearly everybody.
Job Offers: Hogs Get Slaughtered
Absolutely I believe the process of being unemployed can turn into an even better opportunity for executives, managers, union workers, hourly workers, part-time workers, and everybody in-between. But, hogs have a tendency of getting slaughtered, when waiting for pie-in-the-sky job offers.
For some, the risks and penalties identified by case law and Minnesota unemployment statute 268.085 outweigh the rewards. Again, this is a case by case situation because it requires a deep understanding of unemployment misrepresentation versus a business risk.
Job Offers: Appeal Issues
From my perspective, I want to help folks remain eligible. Being ineligible or taxed with an overpayment makes being unemployed even more difficult than it already is. Here are a few more issues every applicant should be prepared for:
- Proving one’s job search process, and
- Engaging the reason(s) for becoming unemployed.
In my profession, I see small problems turn into big problems because people respond horribly to questionnaires and judges. Thus, please be prudent and versus rolling the dice.
