Do I Need a Lawyer to Get Unemployment Benefits in Alabama?

 

Find out how and when to consider hiring a lawyer to help with your unemployment claim.

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If you have a straightforward unemployment claim, you will likely be able to file for unemployment benefits on your own, without any help from a lawyer. Your claim is relatively simple if you can easily meet the Alabama earnings requirements to qualify for benefits, and you and your employer agree that you lost your job through no fault of your own (for example, because you were laid off or had to quit when your military spouse was transferred to another state).

But if your case is more complicated, it might make sense to consult with or hire an unemployment lawyer to represent you. An unemployment lawyer can help you if you are facing any of the situations described below.

1. Your Employer Claims You Were Fired for Misconduct

You may not be eligible for benefits if you were fired for misconduct. In Alabama, misconduct includes:

  • a criminal or dishonest act in connection with your work
  • conduct that endangered the safety of others
  • failure to obey an employer’s work rules and policies (including excessive or unexcused absences)
  • disregarding orders or instructions.

The seriousness of the misconduct, whether or not prior warnings were given, and whether steps were taken to correct the behavior before your discharge will determine the how this affects your benefits. 

 

If your employer fights your claim for unemployment on the grounds that you were fired for misconduct, you should consider talking to a lawyer. In this situation, there will likely be a hearing on your eligibility for benefits, at which your former employer may have its own attorney. 

2. Your Employer Claims You Quit Voluntarily

Unemployment benefits are not available if you quit your job voluntarily. However, if your employer forced you to quit, or you quit for a reason that's protected by law, you are still eligible for benefits.

You will be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits in Alabama if you quit your last job voluntarily, without good cause related to the job. However, you will still be eligible for benefits if:

  • You were unable to work because of sickness or disability, as long as you comply with your employer's policies and offer to return to your job as soon as you are able to work.
  • You left your job to permanently relocate with your spouse, if your spouse is on active duty in the military and has received permanent change of station orders, unit deployment orders, or activation orders. 
  • You left, then immediately returned to, your job in which you had statutory or contractual recall or seniority rights.

An unemployment lawyer can help you figure out whether you are eligible for benefits – and prove it to the unemployment agency.

3. Your Claim for Benefits Is Denied 

If the Alabama Department of Labor denies your initial claim for benefits, you have the right to file an appeal with the Alabama Department of Labor, Hearings and Appeals Division. An unemployment lawyer can help you decide whether an appeal makes sense and, if so, help you file the paperwork and make your case in the most persuasive way. To learn more on the Alabama rules and deadlines for filing an appeal, see Can I Appeal a Denial of Unemployment Benefits in Alabama?

4. Your Appeal Is Denied

Even if the Alabama Department of Labor, Hearings and Appeals Division denies your appeal, you still have another chance to win your case. Every state has a second-level appeal process, whether to a state agency or tribunal or to state court. If you are considering taking your case to state court, you will almost certainly need a lawyer’s assistance. Even for an administrative appeal, a lawyer’s help will increase your chances of success. A lawyer can help you clearly explain why your claim should have been granted, with citations to cases and statutes that support your argument.

5. You Have Other Legal Claims Against Your Employer

Were you denied overtime or wages you should have received? Were you discriminated against or harassed at work? Were you fired in retaliation for reporting illegal behavior? Were you wrongfully terminated in violation of public policy? A lawyer can review your employment history and the circumstances of your termination to see whether you might have other legal claims against your employer. If so, you will not only benefit in the unemployment claims process, but you will also have strong grounds to negotiate a favorable severance package with your employer.

If you decide to hire an attorney, see How Can I Find an Unemployment Lawyer in Alabama for resources that will help you with your search. 

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Jurisdictional relevance: ST

There are versions of this article for each State.