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Craziest comment yet. Any job???? Well, sorry I can't. I was making 68K and barely making it. Why would I accept a $10/hour job to make 350/400 a week if I can get $500 and save the cost of going to work? And how I am supposed to live on $350-400? I must support my son and pay my mortgage. Sorry, I will have to wait to find something to cover my expenses. I am OK with taking a pay-cut but I must at least make money to pay the bills and eat.
And it is NOT the gov payroll. I got tons of taxes taken out for years to cover this dry spell and then some. Unemployment is not Welfare.
So do you believe you are some kind of elite? You're too good to do work that others do? Do you believe that those making $30- $40K a year will be happy providing you your large unemployment check through taxes indefinitely while you hold your nose high acting like they are dirt?
Maybe you can learn to eat beans and rice like the rest of Americans, and start cutting back on some of your bills.
26 weeks is plenty enough, anything more than that is just a waste of money.
26 weeks is how it's set up to work. Nobody is entitled to more just because they or their employee "paid in" because they didn't "pay in" for more than 26 weeks worth. Anything more than that is chairty plain and simple. I don't know why people can't understand that. And to carry it indefinitely? Until "things go back to normal"? How idiotic if "normal" isn't happening anymore.
One thing to keep in mind with regards to Congress. What has been proposed (that the GOP recently filibustered) was NOT extending the benefits beyond 99 weeks. The amount of benefits someone is eligible for is a multi tiered approach based off when they first filed their claim, this basically extends the dates for each tier level by 6 months.
For example
Tier 1 additional 20 weeks for a total of 46 weeks
In order to receive any extended benefits beyond the original 26 weeks, you must have exhausted those benefits by May 23rd 2010. In other words basically filing your initial unemployment claim on or before November 16th 2009. If you filed your initial unemployment claim after November 16th 2009, or you did not use up your 26 initial weeks by May 23rd 2010, you are not eligible for the additional 20 weeks, and are only eligible for the 26 weeks.
With the extension you would now be eligible for the additional 20 weeks for a total of 46 weeks, if you filed your initial claim on or before May 16th 2010 and used up your initial 26 weeks by November 30th 2010.
Tier 2. additional 14 weeks for a total of 60 weeks
In order to receive an additional 14 weeks of benefits, you must have exhausted the previous benefits by May 30th 2010, and have filed your initial unemployment claim by July 6th 2009. If you filed your claim after July 6th 2009, or have not used up all your previous benefits, you are not eligible for 60 weeks of benefits.
With the extension you would now be eligible for 60 weeks, if you initially filed on or after Jan 6th 2010 and used up your previous 46 weeks by November 30th 2010.
Tier 3 additional 13 weeks for a total of 73 weeks
In order to receive an additional 13 weeks of benefits you must have exhausted all previous benefits (26 initial + 20 tier 1 and 14 tier 2) by May 30th 2010, and have filed your initial unemployment claim on or before April 6th 2009. If you were still receiving any of the previous tiers benefits or filed after April 6th 2009 you are not eligible for 73 weeks.
With the extension you would now be eligible for 73 weeks if you filed your initial claim on or after October 6th 2009, and used up your previous 60 weeks by November 30th 2010
Tier 4 additional 6 weeks for a total of 79 weeks
In order to receive an additional 6 weeks, you must have existed all previous 73 weeks of benefits by May 30th 2010, and have filed your initial claim on or before December 29th 2008. If you were still receiving previous benefits as of May 30th 2010 or filed after December 29th 2008 you are not eligible for 79 weeks.
With the extension you would now be able to receive the 79 weeks if you filed your initial claim on or before June 29th 2009 and used up your previous 73 weeks by November 30th 2010.
Extended benefits (1-10 additional weeks up to 80-89 total)
You must have ran out of all previous benefits by May 30th 2010, and initially filed on or before November 17th 2008 (each week prior to filing November 17th is an extra week benefit up to 10 weeks). If you are still receiving previous benefits or filed on or after November 17th 2008 you are not eligible for these benefits.
Under the extension you would be eligible for anywhere from 80-89 weeks if you filed your initial claim on or before May 17th 2009 (starting with 80 weeks and gaining a week on each week prior to May 17th up to a max of 10)
Extended benefits 4 weeks (93 total)
In order to receive 93 weeks of benefits, you must have used up all previous benefits by may 30th 2010, and have filed your initial claim by September 8th 2008. If you have not used up your previous benefits by may 30th 2010 or initially filed after September 8th 2009 you are not eligible for 93 weeks.
With the extension you would now be eligible for 93 weeks if you filed on or before March 8th 2009 and have used up all previous benefits by November 30th 2010.
Extended benefits 6 weeks (99 total)
In order to receive 99 weeks you must have used up all previous benefits by May 30th 2010, and filed your initial claim by August 11th 2008. If you have now used up the previous 93 weeks by May 30th 2010, or filed after August 11th 2008 you are not eligible for 99 weeks.
Under the extension you would now be eligible for the full 99 weeks if you filed your initial claim by Feb 11th 2009 and used up the previous 93 weeks by November 30th 2010.
I know that was a bit long winded, but with all the misconceptions felt it was needed to lay that all out.
So do you believe you are some kind of elite? You're too good to do work that others do? Do you believe that those making $30- $40K a year will be happy providing you your large unemployment check through taxes indefinitely while you hold your nose high acting like they are dirt?
Maybe you can learn to eat beans and rice like the rest of Americans, and start cutting back on some of your bills.
No, I don't feel Elite at all. I don't even think I am middle class, just single parent trying to keep up. This is about what is practical at this time. What makes sense. So do me a favor and keep your anger pointed at someone else. I am looking for a job and I am hurting because I don't have enough money-in fact, I have to complement my living expenses out of savings every month and I am considering opening my 401K. The "large" check is< 30% of what I used to make before. I am in the Northeast, not the South.
When did I say others making 30-40K are dirt?????-Oh...maybe you are off your medication today....
PS: I did not vote in this poll. I think 99 weeks ***should*** be fine as long as some more initiatives to create work are in place or the economy finishes its down cycle.
The sad truth is this; most people do not start looking for a job, or more pointedly will no accept a job until the benefits run out regardless of how long they receive them. If it is 6 months or 2 years. Because most will be settling in their mind and would rather take a hand out at $250.00 a week than work for $400 a week.
A sad commentary on a lot of people's work ethic but so true. And I have seen it time and time again. I knew a gal who worked in a call center and make 15 an hour. She got layed off and was offered $10 an hour at another call center. She said, I am worth a lot more than that. Same job type it is just that she was making $15 an hour because she had been there for years. No eduation needed but she would not take the job.
People have skewed views of their "worth" in most cases.
Do you speak from experience by saying that "most" of the unemployed would prefer to collect benefits until they no longer exist before searching for a job? If your not, then maybe you can point out who's hiring and who isn't. It doesn't matter what part of the country you live or work in, it will benefit those that live in your area and depending on the employer, may help those in other states as well. Come on, share with us who they are. I'm certain that the list goes on forever. Ya right.
They are? Have you heard how hard it is to get money from BP? It takes stacks of paper work and then they MAY receive 10% of what they asked for!
Besides what those people MIGHT get from BP has NOTHING to do with them getting unemployment. They deserve BOTH.
Billions of dollars spent thus far from BP have been alotted to those in the Gulf that has suffered loss of their lively hood. I believe the number is or will be initially 2 billion dollars. Watch dogs from the privated sector are in charge if insuring that the cash flow is distributed to those who need it most first. Do you or anyone you know live in the gulf region that have been directly effected? You give statistics and where do you get this information from? What is the source, I'd like to look it for my own peace of mind but I won't hold my breath.
Thanks, Smash for including the info. I will not be getting 99 weeks and now I understand why.
I have looked for work since I became unemployed in October 2008. I was lucky enough to land a 6-month part-time position (and partial unemployment) with the County. They wanted to hire me but then the County put on a hiring freeze so they couldn't and had to let me go.
I get up between 4-5am and search the internet for jobs. I stop at 8:00 so prospective employers can call me. I resume my internet at 4:30pm as I figure they will not call after that (I have dial up - can't afford anything else).
Things have gotten a bit better and I have been able to find 2-3 jobs a day to apply to. This has not helped.
I have had few calls and 3 interviews during this time. My resume is good, I've got good references but, I am 56 and do look my age. I'm SURE this has nothing to do with not getting a call back. (Yeah)
As it stands I am finally going to go into foreclosure as I can no longer afford my house with the decrease in salary.
I live simply, shop at thrift stores and the dollar store, use coupons and try to only buy when things are on sale at the grocery store. (Which is helping the economy a lot I'm sure).
I'm currently signing up with an organization that helps seniors find jobs. They are only part-time and minimum wage but I don't care. Unfortunately the waiting list is 300 people.
Do I need the extension? Yes. Once I lose my house I can go ahead and rent a room somewhere like Las Vegas Drunk suggests we do. And without a house payment, the minimum wage will be fine. That's basically how I am living now.
no i do not, it has become employment based welfare much like france's "chomage". the truth, its not a recession its a contraction. those jobs are gone.
Thanks, Smash for including the info. I will not be getting 99 weeks and now I understand why.
I have looked for work since I became unemployed in October 2008. I was lucky enough to land a 6-month part-time position (and partial unemployment) with the County. They wanted to hire me but then the County put on a hiring freeze so they couldn't and had to let me go.
I get up between 4-5am and search the internet for jobs. I stop at 8:00 so prospective employers can call me. I resume my internet at 4:30pm as I figure they will not call after that (I have dial up - can't afford anything else).
Things have gotten a bit better and I have been able to find 2-3 jobs a day to apply to. This has not helped.
I have had few calls and 3 interviews during this time. My resume is good, I've got good references but, I am 56 and do look my age. I'm SURE this has nothing to do with not getting a call back. (Yeah)
As it stands I am finally going to go into foreclosure as I can no longer afford my house with the decrease in salary.
I live simply, shop at thrift stores and the dollar store, use coupons and try to only buy when things are on sale at the grocery store. (Which is helping the economy a lot I'm sure).
I'm currently signing up with an organization that helps seniors find jobs. They are only part-time and minimum wage but I don't care. Unfortunately the waiting list is 300 people.
Do I need the extension? Yes. Once I lose my house I can go ahead and rent a room somewhere like Las Vegas Drunk suggests we do. And without a house payment, the minimum wage will be fine. That's basically how I am living now.
I really feel for you, and hope you find something. I am (partially) unemployed myself. I lost my full time job last year (working in financial services for a bank in Manhattan) and currently work part-time at my old college retail job and collect partial benefits. I'm making far less than what I was, but no where near your situation. My monthly expenses do outweigh my income from my part time job + the benefits I receive, but not by all that much. Also due to the fact I was able to save enough when I was working full time I am still in decent shape financially. With that being said I'm also quite a bit younger (28) single, and just have myself to worry about.
Being in your 50's, and not being able to find work is extremely difficult. Its happened with a guy my dad use to work with who was laid off (along with my dad) back in early 08 as a result of a merger. They were packaged out (a year's pay) and my dad was getting ready to pack it in as he was in his early 60's so it wasn't an issue for him. The economy soon completely crashed and his friend (who was in his mid 50's divorced a few years prior and has teenage kids) looked hard to find work, but couldn't find much. The package helped for the time being, but that ran out. Found something for a short period of time, but that company had serious financial troubles and was laid off. I think he eventually found something, but was out for quite awhile (making far less than what he was). The economy collapsing along with age made it very difficult. Not sure if he wound up having to sell his home or not, but I know was quite close.
The economy is starting to pick up (albeit slowly) six months in a row, and seven of the last eight months we have seen job growth in the private sector. Its going to take awhile longer for things to be anywhere near normal, but things are slowly getting better. As far as the unemployment benefits, it does look like an extension will thankfully occur. The two GOP Senators from Maine (Collins, and Snowe) who are the two that break the most with the party have said they will no longer support a filibuster of the unemployment benefits. That along with the new appointed Senator of West Virginia (replacing Byrd who just passed away) will give the Senate enough votes to stop another GOP filibuster of the extensions. This should all take place once the Senate is back in session next week.
Also, just a suggestion, sometimes you may get calls after 4pm regarding possible jobs (I have even received some after 5). So if you are using dial up and have no cell phone, you might want to wait till after 5 or perhaps even closer to 5:30 or 6:00 before you get back on. just to play it safe. Most will probably call before 4, but you might get someone who may call just before they leave the office for the day so you might want to give a little more leeway to allow for that. Anyway, best of luck and hope you find something soon.
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Speaking for the unemployed
Where you been?
They are? Have you heard how hard it is to get money from BP? It takes stacks of paper work and then they MAY receive 10% of what they asked for! 
