Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a 31 year old friend who was on unemployment for 2 years and maxed out his benefits. He has an undergraduate degree from an ivy league school and a MBA from other ivy league school. He worked in private equity for a little while, then got laid off.
He let his lease run out on his apartment, then couch hopped with family and friends. He subletted an apartment for a little while, then let that go and moved back in with his parents many months ago. He interviewed for a job here and there, but nothing came of it. He refuses to look into any job that pays less than 125,000 a year in a specific city.
Over two years, he had travelled recreationally to several places throughout the country, all on unemployment benefits. He hasn't had any concrete living expenses in a very long time and has no money saved. He's just been hanging out really.
I know he had to prove that he was looking for a job, but I don't think he had to prove anything else.
Do you think that people should have to justify their expenses while on unemployment? I guess i mean prove that you have a lease/mortgage, car payment, utilities, etc. My friend does want a job, but it really didn't seem like he was serious about anything. For the majority of the two years, he wasn't paying rent or any other large expenses.
I have a 31 year old friend who was on unemployment for 2 years and maxed out his benefits. He has an undergraduate degree from an ivy league school and a MBA from other ivy league school. He worked in private equity for a little while, then got laid off.
He let his lease run out on his apartment, then couch hopped with family and friends. He subletted an apartment for a little while, then let that go and moved back in with his parents many months ago. He interviewed for a job here and there, but nothing came of it. He refuses to look into any job that pays less than 125,000 a year in a specific city.
Over two years, he had travelled recreationally to several places throughout the country, all on unemployment benefits. He hasn't had any concrete living expenses in a very long time and has no money saved. He's just been hanging out really.
I know he had to prove that he was looking for a job, but I don't think he had to prove anything else.
Do you think that people should have to justify their expenses while on unemployment? I guess i mean prove that you have a lease/mortgage, car payment, utilities, etc. My friend does want a job, but it really didn't seem like he was serious about anything. For the majority of the two years, he wasn't paying rent or any other large expenses.
I'm curious what people think.
No. That's like saying that people who lived bigger and had more expenses "deserve" more money for being unemployed than people who lived more modestly. A smart person faced with unemployment and thinking it may be for a while, may want to cut their expenses as much as possible to ensure they don't go deeply into debt.
I don't necessarily believe your friend is making all wise choices in his job search - that IVY League education is only good for a certain time frame and 2 years of unemployment, if young won't exactly put him at the top of the application heap. However, here I think you are taking 1 and 1 and getting 3, looking with disapproval at his choices and extrapolating.
I do think your friend sounds a bit lost and is probably in for a VERY rude awakening.
No. You pay your insurance (although the company pays part of unemployment), and you are entitled to collect when you need it. It's not like welfare. One person may have no one to support while another has five kids. Should the state evaluate everyone's expenses? If you stay on unemployment too long, it gets harder to get a job. Most people who are collecting unemployment are making an honest effort to find another job IMHO.
Education sometimes works against you. Companies don't hire people they think are overqualified because they think the person will leave as soon as he finds another job.
Yes! My friend has some serious growing up to do. It drives me absolutely nuts. He's the kind of guy who never had a dollar in his wallet, even when he was working. He would go with friends on vacation, not book a hotel, then ask to crash in somebody's room. His feeling was that they were paying for the room anyway, so what's the difference? I don't do much with him anymore because it is so frustrating.
I guess I don't think that they should change how people's unemployment get calculated but just whether the money will get used for the right rooms.
It kills me to think that he went to Vegas and used unemployment at the blackjack tables...and then posted it on facebook!
I hate hearing about people like this - everyone seems to know someone who is scamming the system - yet there are millions of people out of work who are desperately seeking jobs. The few slackers give everyone else a bad name.
For me unemployment is now personal - my son lost his job 3 months ago (company was sold) and of course I am terrified for him. In that time he has had interviews with just 3 companies. One company couldn't seem to get past the fact that he was let go - despite an excellent resume and the fact that he worked there for over 10 years, they kept asking "was he sure nothing happened to cause the company to let him go." There really is discrimination against the unemployed. The second company turned out to be a scam. He is now waiting for his third interview with another company.
He is doing everything humanly possible to find a job - he has a family and believe me, unemployment doesn't cut it in paying the bills.
He is just one of millions desperately seeking work. I believe for every slacker, there are thousands doing everything they can to find a job.
NO!!! Your friend is the exception not the norm. Sounds like he has some serious growing up to do
maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. we spend our whole childhood going to school to get that great job. then we spend our whole adulthood working to get to that great retirement. in this current economy, where it's taking people a minimum of 6 months but easily 18-24 months to find a job - why not get rid of all your expenses if you get laid off, and enjoy that time off while also looking for a job?
sure - maybe he only went on a few interviews...but how many resumes did he send out?
there was a segment on 60 minutes this week where they interviewed people who are at the end of the 99 weeks of unemployment. some people said they've sent resumes in for a job where there were 4 positions open and 2,000 applicants. many people send resumes in and never hear even a "no thank you".
bottom line is - no one knows how hard he was trying to find a job. and if he enjoyed his life for 2 years while trying to find a new job - good for him. we should all take a step back in this economy and re-evaluate what's important in life.
maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. we spend our whole childhood going to school to get that great job. then we spend our whole adulthood working to get to that great retirement. in this current economy, where it's taking people a minimum of 6 months but easily 18-24 months to find a job - why not get rid of all your expenses if you get laid off, and enjoy that time off while also looking for a job?
sure - maybe he only went on a few interviews...but how many resumes did he send out?
there was a segment on 60 minutes this week where they interviewed people who are at the end of the 99 weeks of unemployment. some people said they've sent resumes in for a job where there were 4 positions open and 2,000 applicants. many people send resumes in and never hear even a "no thank you".
bottom line is - no one knows how hard he was trying to find a job. and if he enjoyed his life for 2 years while trying to find a new job - good for him. we should all take a step back in this economy and re-evaluate what's important in life.
My comments were based on o/p post who knows him
A grown man who couch hops ( MOOCH) sounds like he has issues...frat days are over pal...grow up already.
If he has no financial responsibilies and can provide his own living quarters including when he travels thats one thing but I wasn't getting that from original post
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
