Laid off--Support thread

[wall*e2008]

I just found this thread, been lurking on the budget board for quite some time. I have been laid off since first part of January (office of a construction company). I just wanted to say thanks to the person who started this thread, it is comforting to know I am not alone. I was just wondering if anyone had received the increase that was supposed to come from the stimulus package? Still haven't seen it here in SC...

Someone on the DIS did post they got their $25 increase. Sorry I don't remember who or what state they were from.

 

[golfgirl3613]

I'm in NY and haven't seen it yet.

 

[Disneydreamer5]

I just found this thread, been lurking on the budget board for quite some time. I have been laid off since first part of January (office of a construction company). I just wanted to say thanks to the person who started this thread, it is comforting to know I am not alone. I was just wondering if anyone had received the increase that was supposed to come from the stimulus package? Still haven't seen it here in SC...

I got a check for $25 after my last unemployment check but when I called in my benefits this morning that money was not added in so I am very confused. According to the letter that came in the mail I was suppose to be getting $25 more a week but as I said I have only gotten one check so far and I am in NJ.

 

[dizluvah]

I just found this thread, been lurking on the budget board for quite some time. I have been laid off since first part of January (office of a construction company). I just wanted to say thanks to the person who started this thread, it is comforting to know I am not alone. I was just wondering if anyone had received the increase that was supposed to come from the stimulus package? Still haven't seen it here in SC...[/QUOTE]

Here in NH - I have not received the extra $25/week but the NH unemployment website posted a message that they are working on processing the "extra" money and it will be retro back to last week of February (I believe).

 

[Kathi OD]

While we live in NJ, DH is collecting through PA. He has not yet received the extra $25 and we haven't heard anything about it.

 

[CarolA]

The income tax for next year will not tax the first $2,500 is what I understood. So no help until next year. But why in the world are UC taxed at all, it is unearned income?

Di

You keep asking this! Look at it this way. At least you are getting paid not to work!

(Seriously you owe income taxes on lots of "unearned" income. You don't have a job to earn interest at the bank for example. If you win the lottery, you didn't "earn" that but you owe taxes and so on!)

 

[Janet Hill]

I'm collecting DC unemployment and I've not yet received the extra $25 yet.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am collecting thru IL and my last check had $25 more in it. According to their automated system my next check (this Thurs) will have the extra also but I will wait and see what it actually deposited. IL does not actually issue checks you either have to have direct deposit or it shows up on the debit card they will send you when you start. Also since I elected to have taxes withheld the $25 is really $21.

 

[Kathi OD]

Look at it this way. At least you are getting paid not to work!

I surely hope this was a tongue-in-cheek remark.

I don't know many people who are unemployed who feel as though they're getting paid to not work! DS just got called back today after being off for 10 weeks and let me tell you he was excited to be going back.

DH would much rather be working. He worked for the better part of 35 years and to be collecting unemployment rather than working is not something he is proud of. Looking for a new job is much more stressful than actually working the old job, and the amount he is getting...less than 1/3 his prior take-home pay! It's not like people who are on unemployment are getting rich, they aren't making enough money to make the time they are not working enjoyable.

 

[chell]

Great thread. Glad to find it.

My husband found out in January his plant will be closing this year. Last week he found out he will be getting laid off near the end of June. At least we have a little time to prepare.

Thankfully he will be making almost as much on unemployment as he does at his job because he has so many things taken out of his check.

Health insurance with my company is extremely high and has poor coverage. I hope the changes with COBRA will help us to keep his insurance.

This week someone is supposed to come talk to them about the options for going back to school. I hope they have a good plan for that because it would be best for us if he can go to school. There just aren't many jobs in this area with so many factories closing down.

My company has been laying people off too. I've been so worried about loosing my job. Last week I got real sick and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Tomorrow I hope to be able to go back to work because I'm starting to feel better. But I've been worried that they'll say they don't need me since I've been out and that I'll be the next to go.

 

[disneymarie]

You keep asking this! Look at it this way. At least you are getting paid not to work!

(Seriously you owe income taxes on lots of "unearned" income. You don't have a job to earn interest at the bank for example. If you win the lottery, you didn't "earn" that but you owe taxes and so on!)

When we are working we earn interest in the bank on my own money.

I am paying taxes on UC money the gov. agency had been holding the money, taken from money I was already taxed on my gross earnings, CORRECT?
apples and oranges. The last I was laid off was RCA in 1975, we did not pay tax on UC benefits then.

Seriously, when you earnings are cut by about a third it is a slap in the face to have to pay tax on it too!

Plus, you have to pray you do not have to be hospiatlized, need a dentist, or medications that take up 1/2 of your UC.
I gues you don't have worries or face this situation.

So yes, when people are upset enough over the lose of a job, that is a low blow to say you are being paid to do nothing. Nothing but worrying if there will be an extension, will you find a job, will it pay anywhere close to what you had prior. Especially when you are disabled, and have a disabled child and as dh 61 years old and no GED.

 

[CarolA]

I am paying taxes on UC money the gov. agency had been holding the money, taken from money I was already taxed on my gross earnings, CORRECT?
apples and oranges. The last I was laid off was RCA in 1975, we did not pay tax on UC benefits then.

Seriously, when you earnings are cut by about a third it is a slap in the face to have to pay tax on it too!

.

NO! You didn't pay for this with your taxes. Your employer paid a fee to the state for this "insurance" it's not financed by withholding from your paycheck! So you weren't taxed on this before! The extension is being paid for out of your tax dollars, but that was not guranteed and to be honest... it has to be paid for somehow.

Now if you really think you aren't going to make enough to PAY taxes this year you can choose not to have the taxes withheld, but the risk there is that if you do get a job next April could be ugly! For that reason I chose to have the taxes withheld on my unemployment.

I was unemployed earlier this year so I am not saying that I haven't been there. I did "face this situation"

I have to be honest I think I told you this in another thread... attitude is VERY important when looking for a job. I have a coworker (I guess former coworker is a better description) who has been out of work for quite a while and right now his "attitude" is his biggest issue. He's not getting call backs etc and I think it's because he is coming across as a combination of defeated and bitter..... Not good!

 

[Kathi OD]

NO! You didn't pay for this with your taxes. Your employer paid a fee to the state for this "insurance" it's not financed by withholding from your paycheck! So you weren't taxed on this before! The extension is being paid for out of your tax dollars, but that was not guranteed and to be honest... it has to be paid for somehow.

Now if you really think you aren't going to make enough to PAY taxes this year you can choose not to have the taxes withheld, but the risk there is that if you do get a job next April could be ugly! For that reason I chose to have the taxes withheld on my unemployment.

I was unemployed earlier this year so I am not saying that I haven't been there. I did "face this situation"

I have to be honest I think I told you this in another thread... attitude is VERY important when looking for a job. I have a coworker (I guess former coworker is a better description) who has been out of work for quite a while and right now his "attitude" is his biggest issue. He's not getting call backs etc and I think it's because he is coming across as a combination of defeated and bitter..... Not good!

Sorry CarolA, but you are wrong. In both NJ & PA we pay a portion of the unemployment insurance via a payroll tax. Our employer also contributes.
In PA the deduction is noted as "PA Unempl EE." In NJ it is "SUI" (state unemployment insurance).

 

[reservations4five]

DH got called for an interview for tomorrow. I am praying that he makes the cut. He is nervous going back into retail management from production. I worry because he is getting very down. It is hard to always be the cheerleader too.

We figured out we are at a less than a third of him income with unemployment. He worked for a contacting company (temp type agency) to get hired into his plant, that is the wage he is drawing from. Not nearly the wage he was making when he was laid off.

 

[Teacher03]

DH got called for an interview for tomorrow. I am praying that he makes the cut. He is nervous going back into retail management from production. I worry because he is getting very down. It is hard to always be the cheerleader too.

We figured out we are at a less than a third of him income with unemployment. He worked for a contacting company (temp type agency) to get hired into his plant, that is the wage he is drawing from. Not nearly the wage he was making when he was laid off.

Good luck to your husband, I hope all goes well. My husband has been laid off here and there since Christmas; he'll work one week, be off two. I know how hard it is to be the one who is the cheerleader. We had our first fight over money last night and I feel terrible.

 

[golfgirl3613]

DH got called for an interview for tomorrow. I am praying that he makes the cut. He is nervous going back into retail management from production. I worry because he is getting very down. It is hard to always be the cheerleader too.

We figured out we are at a less than a third of him income with unemployment. He worked for a contacting company (temp type agency) to get hired into his plant, that is the wage he is drawing from. Not nearly the wage he was making when he was laid off.

Good luck! An interview is great!

 

[Kathi OD]

DH got called for an interview for tomorrow. I am praying that he makes the cut. He is nervous going back into retail management from production. I worry because he is getting very down. It is hard to always be the cheerleader too.

We figured out we are at a less than a third of him income with unemployment. He worked for a contacting company (temp type agency) to get hired into his plant, that is the wage he is drawing from. Not nearly the wage he was making when he was laid off.

Here's hoping that DH does make the cut!

I too know how hard it is to keep a positive outlook all the time. DH has been off for 9 months now. His unemployment check is less than 1/3 his prior take home pay. It's very stressful for him and me both!

 

[Kathi OD]

Just wanted to update. We did get a deposit from PA unemployment for $50. So that means DH is now getting the additional $25/week. Since it just magically appeared, without any explanation, I am assuming that it was for the weeks ending 2/28 and 3/7.

 

[golfgirl3613]

Still no $25 in NY. I sent out 2 more resumes yesterday. Fingers crossed for a personal interview, not a phone one.

 

[reservations4five]

No extra $ here in Ohio yet either.