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Fact Sheet 150 - What is a Denial Period?

Fact Sheet 150 - What is a Denial Period?

What is a Denial Period?

An explanation of what a denial period is and how it can affect unemployment benefits.

Denial Period: A denial period is the time between employment seasons or during school breaks where seasonal workers (as defined by the UIA) or school employees are not eligible to be paid unemployment benefits due to reasonable assurance.

“Reasonable assurance” is the employer’s honest belief that they will bring the employee back to work in the next season in the same job the employee previously performed, or in a job that is like the job, location, wages, and benefits the employee previously had. For more information, see Reasonable Assurance: What You Need to Know (Fact Sheet 151).

What Kinds of Workers Can Be Subject to a Denial Period?

Type of Worker Examples Denial Period
School Employee

Teacher, researchers, administrative professionals, bus drivers/aides and all other school employees who work for:

  • School districts,
  • Colleges/universities,
  • Charter schools.
  • Time between school terms (summer break),
  • Spring break,
  • Holiday breaks.
Head Start Employees Local board of education runs the program.
  • Time between school terms (summer break),
  • Spring break,
  • Holiday breaks.
School Bus Drivers/Aides Working for Private Bus Companies

School bus drivers or aides working for private companies contracted to provide services for school districts.

At least 75% of the workers’ wages were earned by driving/working on school buses.
  • Time between school terms (summer break),
  • Spring break,
  • Holiday breaks.
School Workers Working for Contractors Providing School Services
  • Food services,
  • Security Services,
  • Custodial Services,
  • Crossing Guards,
  • Coaches,
  • Other services provided to a school by a contractor.
 Time between school terms (summer break).
School Crossing Guards Time between school terms (summer break).
School Coaches
  • Time between school terms (summer break),
  • Spring Break,
  • Holiday breaks.
Professional Athlete Athletes whose recent past wages were earned substantially from participating, training, or preparing to take part in sporting events.

Period between sport seasons.
Seasonal Worker

Seasonal Employer (as defined by UIA) notified the worker that they are a seasonal employee.

See Fact Sheet 165: Seasonal Employee for more information about seasonal employment.

 Period between normal working seasons.

 

Fact Sheet 150: What is a Denial Period?

Updated July 2026