Felons who have been working and then become unemployed may experience financial difficulty. Most people would if their source of income were to suddenly stop. There are programs in place to help with such situations, and one of them is unemployment benefits, which are offered around the country. Unemployment benefits for felons may be exactly what you need if you are between jobs.
Not everyone who is out of work qualifies for unemployment benefits. Felons who were working and then their job status changed may qualify for unemployment benefits. It really depends on the details of the job they had and why they are no longer there. If you are between jobs it is a good idea to explore unemployment befits to determine if you are qualified to receive the financial assistance.
Unemployment benefits are administered through programs in every state. You will need to locate the unemployment website for your particular state. They will have specific information on how to apply for benefits, as well as what the requirements are. However, there are many basic unemployment requirements that are similar around the nation.
How Unemployment Benefits for Felons Works
Unemployment is open to anyone, including felons. Being a felon should have no impact on whether or not you can be approved for unemployment benefits. The benefits are tied to your job, so it’s really a matter of the job that you have had as to whether or not you will be approved to receive the benefits.
When you work a job there are taxes taken out of every paycheck. This is assuming you are not paid in cash or “under the table.” If you are paid in a check and the company turns your employment into the government then you will have taxes taken out. One of the taxes you will be paying for is unemployment. In every check you get paid there will be a little bit of money that is taken out that goes toward unemployment benefits, should you ever need them.
Here are some important things to know about unemployment benefits:
- Unemployment benefits for felons are offered around the country. Every state in the country offers unemployment. To apply, you will need to locate your state’s unemployment office. They may have an online application process, which helps keep it easy and convenient, providing you have consistent Internet access.
- As long as you are someone who has been paying into unemployment then you should be able to get the benefits if you lose your job. Some states may require that you are only able to get the benefits if you lose your job through no fault of your own. This means that if you voluntarily quit your job you may not be approved to receive benefits. However, if you are let go or laid off then you may be approved for the benefits.
- Whether or not you are approved to receive unemployment benefits largely comes down to if you were paying into the system, and why you no longer have your job. They will need to know why you are unemployed.
- Felons who are approved for unemployment will need to still look for work and/or engage in job training activities. The states require participation and reporting for this to ensure you are actively seeking a job. You may need to record a list of places that you contacted each week to seek employment.
- Felons who are self employed, freelancers, or gig workers are generally not eligible to receive unemployment benefits. There was exception made to this during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people in this job category were allowed to receive benefits, but that is not typical.
- The amount you receive, if you are approved, depends on the state you live in and the amount of salary you were making at our job. Typically, the highest amount awarded is around $300 per week. The number of months you can receive the benefit also varies. You may have to submit a report each week or every other week in order to continue receiving the benefit.
- The unemployment benefit is usually given by direct deposit, check or debit card. You can choose how you would like to receive the funds.
Applying for Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits can play an important role in helping felons to bridge the gap between jobs. It will ensure that you have some money coming in, while you are looking for another job. Not everyone who is between jobs qualifies for unemployment benefits, but it’s a good idea to contact your local office to see if you do.
Unemployment is a system that most people who work pay into, so it’s there as a safety net when and if you ever need the help. It may not be enough money to live on long term, but it will help out while you are between jobs.
