latest on unemployment extension bill part 2 (controversial, Brown, lobby, leader)
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I do believe things will get worse here in Cali. I'm 60 and I know for a fact I'm not getting jobs because of my age and my previous salary.
I've applied for almost 600 jobs, anything and everything. I've had 13 interviews out of all that. Zero 2nd interviews. Found out several hired someone at least 15 years younger with 1/3 my experience.
I'm about ready to just turn on the gas and go to sleep. My cobra subsidy ended this month and my wife is ill and we need insurance but can't afford it now.
In better times my background and experience would land me a job in 2 days. Now I can't get anything, and I mean anything. I really need the benefits the most. So would work for any wage.
Oh well, sorry to ramble. I'm a first time whiner here and about to just throw in the towel!
Don't do that - you have to hang in there like we all do - we WILL come out of this.
What you were quoting from the Ca EDD site seems to be OLD information as it's talking about IF the extensions in May aren't passed - well they WERE (albeit a little late - ie in July).
A tax rated employer is one who by law has to pay into the state UE fund (some like exempts and non profits are not tax rated employers).
Don't do that - you have to hang in there like we all do - we WILL come out of this.
What you were quoting from the Ca EDD site seems to be OLD information as it's talking about IF the extensions in May aren't passed - well they WERE (albeit a little late - ie in July).
A tax rated employer is one who by law has to pay into the state UE fund (some like exempts and non profits are not tax rated employers).
Thanks Opy & Betty. I thought the info seemed old as I started noticing most of their info was.
I'm so exhausted. I've had some tough jobs but never a job as hard as finding a job these days.
Heck I'll probably decide one day to turn on the gas only to find out it's been shut off.
Glad I came here though and happened upon Betty's post or I would have never known. Sure would hate to be blindsided.
Will check back tomorrow. Again, thanks to you both!
I'm about ready to just turn on the gas and go to sleep. My cobra subsidy ended this month and my wife is ill and we need insurance but can't afford it now.
I'm assuming you were "tongue in cheek" but if you weren't please call a hotline ASAP! It is NEVER the answer.....
I do believe things will get worse here in Cali. I'm 60 and I know for a fact I'm not getting jobs because of my age and my previous salary.
I've applied for almost 600 jobs, anything and everything. I've had 13 interviews out of all that. Zero 2nd interviews. Found out several hired someone at least 15 years younger with 1/3 my experience.
I'm about ready to just turn on the gas and go to sleep. My cobra subsidy ended this month and my wife is ill and we need insurance but can't afford it now.
In better times my background and experience would land me a job in 2 days. Now I can't get anything, and I mean anything. I really need the benefits the most. So would work for any wage.
Oh well, sorry to ramble. I'm a first time whiner here and about to just throw in the towel!
I can feel your hopelessness.
A true story- My co-worker (and friend) was fired -not laid off, but a firing disguised as a layoff. She is 61, soon to be 62. Worked for this company 9 years. He hires a 28 year old with no experience. My co-worker trains her for a year and then he fires the older one. They are both in HR. That was May 09 and we just learned the girl he kept is pregnant and leaving next month not to return. She can't even get an interview let alone anything else.
He chose a very young, pretty immigrant over a 61 year old skilled employee.
I was let go under different circumstances but still the same. He's fired 130 employees in 2 years.
I'm 47 and even though I am not in my 60's........I'm feeling the discrimination in my chosen field.
Like you- our Cobra subsidy ends this month and my co-worker has bladder cancer now.
I understand the fear. Believe me.........There is no comparing this to anything I've been through here in CA. I've never seen anything like it. The jobs that are hiring are SALES. Two friends have gotten work but they were in SALES. One found an IT job at a video distribution company (you can guess which one). That was a fluke though. Knew someone who worked there.
I'm sorry. I know things are really bad. I'm looking into a program tomorrow at Kaiser that might offer a low-cost health care extension. If you have Kaiser, talk to the business office. They have low-cost programs for times like these.
Please don't turn on the gas and close your eyes. Ask for help. There has to be other options.
A true story- My co-worker (and friend) was fired -not laid off, but a firing disguised as a layoff. She is 61, soon to be 62. Worked for this company 9 years. He hires a 28 year old with no experience. My co-worker trains her for a year and then he fires the older one. They are both in HR. That was May 09 and we just learned the girl he kept is pregnant and leaving next month not to return. She can't even get an interview let alone anything else.
He chose a very young, pretty immigrant over a 61 year old skilled employee.
I was let go under different circumstances but still the same. He's fired 130 employees in 2 years.
I'm 47 and even though I am not in my 60's........I'm feeling the discrimination in my chosen field.
Like you- our Cobra subsidy ends this month and my co-worker has bladder cancer now.
I understand the fear. Believe me.........There is no comparing this to anything I've been through here in CA. I've never seen anything like it. The jobs that are hiring are SALES. Two friends have gotten work but they were in SALES. One found an IT job at a video distribution company (you can guess which one). That was a fluke though. Knew someone who worked there.
I'm sorry. I know things are really bad. I'm looking into a program tomorrow at Kaiser that might offer a low-cost health care extension. If you have Kaiser, talk to the business office. They have low-cost programs for times like these.
Please don't turn on the gas and close your eyes. Ask for help. There has to be other options.
Oh my goodness Bette. It's post like yours about your co-worker that make me feel ashambed to even complain. That's just horrible.
It's just that I am headed into that worse off category soon and am experiencing depression, anxiety, and yes a feeling of hopelessness.
We have United Health care and with the subsidy it cost me $271 a month. Now will cost me $775 a month. We could live on my UI and cobra subsidy. I have zero debt. I can pay the $775 a month but that's just 3 more months and cobra ends.
I have been in the computer business or line of work for 27 years now. My last job I was a pricing anaylyst in the laptop division for a big computer company for 13 years. Along with an impressive resume I have stellar letters of reccomendation from the President of XXXXXXX Global as well as my Supervisor.
In the past 2 months that same company that I gave 60 hours a week to has had 2 openings. I was interviewed for both. The 2nd one was exactly what I was doing before except in the hard drive division. Both positions were taken by someone new and younger. Alot younger, like 35 and hardly any experience.
Do they think I won't find out? I have friends there still. So I know they aren't hiring me either because of my age.
Anyway, to complicate matters we have 2 of our kids out of work also. My son has a degree in engineering. Forget the degree. He can't find work of any kind either.
Our daughter worked at a clinic and just when she thought it was safe decided to have a baby and was laid off as soon as they found out.
It's our first grandchild to. She gets by with her UI and husbands income but barely.
Or son manages as well. We've had to help both here and there with things that come up unexpectedly. That's tough on us as well money wise.
I keep trying everyday even though I know I'm not going to be hired for anything.
My head is spinning and I feel as though I can't even write coherently today. That news last night about the FED-ED ending for me Nov. 30th just broke my spirit
BTW, I am in good health and walk 6 miles a day. I often wish I could request an interview walking. See how far the hiring mgr or HR person could go with me. If they can't finish the 6 miles then they have to hire me. That alone should get me a job lickety split.
Just to get the thread back on topic -- "latest on unemployment extension bill part 2" -- anyone looking for info on that subject can find an outline of the Tier V bill as proposed by Senator Debbie Stabenow, a summary of the preliminary text, and additional observations here in this thread in posts #121, 130, 133, 137.
Just to get the thread back on topic -- "latest on unemployment extension bill part 2" -- anyone looking for info on that subject can find an outline of the Tier V bill as proposed by Senator Debbie Stabenow, a summary of the preliminary text, and additional observations here in this thread in posts #121, 130, 133, 137.
It seems unlikely that too much more substantive info about Stabenow's S.3706 Tier V bill will be available over the congressional recess.
However, this might be a good opportunity to share some info about the little publicized new rule tucked inside HR 4213 that helps those who have been doing part-time work avoid having their weekly UI benefits reduced at their BYE re-certification: the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Fix (EUC Fix).
As you know, federal law requires state unemployment agencies to reassess after 52 weeks whether a claimant has earned enough money to qualify for a new regular state benefits claim. Previously, claimants who had accepted part-time work were often forced to start a new regular state benefits claim with a much lower weekly benefit amount.
Under the new Emergency Unemployment Compensation Fix (EUC Fix), those claimants will now have a choice of options when starting their second benefit year.
You will be permitted to stay on your higher paying EUC claim if you qualify for a new benefit year in which the weekly benefit amount of regular compensation is at least either:
(a) $100 less than your current weekly benefit amount, or
(b) 25% less than your current weekly benefit amount.
If you do not meet these new thresholds, you will move to a new regular state benefits claim.
According to the National Employment Law Project, the EUC Fix is available in all states -- but it is not retroactive. Only those people with benefit years that end on or after July 22, 2010, can take advantage of the EUC Fix.
If your benefit year ended before July 22 and you have been moved to a new claim at a lower benefit rate, you must first complete the 26 weeks of regular state benefits on the new claim before you can collect any balance of benefits remaining on your prior claim at the higher benefit rate.
What do you think the odds are of me getting a 5th Tier? I'm starting to see desperate at the end of the tunnel.
(1) I am very encouraged that Stabenow's proposed legislation seems to address everyone on the EUC Tiers -- not just those who have exhausted all their benefits. Strategically, it's a plan that has been developed with continuing unemployment in mind:
(a) Although it is technically referred to as a fifth tier, it's trigger (7.5%) positions it between Tier III (with a 6% trigger) and Tier IV (with a 8.5% trigger) -- a gap that was always too great in this economy.
(b) Stabenow's Tier V also recognizes the likelihood that unemployment will continue for a while because it provides 20 additional weeks (versus only 13 weeks for Tier III and 6 weeks for Tier IV).
(c) S.3706 also expands the HIRE program, so the focus is not exclusively on benefits -- and that would make a good transition to the jobs creations bills the House has said they are working on.
(2) I am also encouraged by what could be perceived as a philosophical shift among the Democrats about sources of funding. To pass the recent "states assistance" program, Democrats eliminated the controversial "emergency spending" requirement, and found other sources of funds in the budget -- so the final bill actually reduced the deficit rather than raising it. If the Democrats can continue to be equally flexible on UI, they might actually get a deal with a sufficient number of Republicans (and maybe even Nelson).
(3) It was the bipartisan group of State Governors who did the lobbying and applied pressure to get the "states assistance" programs passed -- because without that funding their state fiscal budgets were slashed. Those who are coming off UI benefits in droves become the problem of the state systems -- when most states cannot afford that liability. I would except the Governors to unify again to get federal unemployment benefits passed to save their respective states.
For all those reasons -- I am feeling more optimistic about a Tier V than I ever have in the past.
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She can't even get an interview let alone anything else. 
HR 4213: Little Known "EUC Fix" Helps Part-Timers
