Mixed Feelings about new Unemployment Extension

[Halbleib1]

Not this time. Then the UC was for 26 weeks and now it is for 99 weeks. So each person who goes to 99 weeks is drawing 4xs what was planned for.

Maybe so but I know people that are laid off and worked at their jobs for 15 years or more and always paid into unemployment without collecting a dime in return until now. Are you saying these people did not pay their share? IMO they earned the money they are now receiving. Unemployment is not the same as welfare. Those that get it get it because they worked for it. It is a benefit that they paid for.

 

[Halbleib1]

Just be grateful you are not in his shoes . He seems to have an uncertain future, where you have more to be grateful for and appreciate. After living through my husband's recent unemployment I don't begrudge anyone whatever aid or benefits they qualify for.

We too are currently going through this same situation. My husband has been laid off for almost a year now with only one interview so far. He did get a call last week on the answering machine about a job but so far no call back from them yet. We are grateful everyday for unemployment. So far he has only gotten the 26 weeks from the state plus 20 weeks of state emergency benefits. No federal has kicked in as of yet. We were fortunate enough that the federal hold up has not affected us as of yet. I can only imagine how tough it must have been for those that were affected by the hold up though. It is a very tough situation not knowing what the future will bring and wondering everyday if you are going to be able to afford to pay your bills in the future. Just have to keep the faith that eventually something will come along and in the mean time be grateful that we are fortunate enough to be able to pay our bills at this time.

 

[Halbleib1]

In NJ, the employer only pays for the 26 weeks, the rest is paid for by the taxpayers. The employer will never have to fund the rest of the 99 weeks.



Come to New Jersey, here they pay 600 a week plus additional for each kid. That's why our fund is basically bankrupt.

Maybe that seems high to many but you have to take into account the standard of living in that state. Housing along with taxes are outrageous there. And not everyone would get that amount that is the max. you can get. They take into account how much you made while working and use that to come up with your unemployment payment. Here in PA they use your highest quarter to determine unemployment. While I understand in other states they take an average of all the quarters you worked. Here in PA the max is 558.00 as well as an additional 4.00 a week per dependent. While that may seem like a lot to many it really is not when you look at the wages that those same people getting that max. amount made while working.

Very few people can pay all of their bills on unemplyment alone. That is why you should still have an emergency fund.

 

[Halbleib1]

Kudos to your DH. Those are the people that the benefit extension are for. So glad he is looking to forward himself, his career and his marketability. Best of luck to you.

Unfortunately, I know way too many people in MA milking it for all it's worth. As I mentioned in my PP, they are not even looking for a job because they make more staying home, collecting the $750 a week and not paying for daycare. That is, literally, a crime.

Again, I wish you and your family the best.

Apparantly the state does not have a problem with this or they would do what other states do and make you prove that you applied for work. In PA and I know in NY also at times they will make you prove that you applied for at least one job each week in order to keep receiving benefits. They will also send you to job fairs and make you get a paper filled out showing that you were there and did apply.

 

[Halbleib1]

Funny how only the people with a job are the ones who have mixed feelings about unemployment extension. If you (or someone you know) is on unemployment, it becomes a lifeline!

Even if the unemployment rate fell to 4%, you would still have deadbeats. The majority of people on unemployment need it and paid into it when working. Believe me, I would rather be an employee paying into the system as opposed to being out of a job receiving a small percentage of a former salary.

Our country hasn't seen the worse yet. As unemployment benefits and extensions continue to dry up, we will see more and more families and individuals hit rock bottom, lose their home, autos, health insurance, etc. This mess ain't over by a long shot!

I'm happy for those who haven't been affected by this economy, but please don't judge those who have been affected. Until you walk a mile in their shoes, you have no idea.

 

[Halbleib1]

If you want to hear what it is really like to be unemployed and looking check out this site: www.unemployedfriends.com, there are hundreds of people on there who are looking everyday and many with college degrees. Unfortunately, right now the employers are making it very hard for people to find work. They want college degrees for simple admin asst jobs anymore.

So true. The one interview that my husband had he was told that 100 other people applied for that same job. All ranging from associate degrees to masters degrees. My husband only has an associates degree so guess who got the job? Yes someone with a masters degree. We know this because the person that interviewed him sent an email telling him this. Even though during the interview he told my husband that the people with masters degrees were overqualified for the job. Guess they were not after all.

The fact is that employers can be picky today because the job market is so oversaturated with people.

 

[Halbleib1]

I am not sure I understand how unemployment works in other states. I know here in VA you only get unemployment if you were employed for a certain amount of time and you PAID into it. Then it is based on what you earned. Not everyone maxes out at the top pay rate. I also don't understand those that are so irked by those getting unemployment even it they are financially secure. If you worked and you paid into it you should use it when you have the option. If you pay into Social Security then become a millionaire at 60 should you not get your Social Security Benefits? I work hard at my part time job and school. Hubby works long hours. But I am not begrudging a father or mother for getting UE (which they paid into) to keep the family afloat when execs are pulling down millions each month after being fired ....where is the outrage there?

I have now put my soap box away!!

Very well said. As far as I know unemployment works in a very similar way in every state. Some states do calculate the payment differently but other than that you still had to have worked for so long in order to get it and you still had to pay into it. And no not everyone gets the max. amount possible.

 

[Halbleib1]

Which is it, there isn't enough regulation of the system, or there is too much government in our lives?

Also, the people who have posted here don't seem to be having much FUN while on what you call FUNemployment. Maybe you could tell them what they are doing wrong?

Yes please tell us how we can have fun? Unemployment for us is just enough to pay our bills. And not all of them at that. If we did not have savings we would not be able to afford our property tax and insurance this year. We have to watch every penny we spend because we do not know when my husband will return to work and even than we do not know what type of pay he will receive.

Just recently we have had car trouble worth over 500.00 in repairs and had to decide if we should fix it now or wait to fix it because if something were to happen that he did not have unemployment to fall back on we would need every extra penny to live on for the next few months.

 

[Halbleib1]

The govt in our lives that gives a hand out to everyone in line... And I didn't say that some people are not deservent of it but the old motto is "Mcdonalds is always hiring" and I have heard the whole mantra of getting more money to stay home and collect but I have to tell you... it gets to the point when you are 3/4 years on unemployment that it is time to look for a different kind of career if you are down on your luck it's time to go back to school and use that govt money in the form of grants and loans to pick a job that is in demand. I am thankful everyday that I picked a profession where there is always money to be made and I have job security and I get that not everyone is that fortunate but while one is not working maybe they should concentrate on making themselves fortunate...

And yes we do pay in to unemployment when we pay SS but it is in no where near the ammount that someone collecting for 4 years is paying in

Who is collecting for 4 years? Unemployment is only for a max. of 99 weeks at the moment. That is less than 2 years. Those that have used up all 99 weeks and are still unemployed are out of luck. Unemployment has never been extended to those people yet. And PA Careerlink only sends paperwork to certain people saying that they can go back to school for further training. I know this because my husband has not received a thing while my MIL received paperwork within her first month of being unemployed. Difference being: my husband has an associates degree in manufacturing engineering and my MIL does general labor with no degrees. She has also been sent information on jobs she should apply for. My husband has not received anything from them. He has been looking on his own and most weeks there have been no job postings he qualifies for. When he does find something he applies right away and saves all of the emails to show that he has been actively looking for work.

Even retail and fast food places are not hiring like they use to. And when they do post a job they get bombarded with applications. Even seasonally jobs are not available as they once were.

Also today I hate to tell you but there is no such thing as 100% job security even nurses and school teachers have been laid off in recent months. Those that thought their jobs were completely secure and were saying the same thing as you a few months back are now looking for work.

 

[buzz5985]

Maybe so but I know people that are laid off and worked at their jobs for 15 years or more and always paid into unemployment without collecting a dime in return until now. Are you saying these people did not pay their share? IMO they earned the money they are now receiving. Unemployment is not the same as welfare. Those that get it get it because they worked for it. It is a benefit that they paid for.

Employees do not pay unemployment insurance - Employers pay unemployment insurance - it's a tax a company is forced to pay. You can work from here to doomsday - and not one cent came out of your salary to pay for unemployement insurance. It's a cost of doing business.

 

[roadtripper]

I was pink slipped after 20 years of teaching in April, and it was terrifying. I was eventually rehired by my district in June, but not before applying for several teaching jobs. Despite (or maybe because of) my experience, and therefore my salary, I did not get one interview. One friend who works in a neighboring district told me that a job I applied for got 250 applications THE FIRST DAY it was posted online. I feel for people who are trying to make it in this economy, who have lost jobs due to an economic meltdown caused by people who got 7 figure bonuses last year. That's where I direct my anger and frustration-- not at the guy living in a trailer on 1400 a month.

 

[Virgderon]

Guess things are good in Tampa, then. DH couldn't even get recruiters to call him back, although one did call out of the blue from Albuquerque, NM. He had 9 interviews in 104 weeks? No way he was in a position to demand the same hours and pay. He took over a 25% cut in pay and has no benefits to speak of. He interviewed for, and would have taken, if offered, a job 4.5 hours from home that paid 1/2 of what he made previously. On several of the interviews he was told there were over 500 applicants for the job.

We have a friend who has been out of work for 17 months. She has had 1 interview in all that time. Just 1. The pile of resumes she has sent out is utterly ridiculous.

When you're not getting calls for interviews, even though you are sending out resumes and filling out applications, there isn't much else you can do except collect unemployment.

I recruit for jobs all over the country. I have had people tell me they couldn't find work, bless me for helping them, and then show up late or not show up at all in the first couple weeks of employment.

I have had many people turn me down because they won't work 2nd shift, or because the job pays 10k less than they are looking for.

Again, I am not implying that it is that way for everyone.

My own DH was laid off last year. We looked for jobs all over the country. He interviewed in Green Bay, Mobile and Tampa before he got the Tampa job at a 30% reduction in pay.

We also could not sell our house in Chicago and are renting it at a loss.

So obviously we did what it took to get him employed again. Not judging any else, but we have 2 kids in college. He had to have a job, and we found him one.

 

[Virgderon]

I understand that many people have situations in their own realm of experience that color their view of this issue, but it saddens me that there is a growing sentiment that blames the unemployed for the unemployment crisis in our country. What you see isn't necessarily the whole picture, and a little compassion goes a long way.

That is the problem, tho, isn't it? The people who take advantage of unemployment and don't actively look for jobs reflect badly on those who are trying.

Since the economy is so bad, we probably all know people who are unemployed.

And it wouldn't be surprising if at least one of the people we know aren't trying to get a job, and it makes us angry, so we judge the group as a whole.

Human beings generalize- for example, you might have a tour group from Brazil cut in line in front of you at Disney. From then on you assume all Brazilian tour groups are rude.

I think that is what is happening with unemployment- many of us know people who are sort of cheating the system, so we generalize that all people are cheating the system.

That doesn't make it right, it just makes people human.

 

[eliza61]

I understand that many people have situations in their own realm of experience that color their view of this issue, but it saddens me that there is a growing sentiment that blames the unemployed for the unemployment crisis in our country. It's comparable to blaming abused women for the abuse they suffer. , and a little compassion goes a long way.

I think it's a defense mechanism for people. If they can blame the poor and the rape victim then they can some how convince themselves it could never happen to them.

Why was she so stupid to wear that short skirt?

I see it here all the time. I'm amazed at how many people here know some one on welfare and food stamps that are living in a mcmansion and going to Disney world every year. When the reality is 360 degrees different (I work with the homeless and poor and believe me they are not rolling around in lexuses). So we label them all as lazy and cheats and then parade about how we are scarificing by living in shoe boxes to pay for their lazy ways.

Go figure.

 

[nunzia]

The govt in our lives that gives a hand out to everyone in line... And I didn't say that some people are not deservent of it but the old motto is "Mcdonalds is always hiring" and I have heard the whole mantra of getting more money to stay home and collect but I have to tell you... it gets to the point when you are 3/4 years on unemployment that it is time to look for a different kind of career if you are down on your luck it's time to go back to school and use that govt money in the form of grants and loans to pick a job that is in demand. I am thankful everyday that I picked a profession where there is always money to be made and I have job security and I get that not everyone is that fortunate but while one is not working maybe they should concentrate on making themselves fortunate...

And yes we do pay in to unemployment when we pay SS but it is in no where near the ammount that someone collecting for 4 years is paying in

Is this true? I owned a business once upon a time..and I guess I was not too big to fail Anyway..isn't it the EMPLOYER who pays into Unemployment? not the EMPLOYEE?
Really..I don't think anyone here has judged those who are truly looking and truly devastated by being unemployed..only the moochers which everyone really has to agree that there are some. But when does the point come when a person must realize that their old career may be gone forever and is not coming back no matter what the gov't or anyone else does?
My DH worked for the city for almost 15 years..his dept had a union come in and in those days we believed in unions so he joined. Lo and behold, somehow everyone who had joined the union was laid off within a year, including my DH. He was in water..pretty specialized..so we finally ended up stepping out of the protective box. (he did not get unemployement..some cooked up 'cause' was sighted to change laid off to fired) DH moved to a small Texas town to a small specialized school to get a degree in something he loved (vet tech). Meanwhile,,back home, I had the three little kids, 5 part time jobs (yes, count them, 5) and we struggled along. He used his retirement from the city to finance his schooling and I held down the fort as best I could. It was TOUGH, but we did it. Sometimes you have to just realize no one wants your skill anymore..as sad as it is, or your field is crowded or whatever. After DH finished college I pulled a similar trick and finished my degree. We went off to Vegas and it was all fine, but not too thrilled about kids being influenced and on their own, so back to the burg, open a restaurant, fail and yes, start over again. We have to find ways to be what we can be. The gov't is broke and that is where the extensions are coming from. What else can we do? learn to speak Chinese I think...

 

[ccgirl]

Apparantly the state does not have a problem with this or they would do what other states do and make you prove that you applied for work. In PA and I know in NY also at times they will make you prove that you applied for at least one job each week in order to keep receiving benefits. They will also send you to job fairs and make you get a paper filled out showing that you were there and did apply.

Oh..they make you "prove" that you applied. My friend that is going on almost 99 weeks just writes down how long she looked on the computer. There really isn't anyone policing if people actually looked for work. I also know people who turned down jobs because they required a 10% pay cut. They just didn't bother to tell UI that they were offered the job.

 

[angelmav]

IMO there has to be a cutoff somewhere when these kind of benefits run out. I thought that 99 weeks was already overly generous. What exactly is going to change in the economy in the next six months to make any extension anything but a stop gap to the next extension, all on borrowed money that we as a nation cant afford.

Funny that NJ was given as an example with school around the corner. Anyone remember last year when they literally gave money away for school supplies to those already receiving benefits? They didnt attach any stipulations to how it could be spent and people bought all sorts of stuff (not school supplies!) I recall Wal-Mart reporting flat screen TV sales were up as one such example.

 

[Virgderon]

There is an excellent article from the Wall Street Journal about jobs that may never come back even in a recovering economy. Construction was one category mentioned, as well as finance jobs,especially those related to the housing industry, secretaries (because of all the technology, companies don't need as many administrative workers) and manufacturing.

My thought is that if you work in a declining industry, or if you are unwilling or unable to physically move if you live in a depressed region, then you strongly need to consider re-training yourself for another career.

If I got laid off (and it could happen) I would be taking college classes in a some type of medical technology during the year that I was collecting unemployment. Those jobs don't go away, and they are portable- not affected by where you live.

I think if you work in a declining industry, and you don't consider re-training, 6 more months of unemployment is not going to make much difference- in 6 months you probably are still going to have trouble getting a job.

I don't mean to sound harsh at all- just practical. I think it's terrible that we are sending all of our jobs to foreign countries. I don't like that as a country, we don't make anything any more. But it doesn't matter what any of us think- it's happening- we are a service economy- and the only way to survive is to make sure we are employable, or to dramatically cut back on our lifestyles so that we can afford to live on much less.

 

[Kathi OD]

Is this true? I owned a business once upon a time..and I guess I was not too big to fail Anyway..isn't it the EMPLOYER who pays into Unemployment? not the EMPLOYEE?

It might depend on where you live. In PA and NJ, BOTH the employer and employee pay into the UE fund.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I have never been out of work more than a few months at the maximum, but that is because I work at make-nothing service jobs in a tourist town. I am currently my husband's dependent because my company (a call center) closed last month without warning, and he is taking money out of a 401(k) to tide us over.

I have news for those who think that going back to school is going to fix everything. Going back to school just got me stuck with student loans and useless classes while I could have been out there making a little money because the edu-business is not run for the benefit of students. Anyone eligible for a student loan is eligible to attend school to train for jobs that really don't exist in our McJobs economy. I expect to find myself looking more desirable to employers after school starts back and all of their students are back in class.

I read on Yahoo News that business travel is down while "leisure travel" is up. I am wondering if that is because while businesses are cutting expenses laid off workers are charging travel on credit cards which will never be paid off. I don't have credit cards and don't want any, but I just suspect that that is what those who do have them may be doing since they can send resumes from anywhere. Wandering through the tourist areas to see whether I could still get a job as a late arrival to the summer tourist season after my workplace closed last month, I noticed that there is a lot of foot traffic in the tourists' shopping areas; but it sure doesn't look like they are buying much, and the hotel business is slow so I suspect that many are just maxing out their debts for day trips since they know that they can't pay their creditors for what they already owe anyway.

This leads me to a question for those who say that the unemployed used to making good pay should just take any job in our "service economy." Who is all of this service for if nobody has a real job making something of real value?