The Department of Labor reminds unemployment claimants who have been placed on temporary layoff or furloughed that they must return to work if called back by their employer. Refusal to return to work, when being offered the number of hours per week, may result in the termination of unemployment benefits and the need to repay certain benefits.
Action for Employers
If you are an employer that has offered regular work to an employee that was temporarily laid-off or furloughed, and the employee has refused to return to work, you MUST report this activity to the Department of Labor.
Employers can submit a report of refusal to work by completing the online form, found at https://labor.vermont.gov/form/refusal-to-work-fraud-report, or by clicking the button below.
Exemptions to the Return to Work Request
If claimants are called back to full-time work, they should not cancel their unemployment claims but instead leave their claim open and simply not file a weekly claim for the weeks in which they worked.
If a claimant is called back, but was only offered reduced hours, but at a normal rate of pay, they must accept the offer and report all earnings for the week. Individuals who accept partial employment may be eligible for partial benefits in this case.
*Cases in which claimants intentionally misstate or omit facts are considered fraudulent and may result in prosecution. Claimants will be required to pay back benefits deemed to have been overpaid due to material misstatements or omissions pertaining to their claim.*