Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment Insurance

Faculty should apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) the last week they are working.  Benefits run from Sunday to Saturday.  To receive all the benefits that you are entitled to make sure you apply by the Saturday of the last week you are working.

Questions

  1. Can we apply if we have other earned income? (For example, I work 4 hours a month teaching privately.)
    • Yes as long as you earn less than $450 (the maximum weekly benefit) a week, that's considered underemployment 
  3. Do we apply before the current term ends or only as of the last day of the term? 
    • Our recommendation is to apply on the last day of your last class for the semester because you are only contracted for that semester as an adjunct.

Resources

WVMFT is referring all eligible associate faculty to the following useful websites:

  1. Unemployment Overview 
  2. Fling a New Claim (step by step)
  3. Reopening a Claim  (step by step)
  4. AFT 1931 Unemployment Info
  5. THE UNEMPLOYMENT (EDD) INTERVIEW

View these two video resources provided by EDD (Employment Development Dept.):

  1. Overview and Registration
  2. How to File a Claim

Cervisi Case

The outcome of this landmark case allows part-time and/or temporary faculty to apply and receive UI between sessions of employment (e.g. summer, winter, etc.) when they are not teaching even if they have a contract for the following session.  The reason is that a contract for a teaching assignment could be cancelled at any time due to low enrollment, therefore the “contract” can not be considered a reasonable assurance of future employment.

Based on the Cervisi Court Case, part time community college instructors do not have a future guarantee of work.  Faculty applying for UI should state in the phone interview that their class(es) can be cancelled for multiple reasons, i.e. lack of funding, lack of students, bumping by a full-time faculty member, etc.  CITE THE CERVISI DECISION IN YOUR CLAIM.

Needed Information for Your Claim

UI website (or phone interview) will likely ask you the following questions therefore it would be helpful to have this information on hand before you begin the online UI application:

  1. Name and address of employer (if you work for both Mission and WVC, you still have just one employer and it is the West Valley Mission Community College District. Here’s the org chart for WVM Human Resources with the phone extensions.  After you find the extension, the full phone number is 408-741-extension.
  2. When was your last day of employment (this is the last day of the semester)?
  3. If working as faculty your work is Academic Instructor.
  4. Employment status will be one of the following:
    • Permanent
    • Temporary 🡨 part-time faculty
    • Part-time 🡨 part-time faculty
    • Tenured
    • Substitute 🡨 part-time faculty serving as a substitute
    • Other
  5. How were you notified that your work assignment was ending? (Writing, verbal, or other)
  6. Who notified you that your work assignment was to end?  You will need the name, address, title, and phone number of who indicated you would not be receiving work.
  7. When were you notified that you would not be receiving a work assignment?
  8. Separation explanation (List site-closure, lack of enrollment, or COVID 19 whichever is applicable)
  9. Separation period (indicate Laid off/no work or still working/part-time)
  10. If you are asked if you have assigned work after a break – state “NO” because your assignment is not certain.  As a part-time CC faculty member you are never in a recess period.
  11. If you are asked for a date when you are expecting to return to work- do not give one because you work assignment is not certain.
  12. If you have a contract for future work, indicate that the contract is contingent upon future enrollment, funding, and program changes.
  13. Are you on a list to be called to work by your school employer during the recess period?  You will need the name of the person who manages the list and the employer info.
    1. For associates, you are probably on the part-time faculty pool, and therefore you are always on a list.  So the answer “yes” even if it is highly unlikely that you will be called by the District to work.

The UI website is often difficult to use and slow during periods of high usage.  Some faculty have reported that it is easier to print the form on paper, fill it out manually, and send the application in via US mail.  If using the UI website, save often and consider making screenshots in case information is lost while applying for UI.

Additional resources can be found on the CFT website:  https://www.cft.org/unemployment

TIP:  Getting a hold of a real-person at EDD

Call this number (833) 978-2511 and press 1 immediately. Then when it gives an option to choose, (Around 1 minute 20 seconds) press 2-4 immediately. If you hear “Thank you...” then hang up and redo it. You will know that you got in when the operator gives you an estimate wait time and you will hear music. With the estimated wait time, double it. I was quoted 30-40 mins each time they didn’t pick up until almost 2 hrs.”

Another option is to walk-in to the local EDD office closest to your home.