| First time teachers at Illinois often found | | | | personnel in case they lose their jobs within a |
| themselves asking this question - are teachers | | | | certain time period. Teachers on the hunt for |
| eligible for unemployment? | | | | possible teaching jobs should always ask their |
| The best answer for this question is no. The only | | | | future employers if they offer unemployment |
| way to qualify for academic personnel to qualify | | | | benefits for their teaching personnel. |
| for unemployment insurance benefits is that they | | | | If a teacher has different job offerings, he/she |
| have insufficient non-academic wages between | | | | should consider the ones offering unemployment |
| and within an academic term. | | | | benefits; this does not only guarantee a job |
| According to the Illinois Unemployment Benefits | | | | protection, it also guarantees you further financial |
| Handbook: | | | | protection. |
| A claim is based on wages that were earned | | | | Teachers Unions are a great source when looking |
| during the course or tenure of your stay in an | | | | for unemployment insurance. There are a lot of |
| institution as a teacher, administrator or a | | | | said unions which offer remarkable benefits, |
| researcher or even if one is on a vacation or a | | | | protection and rewards to its members; one of |
| holiday recess as long as they have the | | | | which is the unemployment insurance. There are |
| reasonable assurance of returning back to work | | | | so many things that a union can do to protect its |
| the following term. As stated above, educational | | | | members. |
| personnel might qualify if they have insufficient | | | | A lawyer will be provided by the union before a |
| non-academic wages within an academic term. A | | | | teacher loses his/her job, free of charge; the |
| claim will be disqualified if the personnel are a bus | | | | lawyer will go to the place of employment and |
| driver, cook/cafeteria worker, crossing guard or | | | | remove all possibilities of losing the job. The |
| any other non academic personnel. Academic | | | | lawyer will also represent their clients in meetings, |
| personnel may be disqualified if he/she is on a | | | | interviews and discussions involving the agenda of |
| paid sabbatical leave. | | | | letting the said teacher go. Most of the time, |
| Tips on Claiming or Getting Unemployment | | | | lawyers often succeed in saving a teacher's job. |
| Benefits | | | | While there are still a lot of things to do in order |
| Unemployment benefits are one way for | | | | to get unemployment benefits from other |
| teachers to protect themselves financially. In the | | | | sources, it's often very tricky and hard to find. |
| course of being unemployed, preparation and | | | | Through dedicated research and a little bit of |
| careful planning are the best ways to stay | | | | networking, it's possible for a teacher to qualify |
| protected. Most schools and institutions offer | | | | and claim an unemployment insurance or benefit. |
| unemployment benefits for their academic | | | | |