213.11 UP: Refusing an Offer of Employment or Training SR 06-12, 10/06 (FAM-A)

Without good cause, the principal wage earner (PWE) must not have refused a definite offer of employment or a specific training opportunity at a specific location within 30 days prior to receipt of assistance, as long as the offer was, according to NHES, at a wage that is customary for the specific position in the community.

A PWE may refuse an offer of work or training made through NH Employment Security (NHES) or under a program established by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, but the PWE must explain good cause for the refusal. The agency that supervises the PWE’s work requirements, determines if a definite job or training offer was made and if good cause is present to refuse it.

If the PWE refuses an offer of work or training that is made by other than NHES or WIA, the PWE must still provide a statement to explain good cause for the refusal. The DFA supervisor will determine whether an offer was made and whether the PWE had good cause to refuse it.

Example

A PWE who had been a computer programmer earning $60,000 a year prior to becoming unemployed refused an offer of employment managing a restaurant for $22,000 a year because the salary offered was much lower than he wanted to accept. He then claimed good cause due to the dramatic salary difference between the restaurant manager’s position and his prior computer programmer’s position. His application for assistance would be denied because he does not have good cause to refuse an offer of employment based upon the salary difference between his prior position and the newly offered position. However, the computer programmer may have good cause for refusing that offer if he individually had been offered $22,000 a year to manage the restaurant while other managers of the restaurant in that community are usually offered $42,000 a year. The proffered salary of $22,000 would not be at a wage that is customary for that specific position in that community.