Federal Employees May Be Eligible for Unemployment

January 16, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The partial shutdown of the United States government currently impacts more than 25,000 Tennesseans. Many furloughed federal workers are not on the job, while others continue to work without pay.

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) manages the federally funded unemployment insurance program. The state received its appropriation for the program before the government shutdown and unemployed Tennesseans continue to receive benefits.

Depending on the length of the shutdown, many Tennesseans who work for the federal government may qualify to collect unemployment benefits.

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has strict requirements claimants must meet to receive benefits, one of which is an unemployed person must be willing and able to work. A furloughed federal worker meets this requirement because they are free to work.

Federal workers required to remain on the job without pay are not eligible for unemployment benefits because they are not able to work.

If the state approves an application for benefits, unemployment claimants must certify online each week they are available to work. The state also requires they conduct online job searches in order to receive benefits.

It is important to keep in mind, the first week a person files for benefits is considered their waiting week and the claimant will not receive money. They will receive their first payment after two weeks of filing. The state pays the waiting week after a claimant completes four consecutive weeks of certifying for benefits.

During the application process, the state must verify wages with the employer. Since these are federal employees, the shutdown could cause a delay in the verification process. The state has up to 21 days to approve or deny a claim for unemployment benefits.

The maximum weekly benefit in Tennessee is $275, which is subject to federal income taxes.

Once the shutdown ends, and if the federal government provides workers with back pay for the time they were furloughed, per USDOL guidelines, the worker will be responsible for paying the state of Tennessee for any unemployment benefits they received.

As of Jan. 10, 2019, the state of Tennessee has received applications for unemployment benefits from 400 federal workers since the shutdown began.
1.Federal employees can apply for unemployment benefits through the state’s workforce development website, www.Jobs4TN.gov. This is also the website where claimants complete their weekly job search certifications.

Anyone with questions can call TDLWD at 844-224-5818 or use the live chat function at www.tn.gov/workforce Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. CT.

January 16, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

An Alexandria man arrested last month for breaking into and stealing items from a semi truck was sentenced Wednesday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

33 year old Joshua Lynn McCowan entered a plea by criminal information to auto burglary and received a two year TDOC sentence on probation. He must make restitution of $1,775 to the victim.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Sunday, December 2, 2018 McCowan broke into and stole from a 1988 Kenworth semi-truck a Stanley 2-tier toolbox with tools, a Sear brand tool box, four chains, two rubber wheel chocks, a Tennessee license plate, semi log books, and assorted paperwork valued at $1,775.

The case was investigated by a sheriff’s department detective

January 16, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A McMinnville man charged in an attempted aggravated robbery in April 2016 was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Wednesday.

21 year old Charles Robert Fults, Jr. entered a plea to attempted aggravated robbery and received a five year sentence to serve in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The sentence is to run concurrent with a case against him in Warren County. He is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim.

A co-defendant, 22 year old Logan Tyler Martin entered a plea to the same charge last July in criminal court and also received a five year sentence to serve. The term is to run concurrently with a Warren County sentence against him and he is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim. Martin was given jail credit from April 29 to April 30, 2016 and from June 19 to July 17, 2018.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, April 29, 2016 Martin, who was age 19 at the time, drove up to a location on McMinnville Highway where the intended victim was doing some yard work. Fults, 18 years old at the time, was a passenger with Martin. Fults got out of the vehicle, pulled a silver knife as he approached the victim and demanded his wallet. When the victim refused to hand over the wallet, Fults got back in the vehicle with Martin and they drove away. After the offense was reported to authorities a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) was issued to other law enforcement agencies. The vehicle was spotted in Warren County where Fults and Martin were taken into custody.

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