If you've been terminated from your job through no fault of your own, you may be entitled under the unemployment compensation law to receive money for a given period of time to pay for necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter as you look for a new job. Your eligibility for compensation, the amount you receive, and the period of time benefits are paid to you are determined by a mixture of federal and state laws. Generally, to be eligible to receive unemployment benefits, you must have worked for a certain minimum number of weeks and earned a minimum amount of wages before your termination. Furthermore, you're required to be available for work to keep receiving your benefits. This means that you must actively seek a new job. Individuals who aren't willing and able to work cannot receive unemployment compensation, as well as those who leave a job to find a better job or to attend school. Individuals who refuse to accept a job are also no longer entitled to receive unemployment compensation if the job is reasonable and suited to his or her skills. The unemployment compensation program was established by the federal Social Security Act of 1935 and is funded by a combination of federal and state taxes that are levied upon employers. Some states provide additional unemployment benefits to workers who are disabled. Unemployment benefit coverage generally doesn't extend to agricultural workers, self-employed individuals, and employees terminated for misconduct.
