Employees who quit or are fired for failing to follow their employer’s policies on COVID-19 vaccinations may not be eligible for unemployment insurance, a spokesperson for the state Division of Unemployment Insurance said on Monday.

In an email to News5, state UI Division Press Secretary Jessica Hudgins Smith indicated every UI claim undergoes a review on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility. In the case of those fired or let go for not following a policy on vaccines, Hudgins Smith said, the division reviews factors such as the nature of the work being performed as well as the reason for the requirement and for the employee’s refusal.

“Generally speaking, UI benefits are meant for Coloradans who lose work through no fault of their own,” she said in the email. “If being vaccinated against COVID-19 is pertinent for the performance of the job, the employee will likely NOT be eligible for UI benefits.”

The update comes as Colorado is outpacing the country as a whole in terms of pandemic job recovery, dropping UI claims in the state to below pre-pandemic levels.

A state Department of Labor and Employment report released in late July shows there were 3,317 regular initial unemployment claims plus 1,119 more claims through the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for gig, contract and self-employed workers, the lowest mark in more than 68 weeks.