The sky is blue (Ketchikan, Metlakatla: apartment, renters, unemployment benefits)

[Metlakatla]

I can't count the times I've had to work outside of my degree field; I'm doing it now. Must be nice to refuse to work because jobs aren't available in your "field" where you moved to. I guess that lets people milk unemployment and food stamps for as long as possible.

[dcbrewmeister]

Originally Posted by starlite9

The tone of the people that post these questions also sets the response they get. It is clear that some are so full of themselves like the kid who was so hopped up on coming to Alaska flashing pictures of him and his 30-30, then yet another who was going to hike to the top of Mt. McKinley and so forth.

The ones that asks questions grounded in reality such as rent costs, good places in town, weather, types of jobs and other related questions, tend to get responses that are truly helpful. Someone wishing to come to Alaska to live in one of the homeless shelters, doesn't seem to be very sincere in finding real work. The question should have been where can one find work and a place to stay would get a much better response. When "where are the handouts" the first question asked, their thinking process isn't in the recovery mode, it is in freeloader mode. We have enough freeloaders here already.

Some states/cities will buy tickets to anywhere for their homeless to get them off their streets and out of their hair, which is cheap by their views. The last thing we need is more people showing up in the middle of winter and freezing to death on the streets. In Anchorage, Beans Café and the shelter next door are almost always full, mostly of the rural Natives that do fall through the safety net, but there are a host of others as well and it is almost standing room only. They don't need imports for more competition at the intersections for wanting money, most only want to get a few bucks for the next drink. The ones that truly want to get out and get a life don't come to Alaska to check in at Bean's at the get go.

I have responded very positively to most questions people ask, but I also have been very sour when I smell something that doesn't bode well. In town here, there are people that have moved here for the PFD and think they are going to retire on it, they end up on social programs and had no intention of finding real work.

We have people here that are on unemployment because they don't want to work and will ride that wagon until the wheels fall off it. There are jobs here to be had, but you need to be willing to start at the bottom if necessary to make it, so if people really want to come to Alaska to get a better life, then I'm all for it, I just expect them to pull their own weight in the process and not rely on the rest of us to pay for their new vacation home.

There is a lot of people that do in fact have an issue with the law and they are under the impression that they can come to Alaska and hide out. They don't realize that there isn't a real place to hide out when you are the new face in town and everyone knows everyone already. That is the biggest mistake they make and we get a higher crime rate because they don't change at all, they do what they did before, maybe worse.

Very, very well said... I tend to think along those same lines - first question - "where can I get my free ride?" Then don't expect a good answer from me, a recent example asking where the homeless shelters are for someone with kids... ummm, kids? really? You're going to drag your children out of school, with no job, no place to live and no more than the money in your pockets...

hmph...

Stay where you are, get your crap together and then do what you want... but not until then.

I also think a lot of people believe if they get as far away as possible from their problems, they will go away - they won't.

I also think someone who is thinking about moving to a place as cold as AK is in the winter, in the very beginning part of winter, thinking jobs are falling of trees (trust me, nobody wants to start at the bottom - they all think they should be managers, but keep getting fired for not showing up to work) - in a place where military and tourism rule - is just being irresponsible, and sorry for the harshness, plain stupid, and quite frankly are looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow... thank the networks for that one...

Add one more person to the list of people who regretted moving to AK... there are many on this forum, warning others who "want" to move to AK not to... (not me, I'm all for it... but visit BEFORE you move there)

Alaska is no different than any other city, state or country - you either like it, or you don't... but visit before you move and then bad mouth a place because you made a mistake and don't like it...

[Metlakatla]

I'm curious as to why some of you seemingly think that anyone who moves up is automatically a worthless employee who wants to start at the top. What experience do you have with hiring workers? I've found the opposite to be true, but we're basically stuck with giving locals a "chance" in order to facilities good community relations. It's always a relief when they stop showing up for work so that we can hire people who actually want to be there.

[dcbrewmeister]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I can't count the times I've had to work outside of my degree field; I'm doing it now. Must be nice to refuse to work because jobs aren't available in your "field" where you moved to. I guess that lets people milk unemployment and food stamps for as long as possible.

How can you get unemployment for not working in your "field"... You have to loose a job first... I did... went from $24/hr to job offers for $10 - $12/hr for the same work...

I have a degree in computer science and networking - and I'm working in an assembly plant making more money on the line then I could as a network admin... sad, but true... so many schools pumping out people with zero experience willing to work for $10/hr.... some "fields" just go no where except for lateral moves... (company to company) at some point you have to stop and look elsewhere...

Milk unemployment? I went from $24/hr to $268/wk... Oh yeah, I had a blast, partying all the time and living high off the hog... pfftt...

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by dcbrewmeister

How can you get unemployment for not working in your "field"... You have to loose a job first... I did... went from $24/hr to job offers for $10 - $12/hr for the same work...

I have a degree in computer science and networking - and I'm working in an assembly plant making more money on the line then I could as a network admin... sad, but true... so many schools pumping out people with zero experience willing to work for $10/hr.... some "fields" just go no where except for lateral moves... (company to company) at some point you have to stop and look elsewhere...

Milk unemployment? I went from $24/hr to $268/wk... Oh yeah, I had a blast, partying all the time and living high off the hog... pfftt...

If you've had a job in your field and lost it, you can collect unemployment. If you then move to an area with no jobs in what you are trained to do, you can continue to milk unemployment because that program doesn't require you to work outside your field.

[dcbrewmeister]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

If you've had a job in your field and lost it, you can collect unemployment. If you then move to an area with no jobs in what you are trained to do, you can continue to milk unemployment because that program doesn't require you to work outside your field.

I did collect unemployment... $268/wk... milk the program, yeah, let me get back on that $268/wk train ride... but they "can" require you to take the $10/hr job in your field after a set time...

Unemployment laws vary wildly (yes "wildly") from state to state, so without knowing a particular states laws, you are basing "milking" the system on something you have had first hand knowledge of, or "stories" others have told you / made up... in a state that may or may not be the same as someone else experience(s)...

The company I worked for laid off 14 people one day (I was one of them) because they were going to sell the company... Tennessee's laws (at that time) were maxed out at $268/wk for 6 months max, I could, of course, appeal the decision... it could take up to 3 months for a decision, without being paid and no back pay if favourable to me... and they can "require" you to take the lower paying job by cutting your benefits.

Just because you or someone know is / was on a gravy train doesn't mean they "all" are...

[Metlakatla]

Actually, I'm self employed and therefore not eligible for unemployment benefits.

I believe the way that it works in the state of Alaska is if you have been working in a certain field and lose your job, the state can't require that you look for work in a different field. To an extent, I suppose that makes sense, but I think that a lot of people use it as an excuse to not accept other types of jobs that they may be qualified for.

[akck]

The only negativity I've given is about the limited housing in Juneau. Throw in pets and your already limited housing is cut another 75%. I recall two sisters wanting to move here last year with the new Petco opening. I'm guessing they never made it due to the difficulty in finding pet friendly housing. About the only thing you can do is give them sources to pursue.

[akck]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Actually, I'm self employed and therefore not eligible for unemployment benefits.

I believe the way that it works in the state of Alaska is if you have been working in a certain field and lose your job, the state can't require that you look for work in a different field. To an extent, I suppose that makes sense, but I think that a lot of people use it as an excuse to not accept other types of jobs that they may be qualified for.

I think that they can require you to look for jobs that you've done in the past though. So if you started in retail sales and was last an accountant, they can require you to apply for sales jobs.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by akck

The only negativity I've given is about the limited housing in Juneau. Throw in pets and your already limited housing is cut another 75%. I recall two sisters wanting to move here last year with the new Petco opening. I'm guessing they never made it due to the difficulty in finding pet friendly housing. About the only thing you can do is give them sources to pursue.

Yeah, but you never assumed that everyone who made a post about wanting to move to Juneau would be bringing up pets the way that some assume that anyone wanting to move to Alaska is broke or on the lam.

Not sure why Juneau is so hard on people with pets but there have been more than a couple of posters here who had to make other plans because they simply couldn't find a place.