If you were absent from work for a period of time due to your illness or someone in your close family, you may return to work and find that you no longer have a position. Your former employer will say that you quit your job because you haven’t been to work in a long time when in fact they have terminated you. When you have your initial interview, make sure that it’s clear to your interviewer. The burden of proof then falls to your employer that they have to establish that you quit and was not fired.

Tell you interviewer that you returned to work only to find that you no longer had a job. You will need to let them know that your employer kept you from performing your duties and probably escorted you out the door. You must let them know that your desire was always to return to your job and that you were very surprised at the fact that you no longer had a job. You will need to tell the interviewer that you did check in with your former employer periodically because they will portray it as you didn’t check in with them at all. If you make calls, bring a record of the calls to prove it. If you don’t have records of your calls, tell them what happened when you called. Keep track of the date and time you called and exactly who you talked to.

Your conversation may go something like this:

“Hi is Sandy Supervisor there”

“Yes she is but she is on the phone.” From the receptionist

“I will hold”

“Ok, how have you been?”

“I’m getting better. How about you?

“Yes I’m fine. My in-laws left this weekend so I have my house back”.

“Really, that’s great news”

“Yes it is. Sandy’s off the phone, so I will put you through”

You would have no way to know that your supervisor was on a call at that time or that the receptionist had in-laws in town for the past weekend. Document everything that was discussed and it will help you please your case to receive your unemployment benefits. If you told your employer about your child’s surgery or some other type of emergency, tell the interviewer. It establishes that you were up front and honest about your situation. If the employer did not contact you while you were off from work, you may have been led to think everything was fine.