How would a temporary job affect Unemployment benefits and COBRA assistance?

[CathMac]

I'm not expecting a definitive answer on this but I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

I'm unemployed and receiving Federal Cobra assistance on the cost of my employer's Health Insurance.  I am very interested in a temporary position (12 weeks to cover someone out on maternity leave) with a small company.  

If I understand correctly my unemployment benefits will be interrupted but I should be able to collect again once the job ends.  However, since the salary is likely to be lower should I expect an adjustment in benefits?  If so, how is the adjustment calculated?

Assuming the temporary job doesn't include benefits can I continue with my COBRA coverage, and if so, will I still be eligible for the COBRA assistance.  And since I'm in Massachusetts I get another form of assistance through the Medical Security Program (MSP). Does anyone have any idea of whether I would still be eligible for that?

I do have an unemployment office near me but experience tells me you can't rely upon the government for accurate information and I don't know if I should be worried they might expect me to take a job even if it isn't in my overall best interest, or that of my family.

BTW, I don't even have an interview but I did get an email asking if I was aware that it was a short term position.  So I wonder if despite the horrible job market they are having a hard time finding someone with the right skill set.

TIA

~Cath

[Arduinna]

I can only answer the cobra question, it's my understanding that you can stay on cobra as long as you are not eligible for another health insurance plan through work. So if you get a job, but it does not provide health insurance you can stay on cobra.

[Denvergirlie]

I know in my state, unemployemnt office as an online calculator, by plugging in the numbers, you can estimate what UI benefits will be. Without using a tool like that, no one can guess what if any reduction in benefits will be down the road. I would suggest you try to determine what you would make with the short project, and then call the unemployment office and see if you can't speak with a live human.

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=elwdterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Claimants&L2=Unemployment+Insurance+(UI)&L3=How+to+File+Your+Initial+Claim&L4=How+Your+Benefits+are+Determined&sid=Elwd&b=terminalcontent&f=dua_determinations_calc_benefit_rate&csid=Elwd 

[cristeen]

If you file your UI p/w saying that you have a job and/or are no longer looking, your current claim will be closed and you will have to file a new claim later. Not sure if that will affect the award.

As for COBRA, so long as you don't have benefits available, you're still eligible.

[mar123]

My dh has been unemployed since August of 2010. He is a certified teacher (not what he was doing when he was laid off) and has been subbing in my school. That is considered temporary part time work. Each week when he files for unemployment, he simply states how many days he worked and what he will make for that time. The amount he made that week is deducted from the total he might receive. It did take a couple of months for all of this to get ironed out (they were trying to say he was employed as a teacher because he was still on the sub list from a year ago) but now it works wonderfully. Our state unemployment is a paltry 287 a week; he makes 90 a day subbing- so if he subs for 3 days, he gets that and no UI. But it is helping to extend his unemployment, since he won't be subbing in the summer (hoping and praying he has a job by then). If he subs one day that week, he gets a little less than $200 for that week. If he subs 5 days, we come out ahead.

So I imagine if you put it down as temp work (which it sounds like) you would still need to file for UI. If you stop altogether and then start again, you might have problems since 12 weeks is not long enough to qualify for UI from THAT job.

[LittleBlackBug]

I was in a similar situation. I worked as a temp for four months after being unemployed. I had to be hired as a temp in order to go back on my claim, not as a contract employee. My last week of work was my last week of my claim so I ran into a problem of not being able to claim on my old claim. I then filed for a new claim, but since I hadn't been working, it was only going to be $68 a week. Not long after that I found out the laws had changed that if you made less than $100 on your new claim that you could go back on the old one, so they canceled my new one and I am now getting my old amount. Also, the place I temp'd at was going to let me on their COBRA insurance if I needed it. Good luck!