Many people who are unemployed worry about losing their unemployment benefits if they take on a temporary job, especially since it is temporary and does not offer job security to ease financial concerns. This leads people to wonder if you can do temp work on unemployment, or if you lose your unemployment benefits as soon as you start a temporary job. How does temp work affect unemployment? Can you collect unemployment benefits after a temp job? Can you find permanent employment through temp work? Can you even do temp work on unemployment?
Here’s an overview of what you need to know in regards to doing temp work on unemployment and the factors that impact your work and your unemployment.
What Is Temp Work?
Temp work refers to jobs that you work temporarily, on a short term basis. They can be seasonal, part-time, or full-time. When you work with a staffing agency like All Trades, you’ll typically work on a project-by-project basis. This means that you will work with a client to do a job and then when that job is completed, we will help you find another job, repeating the process.
How Can Temp Work Affect Unemployment?
So, since temp work is only temporary, can you do temp work on unemployment? How does temp work affect unemployment?
In general, you could potentially still be able to collect unemployment benefits while doing temp work. This will depend on your state’s criteria. Depending on the temporary job that you accept and how much it pays, there are several different ways that temp work can affect unemployment.
Your eligibility for unemployment depends on your specific circumstances. In Utah, you:
- Must be unemployed through no fault of your own, according to how Utah law defines that.
- Must have earned a minimum amount in wages before becoming unemployed.
- Must be actively searching for employment and able and available to work.
If you accept a temporary position while on unemployment, you can generally expect that your benefits will either be reduced or eliminated, depending on how much the position pays. If you earn less than the total of your unemployment benefits, you could still be entitled to receive the difference between how much your temp job paid and how much your benefits are valued at. According to the state employment laws, temp workers could still be able to qualify for unemployment, after the job has been done.
Can You Collect Unemployment After A Temp Job?
In most states, when you work with a staffing agency such as All Trades, they become your employer and are responsible for finding you work. In the event that your agency does not find you more jobs, you could be able to collect unemployment after your last temp position. You can do temp work on unemployment, depending on how much the temp work pays. The majority of state unemployment security commissions have calculators which will allow you to calculate how much you’re able to receive while doing temp work on employment.
It can be tricky to collect benefits while doing temp work on unemployment. If your agency does not consistently find you job assignments, you must continuously call in order to see if there are any available positions. Failure to do so can result in you being labeled a quitter, failing to call in, which can prevent you from being able to collect unemployment. If your job assignments become irregular and your calls aren’t leading to any work, you may file for unemployment.
How Unemployment And Temp Work Works
You are required to let your state know your employment status weekly, whether or not you are available for employment, report your earnings regardless of whether or not you get paid that week, and demonstrate that you are continuing to look for full-time work, if your claim was based on that.
In order to be eligible for unemployment benefits after each assignment for a temp agency, you will need to contact the help agency no later than the next business day and give the temp agency at least three business days to find you a new position before applying for benefits, though this does not apply if you have an active claim. You will need to contact the agency after every assignment to receive another. If you do not follow the temp agency’s policies, you may not qualify for benefits.
What To Do If Temp Work Affects Your Unemployment
If the effect of temp work on unemployment you receive is that it reduces or eliminates it, there are a few things you can do. You can accept full-time work, which is possible to find through temp work. You can take a pay reduction, or you can leave your temporary position, so long as you are still working to find a permanent, full-time job. Temp work is a wonderful way to get exposure to lots of different fields and to work with certified employers, as All Trades always verifies the clients we work with.
If employers like your work, they can offer you a full-time position. Temp work can lead to full-time employment, and when you work through a temp agency such as All Trades, you’ll be able to find consistent job assignments to keep the money flowing and yourself busy. If you’re looking for work, let All Trades simplify your job search. Contact us today to learn more about the job opportunities we have available and how we can help you find employment!
Vickie Parmenter says
DONT DO IT, if you are not a good fit for whatever reason unemployment WILL STOP for up to 4 weeks. Darned if you try and Damed when it doesn’t work out.
J Mendoza says
I collect benefits, have a seasonal full time job AND work at my local daily pay/daily work staffing agency during winter. I excel at whatever work they offer (and they have worked with me if I did not like the company or job offered. You don’t know unless you tried first, so drop any attitude about whether the work is ‘beneath you’). Communication and consistency about showing up is paramount. Let them know what you can and cannot physically (not because you don’t want to) do, do it well, and FINISH your FULL day/term requirement. Things will work out, you will be able to schedule days for things for yourself, and still get extra help through benefits. IT IS NOT FREE MONEY OR WELFARE for people who make unemployment THIER OWN lifestyle. It’s earned through the payments to insurance by the person who gives you the job. Worker’s rights, utilities, and UI information are always readily available. To recap: NOT WELFARE, you have rights, work and work together.
Bob says
Temp agencies will screw you over…has happened to me a few times…you think I would learn