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Just wondering if there are any negative consequences for filing for unemployment benefits once the clerkship ends?

legalese_retard wrote:Just wondering if there are any negative consequences for filing for unemployment benefits once the clerkship ends?

I don't know what, if anything, the feds have to put into the SUI fund, but in the private sector, the former employer is contacted to verify details of your employment and termination, and then, if you're approved for benefits, your former employer gets tagged with an increase in SUI rates for some period of time (about 12-36 months). If that sort of thing carries over to the feds (and while the rates may not, the contacting for confirmation of your application details almost certainly would), it seems you might not want to.

Further, in the state I'm familiar with, unemployment benefits are not available to persons who separate voluntarily (absent good cause, such as continued harassment in the workplace, unsafe conditions, etc). I suspect the state would view the acceptance of employment on a time-limited basis as voluntary separation at the conclusion of the specified period of time.

But, I'm speaking from my experience as a private sector employer, and so there may be exceptions that arise that I never encountered.

Got it. I figured that taking unemployment benefits would impact the rates paid by the employer. However, I wasn't sure if a term clerkship would actually qualify for benefits.

legalese_retard wrote:Got it. I figured that taking unemployment benefits would impact the rates paid by the employer. However, I wasn't sure if a term clerkship would actually qualify for benefits.

How about you lookup your states unemployment regs? It's not exactly the most difficult thing to research, so, being a lawyer and all, you can probably handle it.

I did this after a clerkship in NYC and they were fine with it. The HR office in your district will confirm that your position ended and you were "forced" to go. They even helped me with the process, if I remember correctly.