Can Colorado Residents Receive Unemployment Benefits After Being Fired?
- The regulations set forth by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment state that you're eligible for unemployment benefits if you lose your job "through no fault of your own." Being fired, rather than losing your job because of a layoff, implies that you were at fault. This may not always be the case, but you must be prepared to make a case that your actions on or off the job did not lead to your firing.
- When you file your claim, caseworkers from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment will review it. They will contact your employer and ask the reason you were fired. If the employer alleges you were at fault --- that you failed to follow company policy or to perform your job duties or committed a criminal act such as theft --- then your claim will be denied. You have the right to appeal your denial, but you will need to produce convincing proof to counteract your employer's claims.
- During an appeal, a counselor from the unemployment office will contact you and you will be able to present your side of the story. For instance, if you were moved into a job for which you were not qualified, and thus were fired because you couldn't do the work, you might be able to collect benefits. Or if you lost your job because you missed too much work through illness or having to care for a family member, this might be an extenuating circumstance the CDLE would take into consideration.
- If you believe you were fired through no fault of your own, you should file for benefits and wait for the chance to make your case. In Colorado you can file for unemployment benefits either online or through an automated telephone system. You'll need to supply your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth, as well as the name and address of your former employer and any other employers for whom you've worked in the past two years, your dates of employment and salary information. In 2009, the Rocky Mountain News reported that filing online is generally faster than using the phone lines.
