What is a possible reason a claimant may be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits?

A claimant may be disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits for failure to obey company policies because such actions can be interpreted as misconduct. Misconduct typically refers to behavior that demonstrates a disregard for the employer's interests or violates the established rules of conduct. When an employee deliberately fails to comply with company policies, it indicates a lack of commitment to their role and can lead to termination. Most unemployment benefit programs seek to support individuals who are involuntarily unemployed without fault of their own. Therefore, engaging in conduct that violates company policy—such as insubordination, theft, or other inappropriate actions—can result in disqualification from receiving those benefits, as it is seen as a self-inflicted loss of employment.

In contrast, voluntary resignation usually leads to disqualification unless the employee can demonstrate justifiable cause. Being fired without cause typically does not disqualify an individual from benefits, as it suggests that the employee was not at fault. Similarly, receiving severance pay does not inherently disqualify an individual from unemployment benefits, but may impact the timing or amount of benefits received.