School Employees Eligibility for UI Benefits During Summer Months

Eligibility requirements for employees of educational institutions are, for the most part, the same as they are for anyone else who applies for unemployment insurance. The slight difference involves a section of unemployment insurance law called the "Between Terms" provision that applies to employees of educational institutions. 

Between Terms provision 

The Between Terms provision restricts the use of wages earned from educational institutions in the calculation of an employee’s weekly unemployment benefit amount during the period between two school years. The restriction applies ONLY if the employee worked in an instructional, research or administrative capacity AND only if they are returning to the same or a similar job in the next school term.

How the Between Terms provision applies to you

• If you worked in a non-instructional capacity directly for an educational institution – this includes paraprofessionals, teacher aids, bus drivers, and office support workers:
  • The between terms provision does not apply to you.
  • Wages you earned from an educational institution will be used in the calculation of your weekly benefit amount.
• If you worked in an instructional, research or administrative capacity directly for an educational institution – this includes teachers, instructors, and professors:
  • Federal law requires that the between terms provision does apply to you. 
  • If you have reasonable assurance of returning to the same or a similar job during the next school term, the wages you earned from an educational institution will not be used in the calculation of your weekly benefit amount. 
  • If you do not have reasonable assurance of returning to the same or similar job during the next school term, the wages you earned from an educational institution will be used in the calculation of your weekly benefit amount.

Applying for benefits

• You should apply for benefits the same week you become unemployed or your hours are significantly reduced.
  
• Once you tell us that you worked for an educational institution, we will ask you to complete a questionnaire so we can find out about your situation. 
• Be specific about your job title, don’t abbreviate or use acronyms and answer all the questions carefully.

After you apply

• We will review the responses in your questionnaire and let you know if we have questions. Most of the time we will not need more information. 
• If your position with the school is instructional, or a mixture of instructional and non-instructional, we will review your information to determine whether reasonable assurance of substantially similar work exists for you during the next year or term. 
• You will still need to meet all other eligibility requirements and request benefit payment each week to receive a payment. This includes being available for work and looking for work.

Questions

• We are here to help! If you have questions, call UI Customer Service 
• We want to talk to you if you have a question, but quite often you can avoid waiting on the phone by following these tips: 
  • Watch your account and respond to any requests for information online. 
  • Review the Information Handbook we send you and the information provided on our website. 
  • If you need to call, try a little later in the day – we are usually busiest on Mondays, as well as in the morning. By avoiding those, times we can answer your call a bit faster.