Can someone can field questions about eligibility for unemployment benefits on this forum? Please let me know - I'll respond with my questions if this is the right forum for them. Thanks in advance.

With the understanding that ONLY an adjudicator from your state can give you a definite answer and that all anyone here can do is give you an informed opinion, yes, this would be an appropriate forum for such a question.

Who can and cannot receive unemployment benefits is extremely situation- as well as state-specific.

I'm wondering if I can possibly qualify for unemployment benefits. I am in a very hostile work enviroment where it is just myself and another person. Yesterday he threatened to do me physical harm. In the past, he has destroyed my personal property (kicked the side mirror off my car, beat my fax machine to pieces, etc).. He also sends things wizzing past my head (wrenchs, car parts, etc). He has been in several explosive rages today & yesterday. Today I asked a neighbor to call 911 if the yelling started again *&* the guy was physical with me or was throwing tools/car parts again.

I am afraid to stay but need to pay my rent, etc. If I quit, is there any chance I might be able to get benefits until I can find work??

Just as a matter of semantics, what you describe does not meet the legal definition of a hostile work environment. That phrase has a definite legal definition which involves employees being subjected to illegal harassment or discrimination; it has nothing to do with the atmosphere you work in.

Who is in charge? Is this your boss treating you this way? Or is there another location that you report to? If so, have you reported it and what did they say?

I'm not avoiding your question; I'm going somewhere with this.

Thanks for your help. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. He saw the title of this website on my screen and started interrogating me - he was pretty irrate. Fortunaly, he does not know how tabs work so he couldn't find my post :)

Things are somewhat complex. I was the owner of the business. I started it with my then boyfriend. Everything was in my name. I needed to disentangle myself from him, so I handed the business over to a mutual friend. He is now the absent owner. I run the business & office/marketing/customer service end while the ex does the technical work. I believe he could be considered my supervisor. Ex holds trump card, if either of us needs to be let go, the owner will pick me, he has made this clear. His allegiance is to my ex. He basically told me if I can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Only problem is, jobs have been hard to find in our area. I'm working diligently at finding one though!

Since I initially wrote, I asked to take a lunch break and he denied me. I am hourly and I never ever get to go on break. He interrogates me if I ask to go. I asked at 1:35pm (I arrived at 8:20a.m.). He made me wait until he had his lunch so I ended up going at 3:45pm, at which point he harassed me and said I may as well not even come back, why was I leaving so late, etc.

Sigh. I really must get out of this situation, unemployment benefits or no.

Forgot to mention, I am in California.

birdvert, from what you've posted I honestly don't know if this would rise to a level of "good cause to quit" or not. I thought I was going somewhere with my question but it appeared to be the wrong road. Maybe someone whose familarity with CA UI benefits is more recent than mine (I haven't had an employee in CA since 2001) will have a better idea, but all I can suggest is that you run the question past the CA UI office. They won't give you a definite yes or no, if they're anything like my state, but you should at least be able to get an idea if there's anything to the thought or if it's a complete washout.

Thank you, I'll give them a call Monday.