question about unemployment

JackAdams

New Member
I just found out that I will be laid off in the beginning of September ( from the wonderful world of technology). I had planned to attend one of those academies but am now leaning toward a local FBO. My question is this: Can I collect unemployment while attending flight school? ... Is this ethical? ...Should I try to re-enter the workforce and pay my own ticket? My wife makes ok money, we would be able to live on but I would not be able to attend flight school with out some kind of income -- be it unemployment or flipping burgers.
 
Hehe...I've been here!

I was laid off last year too, from the great IT world. The answer is no, you can't be collecting unemployment. One of the first questions they are going to ask is are you taking any classes. That can disqualify you. Not to mention you have to report back to the unemployment office weekly on your job search progress.
 
I disagree. Certainly, if you are attending a 141 school as a full-time student you probably can't collect unemployment. But I believe that you could probably begin training as a private pilot Part 61 and be alright. With Private training you are not training for a new career; rather, you are training for a hobby.
 
I guess I assumed he meant moving away to go to a 141 school. As long as you can report in to the unemployment office, and provide proof of a job search, he should be OK.
 
Anyone pondering their 'worthiness' of collecting unemployment has to recognize one important truth: the unemployment agencies (themselves a bureaucracy) are NOT in the business of saying no. They make their agencies bigger by having more people signed up. all YOU have to do is provide them with the minimum 'stuff' to make them happy.

I was a seasonal Park Ranger for seven years in NY and when I was not I was a college student in another state entirely and you can bet I was not lookin for a job. I tried to cancel the benefit and they freakin wouldnt let me so I took the mula.

Never-minding the above, I think that a crafty person could find time in a 141 program to BOTH learn to be a pilot and 'go through the job search' so to speak.... remember.. the system is in place to provide you the benefit, not say no. Why the unemployment person behind the desk plays God and suggests otherwise is absolutely beyond the scope of this post (experts in burea-pathology might understand)...


DeanR
 
All depends on your state.....Technically, you can not attend school full time. ......On the other hand who has to know that your attending school full time......As long as you do not apply for financial aid(grants and government loans) you should be alright.......I recommend filing for unemployment at a busy office. Little chance of being asked to come in and being audited....Most states allow you to phone in your job replies. Phone calls are usually automated. As far as I know no one who has applied had to report in person...The people I know live through out the great lakes region; so, you do need to check what the report policy is in your state ......the important thing to remember is: The money your applying for was yours, and still is yours. i'm in technology as well, and i may be in the same boat as you
 
Absolutely nothing unethical or illegal about taking flying lessons at your local FBO while you're looking for work (and collecting unemployment in the meantime). There's nothing that says your life has to stop and you have to be living hand-to-mouth while collecting unemployment. The rule is that you cannot have begun a full-time training program. In that regard, flying lessons are no different from piano lessons. Take all you want.

I too was caught in a Bay area dot com layoff last year after I had started flying lessons; I had some savings, and I continued my lessons as I started collecting unenjoyment--I even flew more frequently since I had the ultimately flexible schedule. I did have to interrupt my lessons after it became clear I wouldn't hop into my next gig as quickly as I had anticipated, and it ended up taking me 11 months to find something at the other end of the state.
 
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