Unemployment

If you work while receiving benefits and do not report that employment, you may be committing fraud.....am I right???

I have an employee who tried claiming unemployment last August after he returned to work from our July shutdown. I had warned him that he should inform the state to his change in employment status now that he was back to work full-time but he refused, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I protested his earnings during that specified time frame and I just received a letter on Monday this week that he owes the State of Michigan restitution in the amount of $729 with additional amounts yet to be determined......I bet he wishes he had been an honest person, huh?

Well, to make this story more interesting.......I received a statement today from the unemployment office and it shows this same employee is still receiving benefits. I had heard through a local temp agency about a month or so ago that "they had found work for him and he was loving his new job"......Ding, ding, ding.....the lightbulb just went on in my head...."I think he is still claiming unemployment and he is working full-time" The nerve of him to try and win one over on me AGAIN. I contacted the local temp agency and they confirmed that YES he is working full-time but they wouldn't tell me where or what date he started. I have contacted the State of Michigan and again I am protesting his benefits. Don't mess with the bull....you'll get the horns!! (anyone know what movie that is from?)

I mean, come on........I know times are hard (for everyone) but to commit fraud not once, but twice makes me question the integrity of a person. We will think twice if we ever decide to hire back any of our "laid off" employees. I'm sure he won't be one of them called back!