If I Quit My Job, Can I Still Collect Unemployment?

Reader question: If I quit my job, can I still collect unemployment?

: No, unless you can prove that the employer created an unreasonable situation that made you quit.   

Under Section 601 of the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act, an individual who voluntarily quits his or her job without good cause attributable to the employer is ineligible to collect unemployment benefits.  “Good cause” generally means circumstances that produce real pressure to quit and would compel a reasonable person to leave the job; usually this requires a substantial change in the job that renders it unsuitable.

Because it is a claimant’s responsibility to establish unemployment eligibility, a person seeking to collect benefits following a resignation must basically prove that the employer coerced, forced, or manipulated them into quitting. In order to meet this burden, a claimant must generally show that he or she attempted to discuss and resolve the problem prior to quitting, instead of leaving at the first sign of trouble.   

There are numerous cases deciding what is and isn’t “good cause attributable to the employer.” Many of these decisions subtly turn on their particular facts. Therefore, this information should be considered as general guidance only; it is not offered as and should not be relied upon as legal advice.  

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