A qualified work search can include submitting job applications, contacting a former employer to see if they can return to work, or contacting an employer with a request for work. If a person does not complete that requirement, according to the department, they will not be eligible for benefits for that week. Exemptions to work search requirement Exemptions to the requirement are available to Vermonters who are unable to return to work because they are caring for a loved one, lack access to childcare or in-person schooling for their child, or suffer from pre-existing health conditions that put them at increased risk of contracting COVID-19.