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Getting unemployment, especially today, is NOT milking the system. Jeez. You have to pay taxes on those benefits. Welfare recipients don't. There are thousands of people unemployed through no fault of their own, and guess what? Either of us can be one of them. My firm already had one layoff. Many of today's unemployed are honest, hard working Americans who have been told that their job is "redundant" and "no longer needed", their plant is closing (thereby laying off everyone in it), or they are too old (if you think that the EEOC is doing a damn thing about that, then you're not 57 and trying to find a job). Do you really know the pain of being an able bodied man who put in a day's work and was told they were laid off?
The face of the unemployed is your neighbor - the one who put 30 years into a company and now finds himself middle aged and being forced to early withdraw his 401(k) to make ends meet. I grow tired of all these "pick muhself up by muh own bootstraps" people who obviously don't see reality or are just so self absorbed that they don't care. Just like the foreclosure crisis is affecting prime borrowers, the recession is affecting everyone. The days of the so called "unemployed slob" are over.
Getting unemployment, especially today, is NOT milking the system. Jeez. You have to pay taxes on those benefits. Welfare recipients don't. There are thousands of people unemployed through no fault of their own, and guess what? Either of us can be one of them. My firm already had one layoff. Many of today's unemployed are honest, hard working Americans who have been told that their job is "redundant" and "no longer needed", their plant is closing (thereby laying off everyone in it), or they are too old (if you think that the EEOC is doing a damn thing about that, then you're not 57 and trying to find a job). Do you really know the pain of being an able bodied man who put in a day's work and was told they were laid off?
The face of the unemployed is your neighbor - the one who put 30 years into a company and now finds himself middle aged and being forced to early withdraw his 401(k) to make ends meet. I grow tired of all these "pick muhself up by muh own bootstraps" people who obviously don't see reality or are just so self absorbed that they don't care. Just like the foreclosure crisis is affecting prime borrowers, the recession is affecting everyone. The days of the so called "unemployed slob" are over.
Finally someone who understands what the whole green movement is about...
Never claimed she shouldnt go on vacation, I claimed we shouldnt support her for doing so... She can do whatever she wants to do on her dime, but when you ask me to continue to support individuals who are clearly not out looking for a job, sorry.. no support to extend your benefits from me at all..
Is there a reason I should care that it "barely" paid the rent and you had to tap into your savings? Really? Other than the fact that many cant claim $100 in their savings, why would I care that they dont pay enough?
Well, we didn't support this woman for going on vacation, she used her severance. The article didn't even state whether she got unemployment.
Good grief, pgh, I wasn't asking you to care! I was just sayin'; it's not that much money. You're not going to go to Europe on it.
Oh my God! Save me! This country is toast. Clue: If you can't find a job in 26 weeks, you need to look in a different field, start your own business, or actually take a job that is "beneath" you.
That's the key issue here. A lot of people (even some I know) simply think they are too skilled/valuable to take a job that's not comparable to their previous job. So in essence, some of these people are indeed milking the system.
I have 2 pieces of information for all the people who think the unemployed are "milking the system":
1. There are approximately 3 million current job openings in the United States.
2. There are 15 million current unemployed Americans.
Do the math! If an unemployed American filled every available position that would still leave 12 million Americans unemployed. Nobody wants to collect unemployment. I have been living off of family and friends since my benefits expired July 13th and it makes me sick to death. Until April of 2008, I had worked every day of my life at the same company for 15 years and one day it was all gone. Now I can't even get a stinking interview after sending out well over 300 resumes to perspective employers. I envy those of you who still have jobs but I am fully aware that most of you are just a pink slip away from my situation. Chances are that somebody you know and love is currently unemployed. Anybody who thinks being on unemployment is easy needs to try it out for themselves.
How many millionaires started their own business in order to get their bills paid because unemployment was running out? I for one used six months of unemployment and severance pay from my last employer to give me security to go out on my own and have never looked back. How many of the unemployed are actually trying to truly become financially secured?
We can google for hundreds of stories who all used unemployment as a "vacation", why would I help to contribute to such failures by asking that it be tolerated and extended?
I think you would be hard pressed to find 5 stories within the last 50 years of people using unemployment as a vacation and if you do, it's probably repeats of the same story. While I can respect that you started your own business, I doubt you'll find many who started theirs because their unemployment was running out and they needed to pay their bills. More than 50% of home/small businesses fail within the first year.
Most people who are laid off do not receive any severance pay and unemployment is hardly enough to start even the smallest of business ventures. They're more worried about trying to keep their heads above water and put food on the table than financial security. Even still, to start such a venture, one would need a superb credit history and a willing lender which is much harder to find today than when you started your business.
In conclusion, I would ask that you get your facts together prior to making such a demeaning post. Also you should try not to accuse people of doing things you haven't personally witnessed.
That's the key issue here. A lot of people (even some I know) simply think they are too skilled/valuable to take a job that's not comparable to their previous job. So in essence, some of these people are indeed milking the system.
This is very much a misnomer amongst the employed and those who haven't experienced the unemployment system. I'd take a job shoveling crap for 8 hours a day if I could find one and the unemployment system ensures that I apply for any open position that I qualify for even if the requirements are below my current skill set!
Again, you folks who haven't experienced the American Unemployment System need to get your facts straight before you post.
those 10% unemployment figures are real. those jobs are gone not coming back. we cant go on writing IOU's. at some point we gota face the music. its not a stimulus its not a recovery its a contraction with heavy debt.
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