Yes, moonlighting can affect your eligibility for unemployment benefits if you lose your full-time job.
If you are currently moonlighting and lose your full-time job, you may wonder if it will affect your eligibility for unemployment benefits. The answer is yes; moonlighting can impact your ability to receive unemployment benefits.
In this blog post, we will explore how moonlighting affects eligibility for unemployment benefits and what steps you can take to ensure you still qualify for the assistance.
Yes, moonlighting can affect your eligibility for unemployment benefits if you lose your full-time job.
Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are payments made to individuals who have lost their job through no fault. These benefits provide financial assistance to help cover basic living expenses while the individual looks for a new job.
Several factors, including income and work history, determine eligibility for unemployment benefits. One factor affecting eligibility is moonlighting, when an individual works a second job in addition to their full-time employment.
Depending on the state, moonlighting may reduce or disqualify an individual from receiving unemployment benefits if they lose their full-time job. Therefore, it’s essential to understand how moonlighting can impact your eligibility before taking on additional work.
Eligibility
The sub-topic of eligibility refers to whether or not moonlighting will affect an individual’s ability to receive unemployment benefits if they lose their full-time job. Generally, the answer is yes, as most states require individuals to seek full-time employment to qualify for unemployment benefits actively.
Therefore, if someone is moonlighting and not actively looking for a new job, they may not be eligible for unemployment benefits. Some states restrict how much money can be earned from a second job while still receiving unemployment benefits; exceeding this limit could also make an individual ineligible.
Job Loss
The sub-topic of job loss relates to how moonlighting can affect a person’s eligibility for unemployment benefits if they lose their full-time job. Depending on the state, moonlighting may be considered income when determining unemployment benefits eligibility.
If a person is found to have earned too much money from their second job, they may not qualify for unemployment benefits or could receive reduced benefits. Some states require that people report any earnings from moonlighting when filing for unemployment, and failure to do so could result in penalties or disqualification from receiving benefits.
Related reading:
