What do you say to her??

[deziloooooo]

Not wanting to start another "Jose the floor cleaner " thread but this article from the Huff does point out that times are still tough out there for many good folks.

Of course I am going to assume things and the woman mentioned here, I am assuming is a good person, wanting to work, has been looking for work, and from her statement of working for a few months , 12 hours a week at a salary of $7.50 per hour , I am assuming she did look for work, anything she could find at any salary, being out of work with her prime employment since 2009. I am assuming being down to $213 in the bank, she had savings that are gone now, that she did not just sit back not looking for work till her unemployment ran out, a lot of assuming, actually possible taking work while she had unemployment.

Possible they have a program in North carolina where you can get some of both with a penalty but still able to suppliment her unemployment for a bit of better life style and possible leading to full employment.
I know some states do have that available to recipiants who are out of work, A plus for both, State pays less, saving funds, the worker is able to stay in the work force, good for the mind and work ethic, keeping one occupied withj potential for full time employment and able to gain a bit financially.

Point of all this assumption, still a lot of hurt out there. I understand North Carolina reluctance to pick up more debt, but what do we say to these people , who I am assuming are good "Patriotic Americans " , that, the 'Patriotic " seems to be a important thing to some here , who have just had it tough, through no fault of their own.
I know she could relocate, and such, but not knowing her situation, family and able to afford that, with out a guaranteed job, again, what do you say to her and so many others in these situations?
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DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - Twenty-five states have passed laws to keep the federal Extended Benefits program for people who've been out of work 79 weeks or longer. North Carolina is not one of them, though they are trying their very hardest. Chapel Hill resident Ali Braswell, who said she is facing eviction, doesn't get why it's been such a struggle for her state. "I at least thought I was gonna get the 99 weeks that everybody else did," Braswell, 40, told HuffPost. She said she lost her job as a payroll coordinator in July of 2009 and that the only work she's had since then was as a desk attendant in a University of North Carolina residence hall. From October to May, she worked 12 hours a week, earning $7.50 an hour. Braswell said she had a job interview on Wednesday that went well. "I have $213 to my name and my rent is due as of today," Braswell said. "I have a cutoff notice from my electric. I'm really hoping this job will come through. I really don't know what I'm going to do."

[Angel!]

I have trouble feeling sorry for someone that only recieved 79 weeks of unemployment. NC allows you to work part-time up to a certain amount & still receive benefits, so I would take a guess that she wasn't looking real hard for anything more or was waiting for her dream job & salary. I could be wrong about her not trying her absolute hardest in a job search. But why would someone in this situation not be out trying to create work for themselves - dog-walker, pet-sitter, babysitter, start an at home daycare, mowing lawns, shoveling walks, at least go to school for something as a backup plan. At a certain point you have to do what you have to do & it is unfortunate she didn't realize the shit was about to hit the fan sooner.

[cme1201]

79+ weeks, over a year and a half, there was work somewhere I am sure.

[Deleted]

hhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......................... I've been out of work for 7 months now.... no intention of asking anyone for anything.... my bad for having a shitty job.... sure my kids are getting sick of me lumping around here, but, oh well. I'll beg before I ask tax payers to support me because I didn't work when I was married and lost my place in the work force... wah...... best to teach my daughters to work hard, just in case, and just go with the flow of the changes in the last few generations.. no whining..
Just think of all the future older people now that we are training people to think having kids is bad.. hope they also learned to get their ducks in order because no one will give a poo about them if they get sick, old, whatever. What a shock.....

[henryclay]

We had a letter to the editor recently about someone who was drawiong $400 a week unemployment from Illinois, , , , I think it was Illinois , , , , He was quoted as saying he could stand another 13 weeks before he had to get serious about finding work. Sounds a lot like the person in the OP.

I asked, but I never got an answer. How can he draw Illinois unemployment and NOT be in Illinois supposedly looking for work?

[deziloooooo]

Figured , no one got it..the premise of the header..the assuming was she was bnone of what you all are suggesting,,we already ran with "Jose the floor cleaner " , my thread, I did the asumming...

post # 4, when you are on unemployment no follow up if they ever did on are you really looking for work, no way to really do thst, plus lack of personnel. Been that way for years, I will suggest, some do take some time a few weeks before really looking for work. If a hi level, upper middle class, some of that time is spent, rewriting resumes, hitting the phones, and sending and net working with connected acquaintances and business's associates, that also is the same as hitting the pavement.

Post # 1, my assumption she did that. Not the mowing, shoveling, physically impossible to do that, all the rest done, nada response. Showed she would take anything ,was working 12 hours a week at $7.50

Pst # 2, Nope , nada , she really looked. My assumption, remember.

Post #b 3 what can I say, if there was social services there and you didn't ask , then you don't get, your call. If they were there and offered , refused then in my estimation, a mistake.

I believe if you were eligible for unemployment, then you would have applied and I believe if you were receiving unemployment, still out of work, then fell off the stool as you did, how are you progressing, doing those exercises, and injured yourself , thus technically not be able to work, injured , thus no longer eligible to collect, one has to be fit for work, they ask you that on the phone if your fit for work, as it seems all States now use for recipients to file for weekly benefits, you would say yes, not no , thus continuing collecting.
{Don't feel bad, I would do the same, lie through my teeth..yell to the sky, Yes, Yes can work, no prob, as I lay there with four broken limbs gotten from a car accident because I was drunk as a skunk, and was able to skoot the car home enough so cops couldn't get me and wonder who took down the telephone pole on Main St at 4:30 Am last Saturday night}

[Deleted]

................................................... huh?....................................................................

[deziloooooo]

Jun 3, 2011 17:16:20 GMT -5 @krickitt said:

................................................... huh?....................................................................

whatever..no importance..

[Opti]

Dez, there really is no good advice. You need to find something that pays enough, live off a friend or relative, or be willing to go homeless while you continue to look for a job.

I interviewed earlier this week for a job that wouldn't pay my bills and really couldn't answer the question of will you leave if you get a better job because since it doesn't pay my bills, the answer would need to be yes.

[cme1201]

Pst # 2, Nope , nada , she really looked. My assumption, remember.

And exactly what I posted is what I would say to her. I have had this conversation with a few people I know, when you see that the money is going away you try harder than you have, taking what work you can until a permanant job that you "want" comes along.

[deziloooooo]

Jun 3, 2011 17:40:55 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dez, there really is no good advice. You need to find something that pays enough, live off a friend or relative, or be willing to go homeless while you continue to look for a job.

I interviewed earlier this week for a job that wouldn't pay my bills and really couldn't answer the question of will you leave if you get a better job because since it doesn't pay my bills, the answer would need to be yes.

If your out of work, I hope not, but if so, benefits used up, or close to, and the question was asked?

Crazy , stupid question, who wouldn't leave, any job , unless for special reasons, locations, type of work yadda, yadda, but if basically the same type of, of course one would leave , especially if a big difference in renumeration

But if they wanted to hear no, to get the job, I would have said no and it would teach them, if in six months you did find a better job and they complained as you were packing your personals, tell them their own fault for asking stupid questions.

Can't cover Bills...try to cut down, but if still in the hole but nothing coming in or shortly going away, still better to have some $ flowing in, possible call creditors, work out something, if possible.

[deziloooooo]

Basically , there are no good answers I guess

There are very many good people hurting , through no fault of their own really. Not everyone in the place is a Einstein who have the ability to think so far ahead. Many , as here, just average folks with all the faults we all have, like here. So many NEVER having faced this happening in their life and when it happened as it did, smaller scale, it was to the other guy, possible a bit lower on the totem pole. Now the totem pole is leveled.

From some of the cocky in your face answers I have read here, many on the "infamouse "Jose the floor cleaner "thread it seems the feeling for those hurting is growing by many, in a bravado sort of way, toward the feeling of..."tough nuggies", I beleive, IMHO, by many scared to death the next week might find themselves in the same situation, but to cocky and scared to dwell on it and in a way, not wanting to jink themselves , pick this way of feeling for those who have reached that stage as if it will keep the bogey man away from their door, if they show disdain for those who have the misfortune to have hit that place of dispair. a

and if it happens and they to hit rock bottom as this woman has, I wonder how they will feel once all benefits are used up, loss of many things, no real prospects on the horizon , no matter how hard they tried, and that their old friends who are really not friends anymore seem to have the feeling, won't say it to your face, remember were friends once , but you aget good at picking up the thoughts , the signs and the thoughts coming back to you are, from these old friends............"tough nuggies".

[Deleted]

Drive a cab...........

[cme1201]

So by reading your post #11. What are you wanting from us? To say this poor soul should get another 1/2 year of unemployment benefits? Should we decry the state of NC to give her what she wants? What are you looking for Dezilooooo, tell me. I will say exactly what you want.

You see the answers as "cocky" which is a freaking joke. At some time people like you need to face reality, money doesn't come from nowhere, if we print more, what exists is worth less, if we borrow more, we face placing even more of a burden on those who have yet to even think about what a workforce is.

The government has supported you poor soul for 53+ weeks beyond what most state unemployment benefits pay, now she needs to face reality. She is going to have top take either 1 lesser paying job or even 2, may not be what this person wants to hear, but it is what they need to hear.

[deziloooooo]

What I am asking is nothing beyond the fact that we probably might have to get use to seeing more and more people, families, living on the streets , who never lived there before, get used to not seeing them as we pass them sitting, laying, possible dying and wonder why the authorities don't come and move them so we don't have to see them.

Other societies live this way, possible we are going to join them, and if you or yours or friends or family reach that point, one never knows do we, and if you ask for help , and get back a answer,

CME,

"At some time people like you need to face reality, money doesn't come from nowhere, if we print more, what exists is worth less, if we borrow more, we face placing even more of a burden on those who have yet to even think about what a workforce is."

so really sorry cme, ...." tough nuggies"

[handyman2]

The job market is tough for all right now. When my daughters company closed she got unemployment but it did not cover her expenses. She sent out over 350 resume's before finding a entry level job that paid just above unemployment finally after a year she was hired at a livable salary and bonuses but it was depressing for her. She is a college grad and very independent. We helped keep her afloat till she was back on her feet but many do not have that option. I could see in her the mental stress and I am sure it is the same for many others.
The sad thing is that I am not optimistic things are going to get much better soon.

[cme1201]

Jun 3, 2011 19:08:47 GMT -5 deziloooooo said:

What I am asking is nothing beyond the fact that we probably might have to get use to seeing more and more people, families, living on the streets , who never lived there before, get used to not seeing them as we pass them sitting, laying, possible dying and wonder why the authorities don't come and move them so we don't have to see them.

Other societies live this way, possible we are going to join them, and if you or yours or friends or family reach that point, one never knows do we, and if you ask for help , and get back a answer,

CME,

"At some time people like you need to face reality, money doesn't come from nowhere, if we print more, what exists is worth less, if we borrow more, we face placing even more of a burden on those who have yet to even think about what a workforce is."

so really sorry cme, ...." tough nuggies"

And we have been here before, thing called the great depression, the great dust bowl.

Explain what you mean by: so really sorry cme "tough nuggies".

Why don't you take 1/2 of your income and share with this woman or adopt a family in your area and provide for them all they need.

I help people, I provide when I am able, I have been up high and I have lost it all. I have lived with the homeless, I have worked with the addicts, I have never in my life looked down on someone who has lost it all, who I pity are those who are not willing to *work* towards changing their situation. I could tell you stories of my time at the LA Dream Center, stories I have heard and witnessed. What good would it do?

It is financial unsustainable for the US to pay for everyone who is out of work indefinitely. Look at where we are 14.32 Trillion dollars in debt, swollen from 40ish percent of GDP at the beginning of 2000 to almost 96 percent of GDP 3.5 Trillion in the last 2.5 years alone.

In nominal dollars the net public debt rose and then fell between 1992 and 2000 from $3T in 1992 to $3.4T in 2000. During the administration of President George W. Bush, the gross public debt increased from $5.7 trillion in January 2001 to $10.7 trillion by December 2008.[3] Under President Barack Obama, the debt increased from $10.7 trillion to $14.2 trillion by February 2011.[9] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt

I personally blame neither ex-President Bush nor current President Obama for the situation we are in, I place it where it belongs on Congress.

**********DISCLAIMER**********
when I stated who I pity are those who are not willing to *work* towards changing their situation. the word work here is not necessarily physically demanding nor wage compensated. The first step facing an alcoholic or drug addict is admitting the fact that they are, which most will fight you tooth and nail until they can *work* up to facing that personal character flaw. Many people focus solely on one word in a sentence and blow it way out of context so I figured I would deal with it before anyone tries.

[privateinvestor]

Don't forget CME1201 there is a dirty little secret in the unemployment numbers that most don't like to talk about and that is age discrimination. Companies do not like to hire anyone over 55 years old, and many will lay off employees including many in management over 55 years old and often hire them back as consultants but not pay them any benefits as consultants.

[cme1201]

Jun 3, 2011 20:13:06 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

Don't forget CME1201 there is a dirty little secret in the unemployment numbers that most don't like to talk about and that is age discrimination. Companies do not like to hire anyone over 55 years old, and many will lay off employees including many in management over 55 years old and often hire them back as consultants but not pay them any benefits as consultants.

There are also those who are underemployed, working less time than they are willing because the company they work for can't pay them for full time work or they keep them on part time for reasons that are the companies, whether it's to keep from paying benefits or to keep more workers employed. (if as an employer I can lower 4 workers by 1 day a week I can hire a 5th to pick up the time that I drop *this is used for example purposes only, I am not stating that all business or corporations do this, I know some local that have gone this route and it is working for them)

[privateinvestor]

I admire those who lost their jobs and changed careers or started their own businesses and became more successful than before they were laid off.

Also we have College Alumni, & Military Retirees who volunteer their time to help recent college grads or recent discharged military to find jobs in their fields.. It is awesome to get a letter from a person who you helped find employment altough sadly not many do lately with our economic woes..

[dogmom]

Jun 3, 2011 16:38:31 GMT -5 henryclay said:

We had a letter to the editor recently about someone who was drawiong $400 a week unemployment from Illinois, , , , I think it was Illinois , , , , He was quoted as saying he could stand another 13 weeks before he had to get serious about finding work. Sounds a lot like the person in the OP.

I asked, but I never got an answer. How can he draw Illinois unemployment and NOT be in Illinois supposedly looking for work?

IL is a corrupt state. Cook (crook) county where I live is a prime example of it. Just listen to the news. I filed for unemployment a few years ago, from a mass layoff. The company I worked for let 300+ people go. The maximum benefit was $365.00 then take out federal and state taxes. You DID have to respond to who, what, where, when you applied for work. NO PROBLEM. I hustled, applied for everything available and BECAUSE I TRIED found gainful employment one week after I had applied. The initial position I hired on for did not work out. I was unable to reapply for unemployment because I was employed the next time too short of a time. You lose your benefit after being hired. Maybe the person who wrote the post went through that? Or never tried.... In my instance, I applied everywhere I could think of, and after two weeks of struggle, I was hired by another company. I still work there. Some people can apparently "work the system." I prefer to WORK. I have a co-worker,who is hourly who refuses to work overtime because it will cut into his "state benefits", I'm salaried. IL TAXES everything...except the air you breathe. I'm thinking the person who was collecting the benefits was just blowing smoke?

[formerexpat]

Don't forget CME1201 there is a dirty little secret in the unemployment numbers that most don't like to talk about and that is age discrimination. Companies do not like to hire anyone over 55 years old, and many will lay off employees including many in management over 55 years old and often hire them back as consultants but not pay them any benefits as consultants.

Stats don't seem to back this up: ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/lf/aat3.txt

16-19, 20-24 and 25 - 34 are feeling the pain the most. The unemployment rate seems to decrease in each of the increasing age brackets.

Reverse ageism?

[privateinvestor]

Unemployment Rate by Age & Gender I know the younger age groups have the highest unemployment rates but my point was that from personal experience it is tougher for those over 55 to find a job because there is age discrimination but companies will claim that is not true to keep from being sued by older workers advocates.

[henryclay]

Thanks, Dogmom. I thought it was about like what you described. I wasn't aware that states would be sending out too many $400 checks and not getting something for their effort.

But then again, we do have a poster here who seems to be the paragon of virtue with this for tracks: "I would , , , lie through my teeth". Makes me hope to avoid the children of such a role model. And clears up a great deal of wonder at the veracity of all the posts that have gone before, and certainly opens up the possibilities as to what the next one will contain.

[Opti]

formerexpat, can you cut and paste in some of those stats? It doesn't make sense to me that the 25-34 age group is hurting more than the rest. I would expect they'd be part of the most employed groups. In the 16-19 range I would think the number of self supporting 18-19 year olds not in the military is small, but I don't really know.

My guess is the stats for those 55 and older probably don't reflect reality. Many in that age group have done early retirement, etc. because the jobs weren't there for them. They also may be counted as self employed for those who are trying to start businesses but haven't quite suceeded yet.

[marvholly]

I too live in IL. My benefit is $385/week ---->$330 after state & Fed taxes. If I take a 20 hr job at min wage (8.50 here)=$170 I lose ALL my unemployment because I *worked* 5 days in the week. And if I am laid off from that job after 6-12 months my base benefit is now based on $170/week so becomes about $70/week.

[deziloooooo]

Jun 4, 2011 8:56:53 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I too live in IL. My benefit is $385/week ---->$330 after state & Fed taxes. If I take a 20 hr job at min wage (8.50 here)=$170 I lose ALL my unemployment because I *worked* 5 days in the week. And if I am laid off from that job after 6-12 months my base benefit is now based on $170/week so becomes about $70/week.

To take such a job under those cercumstances just doesn't compute. It ,IMHO , would be better to have a program where one would lose some of the unemployment benefits, but keep enough to make it realisticlly a happening, for most to work a bit to add to their income, keep their hand in, possible after experienced in the new one a permanent spot might open up, hopefully with higher pay now that one is experienced and has time on job, also saving the State money because it is paying out less..

What the formula would be , no idea, could be worked out, would have to be a realistic one to encourage people to do this. I think geared only to part time, say 20 hours a week, the rest of the time , hopefully for these folks to look for full time work, decent salary's, even some new job training , education, new careers..

Just my thought on the issue.

{Hope you fiind work close to where you were in income, you had a good income to receive that much in benefits, good luck]