Sons hours cut in half employer told him if you go to unemployment you will be fired

Sons was hired for full time now hours cut down to like 24 hours due to company only got outside work. When he asked his boss if he should go to unemployment he said no. Fired one guy who did.

2 answers  |  asked Jan 4, 2017 11:01 AM [EST]  |  applies to Pennsylvania

Answers (2)

Harold Goldner
Where the terms of employment are substantially changed (such as slashing hours by a third), the employee may have necessitous and compelling reasons for quitting the job (for example, to search for full time employment elsewhere). As such, the employee is eligible for Unemployment Compensation.

Terminating an employee for filing for unemployment compensation violates public policy, and therefore can serve as grounds for a wrongful termination claim.

Your son (not you) should contact an employment attorney to determine what, if anything, can be done to remedy his situation.

posted by Harold Goldner  |  Jan 4, 2017 12:54 PM [EST]
Christopher Ezold
Before I respond to your inquiry, I must state that we have not spoken, I have not reviewed the relevant documents and facts, and I do not represent you. Therefore, my discussion below is not a legal opinion, but is informational only. Finally, my discussion applies only to issues to which Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Federal law applies, unless otherwise specified.

That being said, it is illegal to fire an employee for applying for unemployment compensation. The fired employee should speak to an employment attorney, and your son should apply for unemployment. If your son is fired, he'll have a claim - and any employer who would treat its employees this way is one that is not worth working for.

/Christopher E. Ezold/

posted by Christopher Ezold  |  Jan 4, 2017 11:05 AM [EST]

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