Can the USC file for unemployment benefits?

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Hello Rachel,

As a UK citizen you may be eligible for help from these guys: http://www.britcharity.org/About/WhoWeAssist.htm

Good luck to you and your husband with everything!

Hi there Helen. Thank you so much! And also thank you for the link. That looks very interesting... I think I would qualify for assistance. How do you know about that charity and have you had personal experience of working with them?

[Myopia 93]

L...? Permanent Resident? Do you mean me? I thought that was a big no, no? Especially as I haven't started work within the United States yet either? We want to make sure we're doing everything correctly and following the law. I don't want to claim things that I am not permitted to because of my status.

Rachel--You have great advise. Tell your husband that he can file unemployment online. He is entitled to it. You cant get food stamps or medicaid but he can.

If he chooses to apply for foodstamps then they will not allow you any way but the USC's rights are never usurped because of the immigrant spouse.

[Myopia 93]

Hi there Helen. Thank you so much! And also thank you for the link. That looks very interesting... I think I would qualify for assistance. How do you know about that charity and have you had personal experience of working with them?

You won't qualify as you are in NJ. Its for those in New England.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Thank you so much to everyone for your help!

My husband and I have discussed the situation again this morning about applying online and after talking, I don't think he will qualify. This is because back in September, he voluntarily left his previous job to go into a new job working for a so-called "friend". This friend paid him via a 1099, with no tax deductions taken out or anything. Looking back it was such a dodgy situation but my husband got paid well, it was a job he loved doing and he trusted this guy as he had known him 20+ years (he even came to our wedding last year!) Then in January, completely out of the blue, my husband got a call from him saying he was fired. No explanation or anything. We still don't know the reason why this happened.

So, my point is, I don't think he will get unemployment because 1) he wasn't fired from his previous job back in September and 2) he never made any contributions towards unemployment with his last job. Theres also a bit of other history in his past as to why he won't get it too. Its just a really bad situation... I don't know what we're going to do. He is going to apply anyway though as it can't hurt to try, but his online password no longer works so we'll have to call them instead but they're not even open until tomorrow!

I just hope and pray that a job offer comes through this month!

Thanks to everyone for your help anyway

[sachinky 465]

Good luck to both of you! I hope everything works out.

[extremerecluse 32]

Hi there everyone,

This is my first time in the removing conditions forum (me being the the permanent resident). I was granted permanent resident status in september so I have a while to go before removing conditions yet.

However, in January, my husband (the USC) got fired unexpectedly from his job. We have been on the job search together since then and although several promising leads have come up, they have all fallen through. We are both feeling very depressed about the whole situation but we somehow managed to come up with the money for our rent and bills last month. This month we are really struggling and don't think we will be able to make it this time.

I just wanted to ask if anyone knows if my husband is allowed to claim unemployment benefit? I know that as the permanent resident, I would not be able to, but would he? It's all very confusing because I thought they granted me permanent resident status based on his job and his income that would support me? We don't want to hinder my application for removing conditions in 18 months time but we are really worried and don't know which way to turn now.

Advice is very much appreciated! Thank you.

I am more concerned about your USC spouse finding employment. Everybody here is trying to give you advice that will not help your situation. I will. Get a good job that is stable. How you might ask? TRUCKING!! It has always been the most stable industry during good and bad times. Check out the website BUBBUJUNK.com. You can explore the occupation and current openings across the country. Some big companies will hire and train you. You will probably be required to pay the company back over time. You would be able to start almost immediately if you like. Starting pay $35,000; not bad. Most importantly, that final ROC interview will be a breeze. If you like, your lady can also train right along side you and then you can have a six figure income within two years and always be together. Not a bad deal if you ask me. By the way; I have driven trucks on the side while working for the USPS for 8 years. Think outside the box!!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The USC isn't prevented from claiming anything they would have claimed prior to signing the I-864. The I-864 restricts what the IMMIGRANT can use, not the USC. The USC is still a USC will all the rights and responsibilities he's always had. So if he qualifies, he qualifies. If he wants food stamps and qualifies he can do that too...

Good luck.

[ann and aties 9]

And just to clarify a small point- when the above posters have stated that workers contribute or pay into the unemployment system - I am sure it is different from state to state, but in California it is not the employee who contributes to the unemployment insurance system - it is the employer that contributes/pays into the system NOT the employee. The employer pays into the system on behalf of the specific employee, based on their earnings.

Edited March 13, 2011 by ann and aties

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

extremerecluse - you or your husband can apply for and receive unemployment benefits if eligible. it will NOT affect the removal of conditions when it is time... a co-sponsor can easily fix this issue.

[JoannaV 174]

Also, unemployment is unemployment insurance, not a random government welfare hand-out. If a permanent resident has paid enough into it and gets laid off from their job they can qualify for it just as a US citizen can. Not that this applies to you.

But yes, the US citizen is not affected in ANY way by being your sponsor. It is only the immigrant who is not eligible for certain benefits. (And the sponsor would be responsible if the immigrant falsely received such.)

[Krikit 1,165]

Merging duplicate threads.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Thanks everyone for your assistance! As I mentioned above, unemployment insurance doesn't really apply to us anymore nor will it be an option we can investigate more.

RICARDO4EVER, we don't have any co-sponsors nor have we ever so that doesn't help us anyway. But thanks!

Extremerecluse, thanks for the link but thats not an area me or my husband would be able to go into either. I probably should have mentioned earlier, but we both also have other sidelines aswell (which are just about keeping us going at the moment). So we wouldn't have time to start studying all over again.

We just have to continue on the job search and this morning we have had some promising news so we'll just have to wait it out a little longer.

Thanks to everyone for their help and support. If our situation was different we would have definitely gone down this route with unemployment insurance, but its good to know for the future.

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

Hi there Helen. Thank you so much! And also thank you for the link. That looks very interesting... I think I would qualify for assistance. How do you know about that charity and have you had personal experience of working with them?

Hi,

I have not had any experience in dealing with them.

I came across the information through a link from the UK embassy in Boston and bookmarked it for future reference.

All the best