Montana labor news., 1946-02-21
UNEMPLvln..NT
COMPENSATION

unemployment compensation indicate
that workers of the state have a num-
Der Of misconceptions Of the unemploy-
ment compensation law, Barclay Craig
head, chairman, declares.
The law was designed to help the
unemployed covered by the act over
the difficult period between jobs, Craig
head pointed out, and unless workers
know the basic ideas OF the law. proper
functioning Of the law is difficult.
Some OF the misconceptions followed
by the correct concepts are.
!. Unemployment insurance is re-
troactivc. a. worker can collect bene-
fits for the weeks he was out OF work
before he filed his first claim This
is wrong. A worker should file his
claim as o as he loses his job, thus
protecting himself. He should file at
the nearest public employment Office,
or request permission 10 Tile by mail
direct IL the commission.
y worker can count the week or
weeks between the INV" he WIS laid oil
and the time he made his claim for bcnc-
its A. against his waiting weeks" two
weeks IN Montana" Again. thi, concept
IS wrong Tor tie reason ilai the two
weeks following his filing Of hi, iirst
claim arc the waiting week, under the
Montana law, and no others.
). III a worker quits his job because
he expects 10 be laid oil IN hoW, he can
still collect Unemployment compensate
ton The Montana Law provides that
penalties will be imposed Il a worker
leaves work involuniarils without good
cause and claims benefits. Penalties are
also imposed il a worker is discharged
Tor misconduct III connection with his
work. OF il he fails without good cause
to apply lor or 10 accept suitable work
when ii Is offered.
4. X worker can collect unemploy-
mont compensation when he is sick In
Montana. no worker can collect benefits
il he is laid oil a job because OF illness.
but he may continue to collect benefits
to the maximum number Of weekly
payments ii necessary. ii alter he has
been determined eligible for benefits.
he then becomes i'll.
:. 4 pay Tor my Unemployment COM
pcnsation with the social security tax
lllcs deduct from my pay. Why can't |
collect it automatically The worker
pays no part Of his wages into the I'M
employment compensation program 81
Montana. His employer or employers
pay all OF the costs. The social security
tax pays only Tor old age and survivors
insurance administered by the federal
government.
o. I'm not going to file for joblcs,
benefits until | have To. because | don't
want charity" Unemployment compcn-
sation is not charity or relief. Benefit
payments are based on earnings in what
is called covered employment and are
paid a. a matter OF right and without
regard TO need.
7. Il am Is Cor morcl years OF age,
50 | can draw both unemployment com
pcnsation and old-aec insurance until
| lind a job" This attitude Is COM
plctcly wrong, for the Montana lax pro-
vidcs that a worker cannot claim henc-
its for any week in 4 month in which
he is eligible 10 receive or i, claiming
old-aec insurance payments.
$ "lncmploymcn, compensation en-
couragcs idlcncss" The lax docs not
allow anyone to collect unemployment
insurance unless he is looking Tor work.
is able, available and willing to work
and unlcs, he reports at the employment
office each week as long as he claims
benefits.
9. Everyone gets SIS per week for
10 weeks under the Montana uncm-
ploymcnt compensation law There is
not in Montana a common weekly
benefit payment at all. The amount, OF
weekly benefit is determined by two
main factors: Cd the amount OF wages
earned by the claimant in his base pc
Rod (pcriod Of employment established
by law, and (2) his highest quarterly
earnings IN the base period. The high
quarterly earnings determine the amount
OF the weekly check according to a for
mula established by the law. and his
earnings in the whole year Of his base
period is one factor in determining his
eligibility TO benefits in the first place.
Claims filed after December 81, l945,
and through March 81. 1910. will be con
sidcred on the basis Of earnings in the
base period established between DC
,ohcr !, 1914. and September 80, l945.
The benefit amounts range between S.
and SIS, inclusive, and all are Tor the
maximum duration Of II weeks should
the claimant remain unemployed all that
time.