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D. Voluntarily quit the most recent job without good cause. 1. The employment involved 30 hours or more per week or provided weekly earnings equivalent to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30 hours; and 2. The quit occurred within 60 days prior to the date of application or within 30 days of the renewal or 6 month report or if DLR reported the quit to the Benefits Specialist; and 3. The quit was without good cause; and 4. The individual was required to work register or was exempt from work registration because of the job he/she quit.

E. Voluntarily reduced hours of employment without good cause. 1. The employment involved 30 hours or more per week; and 2. The hours were reduced below 120 hours a month (30 hours a week); and 3. The reduction of hours occurred within 60 days prior to the date of application or within 30 days of the 6 month report or if DLR reported the reduction in hours to the Benefits Specialist; and 4. The reduction of hours was without good cause; and 5. The individual was required to work register or was exempt from work registration because of the employment for which he/she reduced hours.

Applicants: For applicants who are unemployed at the time of application (i.e. - employed less than 30 hours per week or receiving less than weekly wages equal to federal minimum wage times 30 hours) or have reported a reduction of employment hours (reduction below 120 hours a month) within the 60 days prior to the application date, or within 30 days of the 6 month report, benefits specialists must determine if there was a voluntary quit/reduction of hours based on the above criteria. If the benefits specialist learns a household has lost a source of income or reduction of employment hours after the date of application but before the household is approved for benefits, the benefits specialists must determine if a voluntary quit/reduction of hours occurred.

Ongoing Participants: In the case of participating households, benefits specialists must determine if a member voluntarily quit or reduced his/her hours while participating when there is a loss or reduction of a source of earned income. Also, if someone enters a participating household and the individual is unemployed, benefits specialists must determine if the individual quit employment without good cause within the prior 60 days.

Strikers: Persons on strike are not considered to have quit or reduced hours of employment. However, an employee of the Federal Government or of a State or local government who participates in a strike against such government and is dismissed from his or her employment because of participation in the strike, these individuals will be considered to have voluntarily quit without good cause.

Under some circumstances, a person who loses his/her job or has a reduction in hours can be considered to have voluntarily quit/reduced hours even though technically the person was fired, or the employer reduced the hours. The basic rule of thumb to determine if the termination/reduction is not considered a voluntary quit/reduction is if the reason for the termination/reduction was beyond the employee's control. If the reason is within the employee’s control, the voluntary quit/reduction of hour’s penalty should be applied.