Unemployment Filing?

No penalties to the employer at all. The ex-employee won't get the benefits. Ex-employees are not entitled to unemployment benefits. The employee will be flatly denied and if the unemployment office is not terribly busy, the employee might be charged with fraud - applying for benefits to which he is not entitled.

Their rates may go up. Other than that, no.

In the USA,

When a former employee applies for unemployment insurance:

1. The claim form asks why the individual is no longer working at the company.

2. UI may send an additional questionnaire to the claimant or have a phone interview.

3. UI will send a questionnaire to the former employer that needs to be completed in X days.

4. The UI administer will make a determination on the claim based on the information gathered from the employee and employer.

5. If either side is dissatisfied with the decision they can appeal.

If the employer has excessive unemployment claims during a year, their unemployment tax will increase.

In my state, the employer pays the amount of unemployment paid to the fired worker. They jack up the unemployment tax on the employer until it is paid, then it returns to a more normal level.

they can, yes ....... plus, IF too many ex-employees get 'unemployment', their rates will go UP ............................