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So, I was just terminated.

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Anonymous

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So, I was just terminated.

I was given the opportunity to resign. WHY would I do that??? I would not qualify for unemployment if I resign. Can someone kindly explain this to me??

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  1. Anonymous

    What reason were you terminated?

  2. Kitty

    It looks better on your resume and say it’s not a good fit rather than being fired. It’s a dirty thing for the employer to do that to someone.

  3. Anonymous

    They want to be exempt from unemployment insurance liabilities. Period.

    Do not resign.

    Next employer: Contract role

  4. Anonymous

    What do you mean next employer contract role? I am asking because our company is laying people off and I am sure my role is being eliminated. I am curious what happens if I take a contract role after.

  5. Anonymous

    20 plus years ago, I was in your position. I was young, naive and wanted out, so agreed to it and I was able to get unemployment.

    Working in HR, we have had some situations come up over the years where it was clearly not a fit between employee and employer, so it was more of a mutual agreement type thing, the employee would typically get a severance out of it.

    Also, from what I have seen, it's on the employer to not contest if you were to file for unemployment.

  6. Anonymous

    Severance was not offered, but I suppose I could ask. Unfortunately, I haven't even been with the company for a full year, so I am extremely doubtful.

  7. Anonymous

    Don't totally rule it out. We just went through a RIF and some individuals with less than a year got something. Now, granted, I do not know the circumstances around your situation, so can't say for sure - but at this point, what do you have to lose by asking for a severance if this is what they want.

  8. MER Morgan

    if you resign the company does not have to pay unemployment. period!

  9. Anonymous

    Yes, the company is giving you an out so that you can tell future employers you quit vs being fired. Don't buy it. In your exit document which they may have asked you to sign there should be a clause that has a non-disparagement clause. Do not sign if it is not mutual. Ask for a revision and if you do not get it do not sign that document. Also ask for a revision that includes a paragraph confirming that when asked the company will not share the reasons you left but will simply give dates of employment. Be sure that it includes that they will not share regretted or non-regretted with anyone at all. This should cover and protect you and will keep things fair for your potential new roles elsewhere. The company is looking out for themselves and you should look out for yourself too.

  10. Anonymous

    So you don't have to ever say you were fired.

  11. Anonymous

    That is not always the case, not qualifying, fyi. Definitely stay educated on your state's rules with resigning vs being fired eligibility for unemployment.

  12. Anonymous

    If your company positioned the situation as "if you don't resign, we will terminate you," I believe you can still file for unemployment benefits. If you have documentation showing this somewhere, your case will be even stronger. Were you on a performance improvement plan? Was there any investigation into whatever your termination was about? (i.e., did you violate any rules?) Most UC boards favor claimants over employers, which is fair since all employees pay for unemployment insurance. It is seen as an entitlement. Where the UC board will generally deny coverage is if it is a completely voluntary quit or there was willful misconduct, i.e., sexual harassment, assault, etc. Assuming that is not your situation, it hurts nothing to apply for unemployment comp.

  13. misskelleyp

    I think it strongly depends on the State, and the circumstances.

  14. Anonymous

    Yeah don’t resign make sure you file for unemployment

  15. Anonymous

    They might say you are not eligible for rehire on a reference check if you are fired, vs that you are if you resign.

  16. Anonymous

    I went thru this as well.

    It costs the company less if you resign. That is probably why they put that out there. In most states, there is no reason for you to resign. As you recognized, resigning limits your ability to collect unemployment. Legally in most states, the company can only give your dates of employment when someone calls to confirm you worked there. For some people it may be an ego thing. Personally, I'll take the unemployment. Every little bit of $$ helps. Confirm your state's rules on unemployment to be sure...

  17. Anonymous

    It's not ego- it's called self-esteem and dignity, especially needed during a grueling job search where your work history and worthiness as a potential employee is under a microscope. Explaining a firing, regardless of years at a job, is death by a thousand paper cuts. Most potential employers take the employers' side.

  18. Anonymous

    This would all be a lot easier to give advice if we actually had knew if this was the reason the poster was fired, instead of everyone fussing, going back & forth

  19. GirlBossanova934974

    Please think about this from the viewpoint of less than ethical employer. WHY NOT ask if the employee wants to resign so you can get out of an unemployment claim? What do you have to lose by asking? Nothing! In any case, the extra unemployment taxes that will have to be paid to the State come 6-12 months down the line. Ethical employers do their best to see what they can do to help out terminated employees. Severance checks, unemployment claims, possible referrals etc or that sort of thing. Unfortunately, more and more employers these days are thinking about the short term and are run by people who do NOT understand what goes around will eventually come around. Reputations are being destroyed on a daily basis. When there is a better economy, a wave of resignations is going to hit many of these outfits!

  20. Anonymous

    You are not necessarily disqualified from unemployment insurance when you resign. Each case is unique and much depends on the circumstances leading up to the situation. Also important is the question, "who is the moving party". Title 22, Section 1256-1(d), provides: California UI

    "An employee who leaves work when asked by the employer to either resign or be fired, or an employee who resigns rather than agree to a forced leave of absence, has not left work of his or her own free will. In these situations, since the employee did not choose to quit, the employer is the moving party in the separation and the employee becomes involuntarily unemployed."

  21. Anonymous

    The exact same thing actually happened to me. I ended up resigning, as requested by my employer, and was initially denied unemployment. But I appealed the decision, explaining what happened, went before a judge to plead my case (it wasn’t a big deal, I just sat in an office with the judge and told her my side of the story), the decision was ultimately overturned by the judge, and I was able to receive unemployment benefits. I would recommend documenting all communication from your employer though, through email or hard copy. And remember to forward your work emails to your personal email (and/or save copies), in case you lose access to that email account. Good luck!

  22. Sarah Borders

    Historically, if an employee were terminated for performance reasons, resigning gives them the opportunity for a “clean slate” as they search and interview for their next role. If that’s not your situation, you did the right thing, and even if it is, the perception of bad performance can be so subjective. These days, unless you’re guilty of malfeasance or objectively unethical behavior, being fired is not the red flag it once was.

  23. Anonymous

    If they ask you to resign then maybe you could ask for severance.

  24. Anonymous

    Depending on your state to qualify for unemployment will be based on why you were discharged. Theft, assault, misconduct, being absent without leave for 3 days or more, gross negligence, intoxication, refusal to take a drug test, etc. would disqualify you for unemployment. Unemployment in my state considers being forced to resign as being discharged. One reason that employers offer resignation in lieu of discharge is because they believe you don’t have to tell potential employers that you were discharged. However, these days many employers ask if you were discharged or resigned in lieu of discharge. That does not mean you were a bad employee because you often can provide a reason for being discharged where the circumstances were beyond your control.

  25. Anonymous

    Unemployment depends on the resin for separation and if you can prove ‘constructive discharge’ it doesn’t matter if you were fired or quit!

  26. Anonymous

    Good luck trying to prove constructive discharge. That’s nearly impossible.

  27. Nicole

    I think an upside of this situation is that you were given a choice. Like everything, there are pros/cons to resigning, and there are pros/cons to being terminated/laid off/reorganization casualty. They gave you the option of which set of pros/cons you preferred rather than deciding which set to give you. You prefered the pro of being able to collect unemployment that comes with termination over other pros/cons.

  28. Tonya Wilkes Moore

    Agree w/Nicole 100%. An ER who gave you a choice is essentially offering you an opportunity to save face should you ever need to. Because being terminate has become much more common place, employers don’t typically ask the reason “why” anymore. If you haven’t given them an answer, you co/simply ask…”if I ‘resign’’ will you contest my unemployment?”

  29. Anonymous

    Everyone nowadays seems to use these terms interchangeably. I had one person kept saying she was fired BUT she was actually laid off. Same thing with Termination to some it seems to mean fired to others like Investopedia it is an umbrella term.

    But which one do you mean? Was it specifically you that was terminated or your position?

  30. Anonymous

    Some of this advice is incorrect.
    Employers pay into the system through a quarterly tax based on their payroll. All the money goes into a pot. They do not pay more if you were fired vs whether you resign.

  31. Anonymous

    Correct.

    That stated, If they have a pattern of increasing terminations, then their UI will increase.

  32. Anonymous

    actually it counts against the employer to have people apply for unemployment and get paid, they will have to pay a higher tax rate which is what the unemployment is funded thru.

  33. Anonymous

    you are incorrect. I work for a global company and we don't always push back on a fire's unemployment claim. Not all companies are the same.

  34. Carol23

    In my state (Connecticut) the more people that get fired from a company, the more the state charges the employer more in taxes.

  35. Michele Gibson

    Yes

  36. Anonymous

    If someone resigns in IL, they don't qualify for unemployment. Applying is encouraged. The IDES here calls the applicant to hear their side of the story and then they make a determination. Check your state's unemployment office.

    You could also ask them if you take the resignation option will they fight your unemployment insurance claim.

    All the best to you

  37. Anonymous

    Tennessee resident here: ditto.

    Even if you ask about resignation option, coming to your defense: I wouldn't trust them, they have nothing to lose.

    Let them fire you.

  38. Karen Spence

    Not sure why they gave you the choice, but you obviously know which one to choose—laid off or however they define it. I wouldn’t waste a single minute on trying to understand why. It’s a negative time waster. Be grateful for the fact that we do have unemployment and put all your energy into finding your next exciting opportunity!

  39. Anonymous

    Right, but unemployment doesn't always last until you can find another job. Explaining a firing needs to be done carefully, and even then, some employers have a policy or bias against hiring someone who has been fired; they assume it's the candidate's fault.

  40. Sabiha Syed Shaikh

    Agree you wont get unemployment

  41. Anonymous

    Not rue. Depends on the state if you are given a “quit or be fired’ choice

  42. Anonymous

    You need to appeal this with the unemployment office. I am sure you will win this case. Also hire yourself a good labor law attorney.

    back to being asked to being requested to quit, when I was young and dumb, I had a manager at a large aerospace company, and the manager had a “napoleon” attitude. I quit, and then went and applied for unemployment benefits. I was told I would not receive any benefits because I quit, and told them the circumstances. Was then told to appeal and I won my appeal. I should have hired an attorney however that was years ago.

  43. Eleejah Bush

    Wow. The same thing happened to me. It was a sickening feeling…

  44. Anonymous

    This is incorrect. Most employers verify position, time you worked there/dates and salary. NOTHING ELSE.

  45. Anonymous

    And eligibility for rehire.

    It's a standard question on a lot of employment checks.

  46. Anonymous

    They want to appear to be benevolent so if they fire you they can say "We tried to work with her". You should ask if they will agree to sign a mutual non-disparagement contract. Unemployment pay is not infinite so you want to know you'll have less trouble finding another job, i.e. explaining why you're not employed and know you won't have to worry you'll get a bad or ho-hum reference.

  47. Anonymous

    In California, you will qualify for unemployment if you are given a “resign or be fired” choice. Not sure the rules on other states.

    the benefit is that when you are job hunting, you can say you resigned vs having to say you were fired

  48. Beth Whight Morales

    You won’t necessarily not qualify, however it may be a way to keep your benefits.

  49. Steven Hawk

    Two reasons 1. Company does not have to pay unemployment fees & 2. Gave you the opportunity not to have on your employment history that you where Terminated. ( which has to be explained at future interviews)

  50. Janet Valdez

    Funny, but in my last job app I was specifically asked “Were you asked to resign instead of being terminated?” So either way you are in the same boat.

  51. Anonymous

    I don't think someone is eligible for unemployment benefits apply if they are terminated for cause .

  52. Anonymous

    When your next employer follows up on your employment history, they will tell them you left voluntarily as opposed to being fired.

  53. Anonymous

    What if I decide not to put them on my resume will other employers know I still worked for them?

  54. Anonymous

    Employees who are terminated for cause are ordinarily not eligible for unemployment. Unemployment is supported when a position is eliminated, or an employee has a reduction in work through no fault of their own.

    The opportunity to resign gives you the ability to let future employers know you resigned, rather than being fired. Reference checks with your current employer would bear that out.

  55. Deb Allen

    It is a scare tactic, designed to put you on the defensive enough to agree to avoid future issues with a reference. Below is a link to state laws governing what may be disclosed, check your state and be prepared. I agree that you should try and negotiate a non-disparagement agreement.

    State Laws on References and Statements By Former Employers | Nolo

  56. Anonymous

    It definitely depends on what state you live in if you will get unemployment benefits. Also, I do not know for certain if a previous company will say you were terminated. I think all they have to do is confirm the dates you worked there. Again, that might vary by state. If they are giving you a severance package and you don't have to worry about money, just resign and tell them to !$!@$ off

  57. Stacy Gardner

    I've resigned from two jobs, and received EI both times. Being able to assert the WHY you had to leave and advocate for yourself, is important, I simply spoke (wrote a long letter)about the toxic workplace culture, gave detailed examples, and doctors' or therapists' recommendation - even without providing notes. If you're a strong communicator, writer, and you can root the resignation in a place of grounding that can speak to the decline of your mental wellness as a result of being in proximity to racist, classist, dismissive, gaslighting, or abusive behaviour, you might be hard-pressed to find someone who happens upon your file that wouldn't find it as equally offensive, and therefore empathic. I'm on EI now, having 'let my last contract' expire that I could've reapplied for, but instead, because the workplace so sick, I let it go - because I knew IE would be a sure thing - and I've spent the year both taking care and making two films, things I have long put off. It's always scary, but there's always a way. I'm a solo parent with a mortgage, and my EI done in less than 3 weeks, so I am both job searching and trying to investigate self-employment. Good Luck! p.s. I would still write a letter and apply for EI, especially if you can qualify that you felt like you were asked to walk the plank, and your only two choices were to jump off or be pushed. With strong language and advocacy for yourself, and having emails or documentation of how it went down, always makes for a stronger case when needing a response that aligns with your reality. Take Care.

  58. Candace King

    I would definitely check with your unemployment state rules. I just similarly went through this where it was best for me to let the job terminate rather then quit although they wanted me to quit. Unemployment specifically stated i would not have been eligible if i resigned vs. them terminating me

  59. Anonymous

    Same unfortunately. It was a horribly toxic work environment and a daily battle to not rage quit. They lied to the state but I got UI.

  60. Anonymous

    It depends upon whether you are being terminated "for cause" or not. If you are being terminated because you are not performing your work according to their evaluation,then it may be better for you to resign. Otherwise, they will terminate you "for just cause" and in most states, that does not qualify for unemployment. If you are being terminated as part of a lay off (reduction in work force) and NOT for cause, then you should just let them lay you off (they should then give you a Service Letter, which clearly states that you've been eliminated due to layoff and not due to poor performance). Good luck on all of this! (in thatcase, you would be eligible for unemployment)

  61. Lisa Cunningham

    At base, depending on the compensation package vs the state’s unemployment maximums (like in Georgia, where there’s a lifetime cap that many people reached during the pandemic), it can just be fiscally a better option.

  62. Gerald Combe

    It depends on the situation. Termination vs Resignation; for future ventures "Resignation" looks better on a resume vs Termination. In explaining why you resigned, you can be more creative and the past employer can not divulge anything except that you resigned. Unemployment Insurance via Resignation... good luck. The laws in all 50 states can deny it for either. I have seen people get UI that shouldn't have (once caught a office manager stealing $800 cash. Chose not to criminally prosecute. She still got UI). It all depends upon who's desk it hits and whether they delve into it. I have had to fire managers in my past ... most I offered for them to resign as a show of respect for their future. It had nothing to do with whether they could or would qualify for UI. UI costs are the least expense compared to time lost to replace and retrain people.

  63. Anonymous

    Just an FYI.....

    Cannot* is one word, not two.

  64. Looking for a change

    You have already been terminated correct? You might get unemployment did they tell you why you were terminated? Whatever the reason they told you is what they will tell your new employer if they call to find out what happened

  65. Anonymous

    Depending on the state, the only legal information a former company can disclose is to verify employment dates. Disclosing much past employment information is very regulated

  66. Anonymous

    Because if you resign, you are ineligible for unemployment. They hoped you would forget or not realize that. You did. :0)

  67. Anonymous

    Not true! You go to EDD and tell them you were “forced” to resign and then EDD will work with you, hence appealing the “forced” resignation. This is what happened to me several years ago. Same thing applies today.

  68. Fabienne Gessleman

    So that your company doesn't have to pay you unemployment.

  69. Carol23

    To put it simply, they think that you have literally no idea how unemployment works. They want to avoid having a hearing where you will most likely win.

    The only ways that you can be denied unemployment, if they terminate you, is if you did something illegal (think embezzlement), and I believe if you got fired due to 3 cases of doing the same exact thing that you got written up for. (example written up for tardiness). It can not be, for example one time of insubordination, one time tardiness, and one time of not following the company rules.

    It doesn't matter if you live in an "at will state" or not. Any employer can terminate someone for just about anything. That being said, what does matter is if you would be denied unemployment benefits due to why you were terminated. .

  70. Anonymous

    Just an FYI....

    Cannot* is one word, not two.

  71. Anonymous

    Absolutely NOT true. EDD specifically says if you are given the choice "resign or be fired" then the EMPLOYER is the moving party and the individual is eligible for unemployment.

    It means that the EMPLOYER was not willing to continue the relationship, and separating from employment was the ONLY option available to the claimant.

    If you gave an employee the choice "resign or be fired" and EDD said that employee was not eligible for unemployment, then that person should have appealed the decision.

  72. Anonymous

    DIRECTLY from the EDD website:

    One Party Unwilling to Continue

    When only one of the two parties is unwilling to continue the employer-employee relationship, it is obvious who is the moving party. If employment was still available to the claimant and the claimant refused to continue working, then the claimant is the moving party. If the employer will not allow the claimant to continue work, even though the claimant wants to, then the employer is the moving party.

  73. Anonymous

    It all depends on the reason for the termination.
    For example, did they counsel you or provide you with a written warning about an action that you did or caused? Also, yes, some states have "at-will" employment clauses. However, if the termination was unjustified, you are entitled to file for unemployment.

    The company did not want to pay unemployment and hoped you would just go away.
    I am glad you did not resign. Good for you!!!

  74. Anonymous

    It's a trick.

  75. Gale Fisher LaRoche

    Generally speaking, a company will give you the opportunity to resign so that you do not have an "involuntary termination" on your record. My advice is to ask the company not to contest your unemployment benefits, which they can do by simply not responding to the unemployment office's request for information about your separation. Hopefully, you will be able to get another job quickly.

  76. Anonymous

    That's true, but if you do resign, in many US states that still makes you ineligible for unemployment. It's dumb that you have to choose between your "record" and potentially having some funds to help you dip into savings less.

  77. Anonymous

    This was the option I was given at my former employer. It was a voluntary separation where I received severance , unemployment and additional months of health care (negotiated by an attorney).

  78. Anonymous

    i probably would not resign

  79. Anonymous

    It actually depends on what state you live in, as some states allow you to resign and still receive unemployment in certain circumstances. Usually, in these states all you have to be able to prove and/or show is that any other reasonable would do the same thing as you did, under the same circumstances. If you can successfully do that, then you can get unemployment, just like if you were actually terminated by your former employer.

    If you believe that your termination was wrongful in nature please contact an attorney ASAP, as they can help you through the process of filing against them for wrongful termination and other legal issues surrounding your termination.

    I hope this helps you understand things better.

  80. Anonymous

    Background checks do not reveal that a candidate has been fired or laid off.

    Unless the person engaged in illegal activity no company is going to put the employee in such a way that they are open to a lawsuit.

    Potential employers balk at resigning as well, as crazy as that is. They balk at everything, so choose to be laid off or "let go," so you can collect unemployment until you find your next job. No stigma, only in your mind if you let it.

  81. Anonymous

    Sometimes you get offered severance, but you may get that regardless so say no!

  82. Sonal Keenan Bhatia

    for some reason, I can't see the other comments. I am an employment lawyer and you should absolutely not resign and anyone who tells you you should doesn't get it. contact an employment lawyer for plaintiffs in your jurisdiction. sorry this happened to you.

  83. Milissa Jacobs

    I guess they are hoping that you will be concerned with a firing on your resumé. Don't give them the easy way out.

  84. Anonymous

    Do not resign. Most states will not allow you to file unemployment. Additionally, if you resign then less legal risk for the company as they could say it was mutually agreed to at that point.

  85. Anonymous

    This happened to me, and they had enough of a paper trail (the claims were exaggerated or lies, but that's besides the point) to deny unemployment. I chose resignation because it would look better to future employers (I was new in the field at the time). I got a decent severance and left.

    Over the next few years I found out that fired doesn't necessarily mean automatic unemployment. Employers don't want to pay it, so most of the firings I experienced or witnessed were "with cause" with lots of paperwork to back up their claim. At least with resignation one saves face instead of wasting time fighting employers. It's not worth it!

  86. Tiana Mumford

    Hi that’s tough so in the past typically people would not get unemployment if they quit . I’m not sure if things are different now post Covid . I do wish you the best possibly try calling your local unemployment office quickly to get an answer and go from there .

    Best

  87. Anonymous

    I had the same situation and resigned. I am in a field where everyone knows everyone and did not want to look bad or have to explain. I got a job with the competition and am thriving. You will be fine.

  88. Giselle Doolan

    You don’t explain why you were terminated.
    Was it for performance reasons, or a layoff? If it was for cause / performance, allowing you to resign gives you a way to avoid ever having to say you were fired, because technically you were not. If a new employer checks with your old employer, your old employer has to say you resigned rather than that they fired you. This can make a big difference when job hunting.

    If you are part of a layoff or downsizing, sometimes they offer to give special severance packages and extra support to volunteers.

    It’s a personal choice, but personally I’d never resign.

  89. Anonymous

    To resign is in their best interest, not yours. As I understand, Unemployment Insurance case dependent, and some states are far more supportive of workers than others.

    Did the company have concerns with your fulfilling of job requirements and notify you of those concerns in writing? Did they give you repeated feedback and/or training to resolve any concerns they may have had?

    By resigning, you absolve them of that accountability. Unemployment Insurance is supposed to be protection for you and at least some income as you search. Sorry you are going through this.

  90. Anonymous

    I chose the resign option. I qualified for UI in my state because I stated that I resigned in lieu of being terminated. The previous employer did not respond to the UI claim and I received full benefits.

  91. Anonymous

    When I was let go they offered me that too. It would change my HR status with the organization, but I would have forfeited my UI money and had to pay back the relocation. assistance I got. So heck no - I let the termination at wlll stand.

  92. Mireille Wozniak-Michalak

    Stating you resigned makes it easier when applying for other positions. There is a way depending on where you live of still getting unemployment. I would check that out before deciding. Even if you resign and there was unlawful behavior, etc. you can still go after the company - they are not off the hook. Without further detail it is hard to give better advice.

  93. Anonymous

    Don’t resign, it’s not in your best interest. You don’t have to explain to any future employer what happened. I was made redundant twice in cost cutting exercises. If they make you redundant they may have to pay you a separation fee.

    There is no benefit in you resigning to you, only to them

  94. Gerald Combe

    Because, they are either a troll or a Karen.
    Maybe both. A simple Google search will explain that it can be spelled either way.

  95. TestE Cull

    They do that so they can avoid paying unemployment. Never take it. Force their hand.

  96. Anonymous

    actually, in California, max unemployment is $450 a week.

    And whether you resigned or are terminated, it doesn’t matter when it comes to background checks. The only thing employers can verify is if you worked for them, the dates, and your title. They cannot comment on whether you resigned or were terminated. Unless someone has another job lined up, resigning doesn’t make sense as they will not be able to collect unemployment. A company might say they’re not going to contest unemployment, but they don’t have to honor that.

  97. Anonymous

    It does matter in the state of California whether you voluntarily quit or were terminated for cause. Each case is unique and will be decided on the facts based on a determination interview with both claimant and employer. A reference/background check is different than an unemployment insurance determination interview. In the latter, both parties are able and encouraged to speak freely regarding the circumstances surrounding the separation. The employer/company does not decide whether or not they will honor/pay unemployment insurance. That determination is made by the California Employment Development Department based on the Benefit Determination Guides and employment law. All facts are documented and a decision is mailed to claimant and employer on a 1080 form. Timely appeals can be filed on behalf of either party if they so wish.

  98. Cynthia Kendall

    Where I live, in order to collect unemployment, one must prove they were terminated unjustly. That the company had no valid reason to terminate you based on your job performance. So its a risk. You need to sit down and take a hard look at their reasons for letting you go before deciding if you choose to resign or choose to be terminated. There are benefits and deficits to each decision.

  99. Janet Parkhurst

    I would choose resignation over termination, any day. I've experienced both! Resignation is so much easier on you, psychologically speaking. "Terminated" is horrible; as another FGBer mentioned, it follows you everywhere--for YEARS. And I have to add, having collected Unemployment after being laid off from a company, it was more "work" than worth it! Not that I wasn't looking for a job. I just wanted the right TYPE of job--at a pay level I deserved. I just could not abide the thought of taking something intolerable, just to be working. When you resign (albeit scary!), you're free to turn down anything you don't want and to spend your time pursuing worthwhile opportunities. That, to me, is worth far more than a few dollars eked out per week.

  100. Anonymous

    That's why the OP (assuming their state has similar rules) would want to get something in writing confirming that they were resigning in lieu of being fired.

    I actually put that in a resignation letter once when my position was being eliminated and I was given the choice of resigning vs. being released (in my field at the time, a future employer in that field would assume "released" was the equivalent of "fired.") So, I made sure I put in my resignation letter that I was resigning because I had been told that my position was being eliminated and there were no other positions available for me with this employer.

  101. Anonymous

    Omg same happened to me last week!

    I wondered why they did that. They stated that my customer service skills was not up to where they want it to be.

  102. Laurie Myers

    It's possible that you may still qualify for unemployment. In HR, this is what's known as a Constructive Discharge where you've been asked to resign. They don't want the hassle of firing you.

  103. misskelleyp

    You can leave it off your resume, but for a job application or background check you WOULD need to include it. Normally for those types of things you're signing to verify that you've provided correct and complete information, and you could be subject to termination if the employer later finds out that you've lied (omitted something). I agree with other posters who bring up Constructive Discharge, but if you want to know for SURE, call your state's unemployment folks. Make sure you get the name of the person you speak with and write it down, along with the date and time of your call. (and, unfortunately, if they give you incorrect information, they are not bound by it...). Good luck.

  104. Anonymous

    I've been terminated twice (the 2nd I filed wrongful termination and the company settled) I found new jobs fairly easily and the applications or HR never asked if I was ever terminated.I live in Massachusetts so maybe things are different. I work in the project/program management space. Personally the unemployment benefits relieved the stress of having to take the first job that comes my way. Its 2024, and we know there are horrible managers, bias, and unequal treatment. People are fired unjustly everyday or just a bad fit but doesn't mean you are not amazing. My salary went up 30% with the new job I got after being terminated. They wanna get rid of me then let them go through the hassle of the process I told myself.You will find the right next thing if you are terminated or resign. Do what makes you feel good moving forward emotionally and financially.

  105. Anonymous

    Right, so that means the EMPLOYER is the moving party. The EMPLOYER is the one u willing to continue the employment relationship

  106. Anonymous

    Another good question to go off of this is: if your employer makes things up about you regarding terminating you due to performance (so they can get away with you NOT getting unemployment), then are you still eligible for unemployment? For example, will they take your employers word over yours and then not only do you have a termination on your record but you ALSO arent eligible for unemployment and then it turns out you were better off just resigning with no money and then have a resignation on your record. What would you do if they tried to claim it was due to performance?

  107. Anonymous

    I wasn't given the same opportunity as you, but I saw the writing on the wall. I kept working and giving them results even through the toxic environment until I was let go. I then went on unemployment. I wasn't going to resign.

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