Long-term unemployment - just lazy and stubborn? (bankrupt, foreclosure, wage)
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Sorry for the ranting but the "just get a job" crap really rankles me. It's a lot more complicated that that. If you haven't been unemployed in the last 5 or 6 years, or have worked with the unemployed, you don't get to say "just get a job" because you clearly have no idea what you're talking about.........well you can say it, hell, you can say whatever you want.........but you'll sound like an idiot.
This! As someone who has been long-term unemployed recently, it's beyond tough to get any kind of job now. After diligently applying to many jobs, I accepted the only one offered to me, at 50% of my former salary. Contract position. And it was cancelled the day before I was supposed to start. I then pursued the only other position that looked hopeful, and accepted another contract position at 60% of my former pay. It's a good job, except that when there's not enough work to do, you get to sit home and not get paid, like I did today. It ain't pretty out there!
P.S. What is this discussion doing in the economics forum? We've got ones for Unemployment, and Work issues, and given the inflammatory title, it really belongs on the Politics and Other Controversies forum!
I am talking about positions that are posted internally so they are not yet posted online for outsiders to fill up. Almost all large companies have internal job boards which they try to fill with internal candidates before these positions are posted online.
That only allows current employees to move up or laterally. When a position opens, it's offered to insiders first but then as they vacate their previous position to transfer over or up, outsiders will have a chance to get their foot in the door.
That only allows current employees to move up or laterally. When a position opens, it's offered to insiders first but then as they vacate their previous position to transfer over or up, outsiders will have a chance to get their foot in the door.
Maybe. In my company, that vacancy is then filled by another internal...or more often not filled at all.
Yes if the position that was vacated is located in the US, expect that there will be a lot more internal candidates or referrals to fill in the job. You will be waiting for your turn in a much longer line.
Yep, laziness. One of my husband's relatives got laid off, got unemployment, and decided he'd collect unemployment as long as it lasted and THEN look for a job. The problem is he started drinking vodka every day, starting in the morning. Before the unemployment ended he didn't even have the motivation to do what he needed to do to collect his unemployment check; all he did is sit and drink all day. Lost everything and is living with someone he met who allowed him to move into their house. He gets food stamps now, so that it his contribution to the household. It's past time that he would be able to collect unemployment now, but he's not motivated to look for a job. He is content to live in someone else's house and get food stamps. He does odd jobs for cash in the neighborhood to buy alcohol.
Yep, laziness. One of my husband's relatives got laid off, got unemployment, and decided he'd collect unemployment as long as it lasted and THEN look for a job. The problem is he started drinking vodka every day, starting in the morning. Before the unemployment ended he didn't even have the motivation to do what he needed to do to collect his unemployment check; all he did is sit and drink all day. Lost everything and is living with someone he met who allowed him to move into their house. He gets food stamps now, so that it his contribution to the household. It's past time that he would be able to collect unemployment now, but he's not motivated to look for a job. He is content to live in someone else's house and get food stamps. He does odd jobs for cash in the neighborhood to buy alcohol.
Yep, laziness. One of my husband's relatives got laid off, got unemployment, and decided he'd collect unemployment as long as it lasted and THEN look for a job. The problem is he started drinking vodka every day, starting in the morning. Before the unemployment ended he didn't even have the motivation to do what he needed to do to collect his unemployment check; all he did is sit and drink all day. Lost everything and is living with someone he met who allowed him to move into their house. He gets food stamps now, so that it his contribution to the household. It's past time that he would be able to collect unemployment now, but he's not motivated to look for a job. He is content to live in someone else's house and get food stamps. He does odd jobs for cash in the neighborhood to buy alcohol.
Does odd jobs for alcohol? Why waste his precious time?
Doesn't he realize he can trade those food stamps for booze???
I get discouraged, but shake it off after a day or two. I can't give up hope so I keep plugging away.
Schooling is a tough issue. I still owe on my BA, so I really can't afford more. I'm looking into things such as medical billing and such, even though they won't pay much. I hope it will at least lead to a second job. It's so discouraging to think that I have to spend $ on training that will pay less than what I'm already making per hour. But I still have to figure out where funds will come from, if I'm not eligible for any help.
Have you considered taking a real estate course? With your administrative assistant background coupled with a real estate license you could be a valuable asset to a real estate team. Many agents are looking for good administrative assistants. Living in NYC there are bound to be plenty of opportunities. A real estate license would make you much more valuable as you could handle many of the tasks that consume a lot of time that interferes with agents ability to market their business to new clients.
Individual "stories" are simply not how national policy should be set. Extended UI benefits offered to states with high unemployment have also saved individuals, local economies, and jobs. Extrapolating someone's 2nd or 3rd-hand experience of a deadbeat friend or relative to an entire population is not the kind of critical thinking which should enter into a decision which cuts off benefits to over a million people[and their families].
Being unemployed for most is not living on easy street. It can be filled with anxiety,stress, depression, and the battles with yourself against those things. Unemployment benefits are usually a significant cut in income. It is taxable income, so even the unemployed pay taxes. Primary breadwinners often loose health insurance, their retirement funds, savings etc. Almost 1/2 of unemployed over 25 are married - [next are never married; then widowed, divorced or separated]. Not all unemployed are ignorant of finances, budgets and planning. Most unemployed are mandated to attend sessions at their state UI offices, and all must be actively looking for work and available for work and interviews. Those who believe all are lazy and just need the prod of loosing even more in order be inspired to get a job are simply wrong.
Not looking at the big picture when addressing long-term unemployment is putting your head in the sand. Cutting off long-term benefits in high unemployment states to taxpayers who pay & paid into the federal system & worked long enough to earn their state benefits, because your cousin's uncle's brother-in-law's friend heard that his neighbor's son somehow spent 3 years on unemployment not looking for work, and somehow got on welfare without having children, and then qualified for disability, is wrong. Target the cause. Support initiatives which save & create jobs; root out true fraud.
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