Legal Advice on Refusal to Work and Unemployment Benefits

Questioner

Last year I worked for 2 employers in small, comparable part-time positions, with one a permanent contract and with the other a temporary contract without any prospect of extension. For the terminated temporary contract I now receive unemployment benefits, I am busy applying for jobs. My permanent employer offered me (in passing) an extension of hours. I did not accept this for various reasons (enormous workload, chaotic organization, illness, not working according to the collective labor agreement). Can my other ex-employer, for whom I now receive unemployment benefits, accuse me of refusing to work? In addition: I have more responsibilities at my 'regular' employer. Due to the enormous workload there, I am very afraid of becoming overstrained if I accept an extension of hours there. That is also the reason why I am looking for work elsewhere.

Lawyer

If you refuse a contract offer from your employer, you are unemployed through your employer's fault and the UWV does not have to give you unemployment benefits for that position. Is that what you mean?

Questioner

The ex-employer of my temporary contract, for which I now receive unemployment benefits, did not offer me a contract. My other employer of my permanent contract, where I have had a small part-time job for years, did offer me more hours. I did not accept this because of the high workload there. Am I now culpably unemployed? The ex-employer is self-insured and may have contact/be aware of the temporary vacancy (sickness replacement) at my permanent employer. If the working conditions at my permanent employer were better, I would certainly have accepted the increase in hours there. However, given the stressful situation there, I prefer to look elsewhere.