Judging unemployment is serious stuff. I believe the process of seeking unemployment should not start with telling your whole story and finding ways to reduce stress or anxiety.
Instead, take this process in strides and chunks.
The first person judging unemployment is…
The very first person who gets to judge your unemployment claim is YOU! Being approved unemployment benefits is not based on principle. Instead, unemployment claims are decided by rule 268.095.
Sometimes, the best plan is identifying a specific fact applicable to a rule supporting your eligibility.
Unfortunately, those filling out applications will judge their own merits and fail at identifying the important parts. In my experience, the most difficult element to separate is emotion. If you are emotional about your own case, then very likely you have already misjudged your own claim.
The second person judging unemployment is…
The second person judging unemployment claims are those reviewing your application. In my experience, these folks are very unskilled.
I say this with good intentions because I acknowledge the group of people reviewing unemployment applications have spent zero time reviewing past cases available to the public.
One of the best ways around this is sticking to facts and the laws favoring eligibility. Another method, which many people claiming unemployment take, is wishing for the best and appealing a denied claim.
The third person judging unemployment is…
The third person judging unemployment claims are people called unemployment law judges or ULJ.
Yes, unemployment law judges are lawyers hired by the unemployment office who serve as impartial reviewers of unemployment claims.
In other words, much like a judge you have seen on television or a past experience, an unemployment law judge does everything another judge might do.
The fourth, fifth and sixth person judging unemployment is….
Yes, an applicant seeking unemployment benefits can have their case judged by even more people than three.
If a person decides to appeal their case to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, a fourth, fifth and sixth person will be judging the case.
When should I judge your case?
I agree – this stuff can be stressful and overwhelming.
I believe every applicant can save money and reduce stress by seeking my judgment early on or leaning on a rule that might improve the likelihood of your eligibility.
If you need help, please contact me directly.
