Could you get unemployment if you quit

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To receive unemployment benefit payments, you must meet all eligibility requirements when filing a claim and when certifying for benefits.

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I just quit my job. Will I be eligible for unemployment benefits?
How does vacation pay or holiday pay affect my eligibility to receive unemployment benefits?
I’m not a US citizen. Can I collect UI benefits?
What if I quit, but it was not the employer's fault?
What if I quit due to concerns about the coronavirus ("COVID-19")?
What reasons can you quit a job and still get unemployment in CT?
What disqualifies you from unemployment in California?
What is good cause for quitting a job in Oregon?
What can disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Texas?

I just quit my job. Will I be eligible for unemployment benefits?

If you quit your job, we will conduct a phone interview with you and your employer after your file your claim to determine if you are eligible for unemployment benefits.

If you quit your job, you must show that there was good cause for leaving, and that you made all reasonable attempts to keep your job (such as requesting a leave of absence or transfer).

Note: Good cause can include unsafe working conditions, a medical doctor’s advice, or protecting yourself or your child from domestic violence.

How does vacation pay or holiday pay affect my eligibility to receive unemployment benefits?

If you were given a definite return-to-work date at the time you were laid off, we may deduct vacation or holiday pay from your benefits.

If you are not given a definite return-to-work date, any vacation or holiday pay you receive when your job ends is not deducted from your weekly benefit amount.
If you are given a definite return-to-work date, any vacation or holiday pay for the period of the temporary layoff is deducted from your benefits. We will allocate your vacation and holiday pay as follows:
- Vacation pay will be allocated to match the number of days you requested vacation, or the number of days your employer required you to use as vacation during the temporary layoff.
- Holiday pay that is paid before you return to work will be allocated to match the holiday weeks. Holiday pay that is paid after you return to work will be allocated to match the week that you return to work.

I’m not a US citizen. Can I collect UI benefits?

To collect UI benefits, you must show that you were in satisfactory immigration status and authorized to work in the United States when earning the wages you used to establish your claim.

You must also give proof that you are currently in satisfactory immigration status, and are authorized to work each week that you claim benefits.

Note: The EDD verifies immigration status and work authorization through the Department of Homeland Security.

Can you get benefits if you quit your job?

It depends. We'll decide if you are eligible for unemployment benefits based on the facts about your job loss. You may qualify for unemployment benefits if we decide you quit for the following good-cause reasons:

You quit to take another job.
You became sick or disabled, or a member of your family became sick, disabled or died, and it was necessary for you to quit work.
You moved to be with your spouse or domestic partner whose job is outside your labor market area.
You needed to protect yourself or immediate family members from domestic violence or stalking.
Your employer reduced your usual pay or hours of work by 25 percent or more.
Your employer changed the location of your job so your commute is longer or harder.
You told your employer about a safety problem at work, and your employer did not fix the problem quickly.
You told your employer about an illegal activity at work, and your employer did not stop the activity quickly.
Your employer changed your usual work, and the work now goes against your religious or moral beliefs.
You entered approved apprenticeship training.
You started approved training under the Trade Act.
You worked full-time and part-time jobs at the same time, and you quit the part-time job – then were laid off later from the full-time job.

Note: Based on the reason why you quit work, we may have to also review your availability for suitable work.

Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.

If you voluntarily quit your job, you can only get unemployment benefits if you left for "good cause."

Good cause means that you must have specific reasons why you quit. The reasons should be enough to qualify as a "constructive discharge." This means any reasonable person in a similar situation would have voluntarily quit their job.

You might have good cause to quit if your:

Employer broke state or federal law,
Working conditions or terms changed,
Coworkers or supervisors were abusive,
Employer refuses to pay you wages for work you have done,
Hours, benefits, or pay rate were cut, or
Boss changed your work shift, causing child care or transportation issues.

You probably do not have good cause to quit if you leave because:

You can't find day care (unless it's your boss's fault),
You don't have transportation to work (unless it is because your work location changed),
Stress caused by the job,
You are not getting along with a coworker or boss the way you would like to, or
A small decrease in your hours, benefits, or pay rate.

Before quitting, you usually must try to resolve any problems you are having at work with your employer. If you have an employee handbook, look at it very carefully. The handbook may have a section that tells you what to do when you are having problems at work. It is important that you follow the requirements listed in the handbook. This will help if you have a potential lawsuit for illegal behavior your employer took.

Keep detailed records of any letters, emails, or other communications you have with your employer. If your conversations are in-person, make notes afterwards. If possible, send your employer an email with your understanding of what the conversation was about.

Talk to a lawyer if you are having problems at work, so that you can understand what process you need to follow. That way your unemployment benefits will be protected. A lawyer can also help you through a lawsuit.

What if I quit, but it was not the employer's fault?

Sometimes you can qualify for unemployment benefits, even if the reason you quit was not the fault of your employer.

You can probably still get unemployment if you quit:

Because of a health problem,
To care for a relative who is sick or has a disability,
Because of rights you have under a union contract as a union member,
Because of a domestic violence situation, or
Because you must move for your spouse's job or military assignment.

What if I quit due to concerns about the coronavirus ("COVID-19")?

The same rules apply if your reason for leaving relates to the coronavirus. You still need to have "good cause" for quitting in order to get unemployment benefits. You must also make a reasonable effort to work with your employer to solve any problems before quitting.

You will have a “good cause” if:

You are confined to your home because a licensed physician has diagnosed you as having coronavirus,
You must stay home to care for your spouse, parent, or child, whom a medical professional has diagnosed as having coronavirus,
You are confined to your home because of a government-imposed or government-recommended quarantine, or
You left work to care for your child, because of the statewide school closures due to the coronavirus virus.

Last full review by a subject matter expert

April 03, 2020

What reasons can you quit a job and still get unemployment in CT?

What qualifies as a good reason to quit my job?.

You had to care for a sick family member..

You had to keep yourself or a relative safe from domestic violence..

You lost your transportation to get to work. (For example, your bus service was cancelled or a carpool ended. This does not mean problems with your own car.).

What disqualifies you from unemployment in California?

"An individual is disqualified for unemployment compensation benefits if the director finds that he or she left his or her most recent work voluntarily without good cause or that he or she has been discharged for misconduct connected with his or her most recent work."

What is good cause for quitting a job in Oregon?

While each individual situation is unique, some examples of good cause to leave work may include: certain types of unlawful conduct by the employer; unlawful harassment; illness of an immediate family member who requires care (if your employer will not allow you the time off); and moving away due to a change in your ...

What can disqualify you from unemployment benefits in Texas?

You may be eligible for benefits if you were fired for reasons other than misconduct. Examples of misconduct that could make you ineligible include violation of company policy, violation of law, neglect or mismanagement of your position, or failure to perform your work adequately if you are capable of doing so.