The time I went to Hello Work to apply for unemployment insurance and was unexpectedly held up by a 'Medical Certificate'

The time I went to Hello Work to apply for unemployment insurance and was unexpectedly held up by a 'Medical Certificate'

[Personal Experience] Unemployment benefit application stopped at Hello Work!? A real-life day of turning things around from 'voluntary resignation' to '150 days of benefits'

I headed to Hello Work with high spirits to process my unemployment insurance after leaving my job, but my situation turned out to be very different from the standard process.

I am sure there are others who will be just as confused at the counter, so I am sharing the real panic I felt, the situation, and the steps I took to overcome it.

■ The unexpected turn at the counter

I went to Hello Work feeling motivated, but the moment they opened my separation notice, I hit an unexpected wall. The reason for leaving was listed as 'voluntary resignation'.

Since my employment insurance enrollment period was less than one year (8 months in my case), I was told at the counter, 'Because it is a voluntary resignation, you need at least 12 months of enrollment, so you are not eligible for benefits.'

I have a disability certificate, so I assumed the process would go smoothly, and the panic and confusion I felt at that moment were immense.

As a result, I had to submit a document called a 'Medical Certificate' to have my eligibility re-evaluated, and the process was temporarily halted as a 'provisional application'.

■ What was the cause, and how should I proceed?

Why was that document necessary? The reason lies in the structure of the system.

If your enrollment period is 8 months, you cannot receive benefits for a standard voluntary resignation. However, if you can get a doctor to certify that it was difficult to continue working due to poor health or the effects of a disability at the time of resignation, you can change your status to a 'person who left for specific reasons'.

If recognized as a person who left for specific reasons, the enrollment period required to receive benefits is shortened from '12 months' to '6 months'. In other words, I could qualify for benefits even with my 8-month period.

The next steps presented by the staff at the counter were as follows:

・Take the provided Medical Certificate to the hospital

・Have your attending physician fill in that 'it was difficult to continue working at the time of resignation' and 'you are currently in a state where you can work 20 hours or more per week'

・Submit the completed documents to Hello Work

I realized the importance of proceeding one step at a time without rushing, according to my physical condition and circumstances. First, I plan to reach my final payday, check the salary breakdown, and properly close this chapter before heading to the next briefing session.

■ Today's lessons and a message to those in the same situation

It makes you anxious when things don't go smoothly and you get stuck, but as long as you have the necessary documents, you will be fine.

If the change to 'person leaving for specific reasons' and the determination as a 'person with difficulty finding employment' due to a disability certificate are combined, you are guaranteed benefits for '150 days (about 5 months)' without any payment restrictions.

Even while in bed or with limited energy, it is truly difficult to keep going to administrative offices, hospitals, and the Labor Standards Inspection Office to face these procedures.

However, this 'step taken today' and the experience of stumbling will never be in vain. I believe it will be useful to someone else who might feel flustered at the counter, so I am sharing it here in the form of a note article.

【Summary of today's stumbling blocks and cleared points】

・First stumbling block: Because my separation notice stated 'voluntary resignation,' I was almost judged ineligible for benefits with only 8 months of coverage.

・Second stumbling block: Confusion arose regarding the necessary documents and conditions for the number of benefit days due to the complexity of the system.

・Cleared point 1: I was able to correctly grasp the recovery strategy of changing to a 'person leaving for specific reasons'.

・Cleared point 2: I was able to confirm the clear entry criteria (points to fill in) for the 'Medical Certificate' to be written by the hospital.

・Cleared point 3: I confirmed the 150-day benefit route as a person with difficulty finding employment and the date of the next briefing session.

・Cleared point 4: I did not give up, faced my rights and questions, and completed all the necessary responses.

That is the end of today's events.

I pray that everyone can work with peace of mind and be able to rest even if they leave their jobs for various reasons.

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Please also check out my pinned article where I wrote about my origins👀