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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FNS 255 VOLUNTARY QUIT AND VOLUNTARY REDUCTION

3 Section 255 Change #17-2021 September 20, 2021 EXAMPLE: An individual quits a job where he was working 40 hours per week to accept a job where he will only work 35 hours per week. The individual is not subject to the voluntary quit provisions because he has not reduced his hours to less than 30 hours per week. B. The employer initiates a reduction in the employee’s number of work hours. An individual that voluntarily and without good cause reduces his work hours to less than 30 hours per week is subject to the voluntary quit provisions. C. The individual terminates a self-employment business. D. The individual resigns from a job at the demand of the employer. E. The individual is fired for absenteeism. Absenteeism is unauthorized absence from work. The employer must be contacted to determine if voluntary quit applies.

EXAMPLE: A FNS applied in April. The individual states that he/she was working 35 hours per week and was fired in March due to absenteeism. The employer verified that the individual was fired for unauthorized absenteeism. This is exempt as the employer fired the individual.

EXAMPLE: A FNS applied in March. The individual states that he/she was working 35 hours per week and was fired in February due to absenteeism. The employer verified that the individual was considered to have abandoned the job because he/she stopped coming to work. This would be subject to voluntary quit. If good cause does not exists then the voluntary quit penalty would be applied. F. The individual is on strike. A government employee dismissed because of participation in a strike is not exempt from the voluntary quit provisions. G. The individual gets a job comparable to the job which was quit. Comparable employment may be less hours or lower salary than the job which was quit. To be considered comparable, the new job must provide some additional benefit or have the potential for advancement. For example, the new job may pay less but provide health insurance or pay child care expenses or the new job may provide higher wages after a probationary period. EXAMPLE: A FNS applies in May. An individual is currently employed; however, he voluntarily quit a job in April that was for 40 hours per week. His new job is for 25 hours per week but provides health insurance; the other job did not have this benefit. Do not apply the voluntary quit penalty.