can i get unemployment or something? I am broke due to losing my business?

[callmeporter]

I am completely broke due to losing my business I opened with my father. We opened a retail store and then the recession hit its high and customers completely stopped coming in our store. Rather than ride it out and pay the monthly rent my father decided to pull the plug after a year. Can I get unemployment, I was running the store for the entire year sometimes just writing a 1500 dollar check to take care of the basics of living, and sometimes just using the company debit card in my name. I filed for unemployment but was turned down because they said theres no record of me receiving pay at Texas work force, what can I do? I cant get a job I search all day everyday, i was hired at apple then a month later two days before i started I was told I cuold not start becasue I have a class C misd on my record ( dont even know if thats legal because it was for disorderly conduct which is not violent or theft, it was also reduced to that from something else (text msg harrassment was what the DA was trying to prosecute me for becasue I sent several txt msges to a friend asking for money he owed me since I had no money and I plead guilty cuz i could not afford to have an attorney fight it, so it was reduced from a class b telecommunication harrassment charge to disorderly conduct because the judge sympathized with my situation and thought it was silly... so anyway can i get unemploy or some other benefits, i cant afford to even put gas in my car to get to go get a job, i feel so horrible im suicidal i really need help. things are so bad i feel like giving up on life, i dont say that for sympathy i say it because its true, also can i get the govt to pay for my schooling i wouldnt mind doing that. im used to running my own business so business admin or something would b great

 

[Paul]

People that quit (instead of getting laid-off) and those that are self-employed usually can't collect unemployment (the law differs state to state).

I didn't think that misdemeanors could affect employment, but this only based on my opinion, as I don't have any experience in this. Why don't you ask a law professor at a local university about that and see if you can get the Apple job back.

In the mean time, you could probably volunteer for a local non-profit or something and use your business experience. It won't pay the bills, but it will keep your spirits up and build your resume.

 

[Stephen T]

Unemployment is an insurance that businesses pay the government so if their workers ever get laid off the worker can survive for a while. I'm assuming because you were denied that your business did not pay for unemployment insurance. You need to talk with your local workforce development center about the situation. Many times self-employed people don't pay unemployment insurance and can not get it. The reason is some people might work for the required 2 quarters, pay themselves an obscene salary and then go on unemployment and live off of the government.