Congress has passed a legislation that extends unemployment benefits by 99 weeks to give unemployed people some respite from stagnant hiring in most industries. However, some advocacy groups claim that even such a long period of extended benefits may not be enough time for half the number of unemployed to get jobs. They are pushing policy makers for an extension of unemployment benefits by several more months.
In spite of the plea for extensions, several economists are quick to point out the potential pitfalls of increasing the duration of benefits further. They say that people would be encouraged to choose not to work to make use of government subsidies. These extensions are likely to cost the taxpayers a hefty $156 billion. Any additional funding will hit the government, which is already reeling from a budget deficit of $1.4 trillion after rolling out billions of dollars in bailout money last year.
As companies are keen on keeping costs at a minimum since the recession, they have put a freeze on recruitment, though there are signs that some of them are beginning to hire now. Congress has offered state-sponsored unemployment support for 26 weeks with the choice of reapplying for it to get up to 73 weeks of additional funding.
Advocacy groups argue that the benefits help people make mortgage payments and meet necessary living expenses. They also put money back in circulation in a slowly recovering financial market. Supporters of extended unemployment benefits also say that these benefits have helped revive the economy, as the jobless tend to spend every dollar they receive.
The other side of the raging debate points out that the unemployed will not get back to work any time soon, as they have unemployment benefit checks to tide them through the rough phase. If additional funding is withheld, they will have to take any job that they can get, which will be better for the economy in the long run.
The Labor Department statistics on the job availability versus job seeker ratio is quite disturbing. For every job, there are 5.5 applicants. But critics of unemployment benefits believe that work is available if people are willing to relocate or take jobs in different fields. They say that even if the Congress decides to extend benefits one more time, the unemployed should see it as the last extension.
I lost my job 12/26/2011 do to store closing. I have been collecting unemployment since the beginning of Jan2012. I had 1 extension in July and was just informed that i will not receive any more. I only collected for 41 weeks after working for 17yrs in the state I am in. They say it is because the percentage rate here in Virginia is lower than the national rate. Thing is I didn’t make big money but when yo go from 20,000 a year to 6,000 it is rough so I didn’t even get a whole year and on the eastern shore where I live there isn’t that much basically the jobs are like in Richmond and like the city type area I thought I would be able to collect longer than I did and yes have applied to many places and have not even asked what I made which wasn’t big bucks less than 10 an hour.
I have lived in VA for 19 years I lived in Jersey before and had 20yrs of work there is there a way to get the benefits I never collected there . I think now a days with computers there should be a data base so if you leave 1 state you should be able to collect from the other states you lived in that you worked. Just saying it would help some people. If this had happened around 7 months ago I could have collected and then it would have let me at least go apply for social security but now I have been left short. And a lot of the jobs they say VA has hired for are a lot of come here’s from other countries looking for a hand out and taking our jobs not paying their dues. I have worked since I was 16 and willing to work something decent but nothing out there.
I am a bookkeeper and in CT over the last 6 months there have been very few jobs posted, some times none at all. No one can live on unemployment but at least it makes it possible to pay the mortgage and buy food. There is no work out there not even part time jobs. The economy is still in terrible condition. Unemployment needs to be extended so people can have a place to live and food on the table. Congress is kidding it self the unemployment rate is much higher then what they are showing, so many people have been dropped off of unemployment. They need to extend unemployment, if they think it is easy to find a job today it is not. People are getting desperate. We need benefits to be extended past Dec. 31, 2012
I live in the US but it’s fuc*ed we gave all our job to somewhere else we don’t do a damm thing for ourselves.
I just found out last week that I’ve exhausted all of my unemployment benefits. I did not get 99 weeks or even the 86 weeks that I was supposed to get in Virginia. I got cut off at 73 weeks. I’m 60 years old and will be very limited in any job opportunities if I can find any at all. Yes we do need to find a way to get included in the real unemployment numbers.
Attention all Unemployed who have exhaused benefits we need to find a way to still be counted in unemployed figures so the nation knows the REAL unemployment rate still in April 2012.
There needs to be a place all of us who have exhausted our unemployment benefits to go to just get counted so the country really knowws what the REAL unemployment rate is . I too am over 50 and unemployment benefits ceased at 89 weeks not 99. I have applied to thousands of jobs have had a dozen interview’s and still no job. I’m ready to lie to get a job at Mcdonalds or walmart or waitress job somewhere got to have work. I have over 20 years experience and a degree in accounting and have apllied to all types of office work and all other types of work even window washing and nothing still no job. It’s a shame I feel I need to lie and say I have only a Ged and basic work experience to maybe get a job at Mcdonalds or where ever.
Hey Barbie, who knows, maybe you will get sick or hurt, then you can finally collect a disability check every month and milk the system like all the
others. As you can tell I didn’t appreciate what you said since my dad has a progressive form of multiple sclerosis. That is just like some people
saying that everyone on unemployment is milking the system. that is simply not true. You contradicted yourself big time. Some people have such
a narrow small mind.
Barbie, you are so wrong about paying into unemployment for 30 years. Know your facts and count your blessings that you are not sick or handicapped. People who are on disability paid into social security as a insurance that if they or YOU become too ill to work you can be covered.
Unemployment on the other hand is something the employer pays for the employee to be covered in the event you are fired or laid off. If people believe they some how earned unemployment than I guess all the people that never become unemployed are getting screwed. I am in no way against anyone or myself temporarily getting unemployment but there has to be a end somewhere, Don’t you think?
The employer fights the ex employee to get out of paying you unemployment because it comes out of their pocket not yours. Can you show us where on your check stub there is money held out for unemployment?? I think not. How long do you think the government should carry you?
I’m 60 years old and have been laid off since September 2010.; I worked my entire life and now can’t find any kind of job. My benefits have run out (I didn’t get 99 weeks, I don’t know what people are talking about. there. I barely got a year) and now I’m getting desperate. I, too, have applied for everything I can find. Cashier, receptionist, data entry all the way up to management. I have a college degree in accounting and have experience in everything office related including payroll and multi-state tax filings.
I have sent out hundreds of resumes, filled out hundreds of applications all to no avail. I have had zero responses. I guess at this point, I’m going to be one of those statistics of old people eating cat food and living on the street with my dog. God willing I will have enough to feed him. I worked hard all my life and this is the thanks I get. We, the unemployed and over 50, need special help. No one wants to hire us, yet we still have to earn a living in order to survive and still have plenty to give.
Our country is over. there’s no hope. employers can fire you for any reason and then there’s no hope of you ever getting employed again. a poor credit rating due to outrageous medical bills you can’t possibly pay destroys you as well. and don’t be fooled! christian nonprofits are just as wicked and evil in their employment practices as GM, Walmart, or any other huge corporation.
How’s anyone supposed to live on 275 a week? I look for jobs every day I, am 66 years years old who do you think they will hire?
This is my birthday for crying out loud.Being unemployed for 3 years and no job or benefits in site.WOW a very good birthday present.HA HA a joke.
This is the year 2012 and the US government is colder than ever.They did not tell us that in high school about the future.I’m ashamed for what this government and the present employers of today is doing to alot of the older american people.Buy denying them of jobs and further benefits.There should be a law against that.Who needs help the most? the banks or the American people.Government say the banks.
Let’s face it.I know the whole truth about life and government today.Most of you people were dealt a losing hand from the very get go.They don’t want you to succeed. They don’t want to get rich.The employers and the government won’t let you.They want to keep you in the same place or even make it worse for you.No matter how hard you worked.or how lucky you get.Chances are you will never succeed.You my friend,The system is set up so you will have had the chips stacked against you from day one and the stack will get bigger yet.It’s like fight Mike Tyson in his prime or playing basketball against Michael Jordan.
This is really sad.When you were a kid.You had all the big dreams that you will do better then your older relatives.This is a warning to all you younger kids out there today.Be ready for a real disappointment.Doesn’t matter if you go to college or not.Most of your dreams will never come true.Something will happen that will kill your dreams.Like no money or job or a sickness or even something else like raising prices.Alot of people who go to college today will major in debt and are they really better off in the future.
Is this the it suppose to be 99% of the Americans?Did they tell you that back in high school.My answer is I don’t think so.Most of you were betrayed and lied to.And there has to be something that we can do to change that picture.Speeches and talk alone is not the answer.Action Speaks louder than words.
I would love to see the Republicans and the CEOs go through not having any money for food and living on the streets.I would love to see how they would react.You tell me that money can’t buy happiness!
I paid into the unemployment system for 30 years.That system should be always there to help me in these struggling times.I’ve seen people get disability checks and some of them milk the system for 30 years.I don’t get a single penny or free benefits from the government for being healthy.Somethings definatlely wrong with this picture.It has to be changed.This is the 21st century and people should not be excluded from basic needs of survival such as food,housing medical benefits whatsoever.This is a terrible picture for some people and I say that the government is mostly responsible for the people living on the streets.I think people should have their basic needs for survival for life.This is totally B.S for what this government has done for the past decades.READ THE CONSTITUTION YOU Fs.
I do believe that there are a lot of people truly struggling that need help with unemployment right now. But i don’t understand why people seem to think it is something they paid into and earned. You do not earn unemployment. Our employers paid for us to have the insurance in the event we lose our job.
People act as though they worked and weren’t rewarded every week with a paycheck and usually benefits and other perks for the services they provided when they were employed. Yes I realize that everybody pays taxes, but if you want to look at it as you earned it through paying your taxes than you need to stop being so judgemental towards other welfare based programs funded by the same source (by the tax payers). So for the people on unemployment looking down their nose at a single working mother that needs food stamps because her children wouldn’t eat after all the other bills are paid, SHAME ON YOU for being a hypocrite.
I work hard and pay taxes But people like you judge me and say that you don’t want to pay your hard earned dollar to feed someone elses little brat and say that people like me should be drug tested in order to get food stamps to feed my kid. It all comes from the same source. So when you are fortunate enough to be employed again I hope you remember this and realize that not all people that are in need of assistance are people that never worked a day in their life and paid into the system as one of the posts mentioned.
At 55 I worked for nearly ten years for the same company and I can’t find work anywhere! I’ve sent out hundreds of copies of my resume, I’ve registered for every job search website out there, Monster, Indeed, snagajob, simplyhired – I loyally check the listings at the Texas Workforce website, Craigslist and personally ask people online and in my daily life about work – though I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs I’ve had maybe a handful of interviews and ZERO offers! I am worried sick that my unemployment is about to run out – when I called them to ask them about the work search log they sent me the agent told me I could submit it online – I soon found out that THIS work search log, the one they give you for extended benefits – must be faxed in – so I ended up getting it in a few days late – so now I’m worried sick they will disqualify me for that and cut me off prematurely – either way I’m screwed though either I’m screwed now or screwed in a few more weeks – I don’t know WHAT I’m going to do – if I work somewhere for 8 or 9 dollars an hour we would still have to live on the street that’s simply not enough to even pay our rent – a family of four and we have nowhere to go from here except for out in the streets! Is it my age? That I have bad credit? I don’t know what it is but I’ve NEVER been unemployed for this long and it’s the scariest thing that I’ve ever experienced – what is going to happen to us? I am in a constant state of worry – how did things get so bad?
First of all I would like to say to all the people talkin crap about the unemployed americans to shut up, we r not getting handouts, we payed into unemployment in order to get it so its our money to begin with and we earned it over the years working, and u never know, u might be n the same boat one day, unlike those people that r on welfare that never worked a day in their life and get money, food stamps, medicaid and section 8, and keep having children,” we worked”, I am unemployed and have been for 1 year, I was on my job for almost 12 years driving a school bus, my license had got suspended for 1 year and i wasnt able to work cause I needed the license to do so and now that i got my license back i have filled out applications for numerous bus companies and all of them tell me their not hiring and dont need drivers til the new school year in sept, i have gotten 47 weeks of unemployment and hopefully i can still get it til i can go back to work, 99rs fight for more cause u deserve it, i may be right along with u guys, and for all the people who blame our President Obama, its not his fault, hes the only president that has gotten this country as much as we got, its because of him we got extended benefits in the first place, all the republicans we had in office never even did half the stuff he has done for us, he fights for us and has to go through congress for approval, republicans don’t care, we r not even middle class anymore, we r poor now and soon to be homeless. Please Obama continue helping us through this economy.
I’m about to reach my 99 weeks at the end of this month. In my previous job I was earning approximately $70k a year. Since I was laid off from my job I’ve been searching for new work, and I’ve had a few interviews without success. Also, recently I’ve been turned down at Office Depot, Walmart, and Orchard Supply Hardware, for minimum wage entry level positions. I’m in my 50s and there appears to be few opportunities for me in the job market. If something doesn’t turn up, I will be on the streets by the end of the month.
I just found out, I have exhausted, my ui benifits, havent told wife and kids yet, I have applied faithfully, there is no work in illinois, if congress dont pass extention pass 99 weeks we will be on streets. Please extend ui benifits.
I too have reached 99 weeks, I am a senior citizen with years of experience in my field, I have excellent references, they say they don’t age discriminate, don’t believe it!! I have been unemployed since 2009 and have sent out over 1000 resumes’ my ss check won’t even cover my mortgage, the unemployment checks grew slimmer until I was cut off, try to reach the unemployment phone number and you get please hold over and over until the message repeats and repeats then a disconnect, when you go down there you stand in a long line and not treated with any respect.
To the writer that wrote this bill please be advised this is America our national language is ENGLISH not Spanish and I will be damned if I will ever learn your language. Let the big shots in Washington stand in the unemployment line and see how it feels, including you Mr. President, not a good feeling knowing everything you worked for all your life is going down the tubes! I have depleated my savings to survive.
I have gone on endless interviews to no response, let me tell you employers there is no perfect employer and no perfect employee, if you want to hire kids that have kids and always calling in sick be my guest, if and when the economy turns around the shoe will be on the other foot and you employers won’t be interviewing 50 people for 1 job!
I cannot get a job because of poor credit, I don’t want to collect unemployment, can any one help me?
No….it shouldn’t even be at 99 weeks. It turns an insurance into welfare. The small business in the end is the one who has to pay for UC benefits on top of paying the rate given to you by your state.
When a State doesn’t pay back the Feds money loaned to them for the benefits they’ve paid out, they charge it back and pro-rate the prevous year back to the business and it is added to the FUTA rate paid at the end of the year. They are going to do this every year until all money is paid back to the Feds. The State also added a % to each bussiness in Pa to help them pay back the money loaned from the Feds, this % was added to our rate for 2011. Small businesses are getting screwed from the State and Feds, so no.
DS in Pennsylvania
I am a not technically a 99er but was told that I exhausted all of my ui benefits. I don’t believe it and neither should you. Continue to file your claims as you never know what unemployment plans to do. I read a story of a man who was a 99er and he continued to file ui claims anyway. The unemployment rate in his state shot up and he was granted an extra 20 weeks of ui benefits. DO NOT LET YOUR UI OFFICE DISCOURAGE YOU FROM CALLING YOUR CLAIMS IN!!! They do that so the unemployment rate can drop in the state because people have given up.They want to sweep us under the rug so they can look good. Make them see the truth in numbers. Keep filing and don’t get swept under the rug.
Today I just found out that my unemployment was finished I had to wait on hold for an hour an half just to find that out. I don’t know what to do know I’m real scared I been applying everywhere like others have. They sent me a form to fill out that made me write where I was applying 3 a week it said I needed to keep getting checks I’m just saying people depend on that check coming if your not gonna give it anymore let people know a head of time not Just stumble on to the 99th week and be totally assed out. I’m gonna go off selling my body or something thanks America.
I just recently finished my 99 weeks and can no longer collect. I keep apply for jobs and NO CALL BACKS! I went on one interview along with about 100 other people and of coarse I did not get the job. I have a small child and now no income. What are we supposed to do as unemployed Americans? How is it unemployed Americans who are looking for work are cut off, but the millions of people on welfare can sit on their ass all day and not be cut off? As they drive around in their brand new cars, name brand clothes, hair, and nails done? Makes no sense!
If unemployed Americans only get 99 weeks, then the same should be for people on welfare. I really wish they would extend the time because this is ridiculous!
I too have exhausted my 99 weeks of unemployment. I have sent out over 1000 resume’s and have been on 75 interviews, number 76 scheduled for tomorrow. I have gone thru all of my savings and have even looked for jobs outside of my field (Marketing). At this point I feel defeated and do not know what to do. Some companies do not even provide feedback on why I was not chosen for the position, was it something I did or did not do during the interview process.
The government needs to do something about the blatant bias/discrimination against those of us who have been out of work for almost 2 years. I see more and more of my ex-coworkers getting jobs just because they have a job. Is that fair. Just because we have been out of work for such a long time does not make us lazy or unemployable.
I can only say that I have tried my best to keep a positive attitude thru this, but it is getting really hard to believe that one day soon I will get that call with an offer.
I have been unemployed since October of 2009. I have applied for hundreds of jobs along with the millions of other unemployed people. I don’t know what I am supposed to do when my 99 weeks is over in one month. I am 56 years old and I believe that I am being turned down because of my age.
When I apply for jobs out of my realm I believe I don’t get hired because the potential employer thinks that I would be using the position as a temporary solution until I find a job in my field. What as I supposed to do after 99 weeks? What are any of us supposed to do. There is a three month back log on rental assistance in New Jersey so that won’t help me now.
I am 63 years old, been out of work for a long time. Since april 2010.
Have been looking, applying for any type of job. This is needed so i can collect my ue check.
Lots of my information goes out to employers, so why don’t they respond?
If there is a job position open, and you apply, you should get , at least, an e-mail that the job has been filed or you do not meet the job requirements;
It is getting to the point, that employers are hiring spanish speaking folks, not only because they can cut the pay to a min. But how can these folks all be legal?
This is america, not mexico .
If the unemployment roles are to go down, the state governor and his group of lawyers in the capital should pass a law, like right to work states, that all unemployment agencies, companies, must go thru the list of the unemployed ,longest ones first , to fill the positions, and to train these folks.
Right now the term, long term unemployed, really means, do not hire these folks. This is discrimination. Where is jessie jackson and his camera crew protesting for the over 50 and white?
I really hope that the feds, will extend the benifits for the 99 weekers. This should continue till the jobless rate is at 5%.
To pay for it, the feds can cut off all foreign aid to all the countries over the world.
That should free up billions.
Then, cut all the salaries of the elite in government, by at least 75%. More money available. All government workers should get $ 40,000 a full year of working time. And should work 7 days aweek.
Stop paying for all the special intrest cases. Like, the study of the furry cateripellar in alaska. Still more money freed up.
Another law, a state one, should be, that english is the state language. All business in the state can be conducted only in the english language.
Stop the ‘other languages ‘ from our drivers license testing exam. Written part. If the applicant can not read or speak english , no license.
Lots of money is used to provide the writtn test in other languages; jesse white should be crapped on for allowing this.
No extra person should be allowed to help foreign driver applicants that do not speak english. To help with the test.
So, since no one can find a job in illinois, maybe we should file for disability with the social security folks.
It would seem that since a lot of folks can not find work, we are now considered to have a disability.
Lots of money can be freed up in the state of illinois.
The govonor, pat quinn, has given out tax incentives to a few companies. He has even started a program for vets coming from active duty for companies to hire a vet and get money for doin it.
These folks chose to go into the military; just like you chose to work at some company. Why give them any more special treatment for job help? The unemployed are not gettin any special treatment.
Dont tell me about going back to school for training. What do you train for? The schools are making money off the pell grants, not the student.
If congress/senate, will stop the visas on foreign workers coming into this country, many more jobs will be available here.
If you can find a job, lets say home depot,lowes,ace hardware, it will be part time, 20 hours if lucky, no benifits.
You may have heard about companies that want older workers to work for them , due to the vast amount of work experience, well that is a joke. Not one will even call .
All the stories in the paper about the job problem geeting better is a joke. Like the christmas jobs. All part time only for christmas. Then out they go . No real jobs.
So folks, keep on plugging. Lots of stories out there. No jobs.
I am over 99 weeks, with no income at all at the age of 48.
I have been employed with a company for 15 years making $32.50 a hour (contract administrator) laid-off on 3/09. I have seeked employment, either I’m over-qualified or under qualified. I have attempt on numerous occassions for employment. No luck at all. I feel very degraded that my 20 year old can land a job faster than me making $12.00. I would settle for any type of job. I just need an income. I also have a 10 year old. I lost my job, car and son within the last 2 years.
When you apply for a low paying job owners feel you’re just apply and when you find something you really want you will leave the company so they won’t hire you (McDonalds, Subway etc).
It’s depressing and very hard on single parents when there is nowhere to turn. Section 8 and Low Income waiting list are 3 years long. Shelters are being overcrowded. Congress need to find a way they can fix the past 99 weeks real soon. The country will turn to violence real soon. People are starving out here and will try anything to make ends meet. Try coming to Los Angeles, Compton or Watts and take a look for yourselves. I feel if people are properly trained some of us might also do a good job in congress. Give people a chance.
The extension for 99 weeks really need to enforced badly. The American people need your help.
I’ve been laid off for over a year now and have applied for every job I can find. No one will hire me. Even fast food won’t look at my applications. I have so much experience, but for whatever reason, no one will hire me. I don’t know if it’s because of my bad credit. The problem is though is if I don’t have a job, I can’t pay my bills so, what can I do?
Thank goodness for my unemployment. As of Monday, I’m starting volunteer work, but now I’m concerned because will this affect my benefits? If it does, what do I do now? I want to not only try to get a job in the areas where I am volunteering, but gain more experience where I will be volunteering. I don’t want to loose my benefits though. I’m afraid to call UIA because I don’t want to draw attention to myself but at the same time, I know I should ask them out right. Has anyone else had this same issue?
I’m from Michigan, and I would appreciate any help you can give me! Thanks in advance!
I have been unemployed for 15 months now and I surely hope our Federal Government extends unemployment benefits to us. I read last nite where Obama is planning on reducing number of months to 73. We can only hope that doesn’t happen.
I have never been out of work.
Let’s get rid of all of Congress and see how they like it.
It really isn’t so much the Hispanic thing that many of you are mentioning. Spanish is a really easy language to learn if you think that’s what is holding you up. Highly recommend if you are young to take some crash courses on it or better yet, get someone hispanic as a friend to hang out with and you will learn quickly. I was married to an Argentinian for 10 years and am considered bi lingual and still can’t get a job at 55. I know its the age thing for many of us on this post.
They don’t want the insurance liability of an older worker and they want young, hip people that are experts at having an i-phone glued to their ear, so they can twitter – facebook and all that crap. Also, was told by one friend who works in HR at a huge company that they won’t let her hire people my age unless we are experts at certain types of software that the company uses – systems analyst…but certainly won’t hire me for a sales job.
They actually know that a lot of younger worker live at home with parents and will be okay being paid next to nothing and they can mold them the way they want. All I am saying is if you are over 45 and put that your bilingual on a resume, it doesn’t seem to make much difference. I am telling you its the age thing. My Dad worked for a big company for 45 years and was in no way shape or form ready to retire at 63….they forced him out…and not working killed him 10 years later from health problems. He never was the same when he couldn’t find work again.
So here we are – aging Americans, getting layed off left and right, but we are suppose to work till we are 70 to get maybe $1200 a month SSI benefits then. Try living on $1200 a month. And 401k for us long term uenmployed – vanished. In fact the last 3 companies I worked for didn’t even offer 401k’s.
To the person who posted nasty stuff about the unemployed on here. Walk a day in any one of our shoes. I noticed most posters are like me and have worked all their life and are older. I am 55. I lost my job November 2010. February 2011, my husband decided he “wanted to change his life” and took off and left. Left me with a huge car payment, rent I could not pay, credit cards, etc. I have paid into SS since I was 14 years old and worked double shifts in a restaurant in my 20’s and 30″s. I have spent the last 22 years as an outside sales rep for 4 major companies.
I have put in 1000 applications. And my health just keeps on failing. The stress is killing me. No one calls. Not even those craigslist jobs. I have had professionals redo my resume dozens of times in dozens different formats. I send thank you notes and call and find out who the hiring mgr. is. Your right Karen, on this blog, we all just love losing everything we own. I went from $40000. a year job to $16,000 in unemployment benefits. I love that I have 100 items I have sold on craigslist, risking my life letting some of these nutballs into my apt. to buy my sofa, lamps, the prints off my walls, every piece of jewelery, including cheap jewelery has been pawned, sold, consigned.
My work wardrobe is for sale on consignment. I just got off the phone with Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and Sisters of Charity trying to get help with my electric getting shut off soon, due to the fact I had to spend the electric and gas money on a $212 bottle of prescription eye drops for cornea ulcers in my eyes. My immune system is shot from eating food pantry peanut butter, jelly, mac and cheese and other wonderful processed food, much that I’m allergic too. I walk by the fresh produce that I can’t afford because any loose change in my pocket has to go to gas and car payment and car insurance to go to job fairs.
Don’t frickin tell me we like to be unemployed at our age. We are very hard workers and we have paid into the SS system all our lives and I was crying my eyes out on the phone to “Larry” at the Salvation Army, “why can’t I find work” I asked him, and he tells me dozens of people call him every day with the same story. That story is, losing everything, living in poverty, homelessness, loss of spouse. I can’t remember the last time I have had a hair cut. “Larry” the really nice guy at Salvation Army says they can’t keep up with demand for help. He says he has heard over and over again, people like myself that never had a problem finding a job, can’t find work.
Age Discrimination? Perhaps? I also have enough medical problems that are severe enough for the last 15 years of my life that over and over again I am told to file for disability insurance by all the doctors. I worked for the last 15 years with 5 herniated disc in my neck. A neurosurgeon did a CAT scan and said the damage to my neck from a car accident was so bad, they could not risk operating on it. Yet I got in and out of my car 25 times a day doing sales calls. SSI? Google that and see the nightmare people go thru to get that. Who is going to pay my rent, my car payment, buy my food while I am waiting up to 2 years to hear from SSI.
If I should happen to be lucky enough to get one of the $10 an hour call center jobs, surely they will fire me when after 20 min. of work, my neck will start to spasm and I will lose all feeling in my hand and arm. I know I can’t operate this computer without propping my arm up on at least 2 pillows. I can’t work in a restaurant do to the injury…and who wants an old lady waitress? I can go do sales calls and do them good. Award winning sales. But no one will hire me. Even in my field of expertise. Because, as one company told me when I called to see if they got my resume- “we got 800 applications for that job and are sifting thru them. I guess the young 30 year old grad student with legs up to here will get that job too.
I too am a unemployed american. over 40 years of paying taxes and social security I find myself applying for work five times a week with no interviews. this march will be two years. I had to file bankruptcy to save my family from living on the streets. After first going through 401 k and paying penalties/ taxes ect. I get to keep my house from going into forclosure. Now even this is in jeopardy……..
I think unemployment needs to go beyond 99 weeks on a base by base. My wife and I go to food pantrys and all other help church, lyheat for utilities. And we now are having marital problems nothing in the bedroom. we have two wonderfull adult children and fought to get them through college unlike me and my wife had. If we didn’t have Jesus we would go crazy like I see the world doing. killings, bank robbery, house invasions all kind of thefts.
Thanks for this venting
God Bless
I have been unemployed for almost 2 years.. I have a college degree and am in my early 30′s. I always get the excuse that i’m too overqualified. I’m almost out of unemployment, I will loose everything if they don’t add more months of unemployment. I’ve even tried to get a low paying part time job but nobody wants to hire me because they know as soon as I find something that I should be doing, that more qualified for, I’d leave.
I’ve applied to 578 jobs and nothing! We need extended unemployment until the economy gets better!
I have been trying to get hired for years but no one will hire me because I’m over 55 and Caucasian. I had been a housewife/mother who made the mistake of depending on some man. I hadn’t worked since my 20s. Then when he left me at age 50-disaster! I even went back to college and got an AS in Business. I am in California and many of the jobs are taken by Spanish speaking people. I had taken tests to try to get on at the Contra Costa county offices.
I had scored 4th on the list of over 100 but they just kept interviewing me for each opening and never would hire me. It had cost me $15. for every interview because of the gas to get there.I must have had at least 40 interviews there. I realized that they are mostly serving Hispanics at the county so they want to hire Hispanics. Isn’t that nice!? But they aren’t the only problem. I also went to many private companies and never got hired. I am sure it’s the age thing.
This country has gone to the dogs. It’s all about hiring certain nationalities, the very young, and who you know. Some of us will likely turn to illegal ways to earn money or starve.
I am a single mother of 5 and have always worked and never been on welfare. I lost my job due to business closing and I am know going to school full time. My unemployment benefits have ran out. What am I supposed to do? Should I quit school and take a low paying job. I have student loans to repay.I just don’t ever see myself being on welfare.
The government encourages you to go to school and further your education but they cut your unemployment benefits off. I have no income but child support coming in and I am lucky to get that. . What are we supposed to do? I have nothing left. Very hard to survive on unemployment and now I have nothing!
I too am almost at a 99er status. I am 48 years old and had a good job with a construction general contractor. we were doing fine till the health care law was passed. (i built hospitals and medical buildings in Texas.) we had 8 more hospitals and 12 medical buildings slotted for construction over 2010- 2013 so we were ok in 2009, but in the first two months of 2010 we had all of those projects cancel, (well technically they are on indefinite hold.)
Our company had 200 workers and had 20 trades with over 2000 other workers that we employed to build these buildings. not to mention all the suppliers of materials and equipment. so the trickle down is at least 3000-5000 jobs lost. the company i worked for laid off all but 10 people in the offices who are looking for work always. Yes someday if things break I WOULD BE ASKED TO RETURN. I as many others can not get a job in my career field at this time.
There is no one building (I am a BIM(autocad) Coordinator i modify drawings and plans for large construction projects. I apply to every job that comes in even sightly in my area of expertise (entry level and above.) and yes I have applied to any and every type of job I could retail, stocking shelves, all the jobs you would think would love to have a hard working dependable man to work everyday.
Well guess what I get told I am over qualified or that I just do not have the right qualifications. ( a greeter job at Walmart) lol the truth is if you had a good middle class job and lost it you can not get a job in low income because they wont take a chance on you. they all feel you will leave if jobs finally do open up. they want people that will make a career with them as a store clerk. SO NO THERE IS NOT PLENTY OF JOBS, NO WE ARE NOT LAZY, NO I AM NOT WHINING AND WANT THE GOVERNMENT TIT TO STAY AT HOME! My unemployment check is not even 20% of what I make when working. it pays for a phone, food, car insurance and thankfully my home is totally paid off so I have only insurance and taxes.
I would gladly work and make 85,000 again. I would even at this point work for 10.00 an hour and make 17,000 a year if it would get me back to work! Everyone needs to call there congressmen, the white house, governors, and all those looking to become President and tell them stop giving money to companies that spend it over seas, stop giving money to all the countries over seas, stop giving huge tax breaks to companies unless they prove they hire people who are out of work. If we all make our voices heard then they will fix things.
So in short I went from 85,000 a year and almost 25,000 in my bank to 25.00 in the bank, i sold off my 401K at a 30% penalty to keep paying my debts, i lost my health care and then got sick and now owe 65,000 to the hospital. and I am living on the max unemployment gives which is only 406.00 per week and have almost used that up too (Jan 28th is my last week then i am a 99er. I am not alone there are millions of us who worked hard all our lives (i am a vet and did my part when i was 18) we give and give and now we need help.
Help us do not condemn us as next week you might find yourself beside us.
I can’t beleive what I am reading, disgusting people saying they don’t feel bad for people. I think you are the worst kind of person or thing,no heart no soul shame on you.
For the first time in my life, I am unemployed and have been since February 2010. I am 45 years old with two teenage children and have been married nearly 18 years. I have experienced such a frustrating and humiliating job search which includes applying for entry level retail positions of which 4 interviews I went on all pointed to me being over qualified and thus not a viable candidate and that I would likely leave when the market improved as well as searched skilled positions with lowered salary expectations then told that I am under qualified for the position due to my lack of a higher degree despite have 25 years of direct experience.
I have worked at only 3 companies in my career and have always been a company man. Truthfully that despite my service to this country, my employers and years of charitable donations/volunteer work, I am now facing the reality of breaking up my family. It all seems unfair that while we as a nation have always looked out for others but in our own time of need we refuse to take care of our own. My children have adjusted, I have exhausted my savings to pay my mortgage and keep my children fed and now I suppose that’s it. I am supposed to stop paying my mortgage and wait to be foreclosed in a year then hope that by then I may find enough work to afford a small apartment.
The only thing that has kept me from suicide has been the thought of my children depending on a society to look after them in my absence, this country owes all of us the interest of the decades of support each of us has given it and regardless of where on the economic ladder you now reside at, troubles like that which I face can in no way be good for your prospects. I have felt a calm from my faith in God and realize that this life challenge will force me to be more dependent on Him. I only pray that our country will show the same compassion for its people that we have always shown the rest of the world.
Help!
You idiots, the reason we can’t find jobs is due to these illegal pieces of crap!
I was with my pass employer 8 years and I was shock that I was let go. I enjoy my job but with the business was slowing down I kniew they would have to let someone go.
I have been out of work since 10/17/2011 and have look for work and belive me when you our older they just smile and take your application. Never to hear from them again unless you call and then they say it has been fill. The San Diego Union Paper posted a article about over 50 looking for a job and how really hard it is and no-one will hire you. The worst of this is that my health insurance was gone and Corba insurance which is to help you but they forget to tell you that the cost is not cheaper…Insurance for a older American over 50 will run about 900.00 a month and I’m not a sick person.
How can I afford that and pay bill and eat? My insurance was PPO Health Net. I call them and they would not lower it. I’m have been looking and checking different health plan’s and the only why to lower cost it to pay a higher deductable but if you get sick then you pay more of that bill. I pray every night for some help and that God will guide me. I have never been on welfare or out of work all these years.
I know that I’m not the only one that is over 60 looking for a job. I have to wait till I’m 66 to get social security and 65 for my medical..Please pray for me that I stay healthy…It really sucks to be old.
I’m going to be a 99er soon. I have managed to stretch out my unemployment Over 3 years . I have grabbed up all kinds of on call work so no one can say I dont want to work. There is just nothing full time here in Vegas. Why would I want to trade mild depression and nightly panic attacks for work? Lol, this is clearly a better way to live. For those who are down on the unemployed I just want to thank you for the lack of compassion.
Im 57 yrs old, out of work since March 2010. I have never had trouble finding a job till now. Im not a job hopper but I cant even get a interview now. Southern Illinois seems to only want kids to work for them. I hate that my expierience and work ethic means nothing. I know I have plenty of company but it doesnt help.
At least my husband has Social Security Disability but its not enough for us to live on alone. This mess we are in is more like a depression than a recession. For all the people still working I hope you never have to feel as useless as I have been made to feel. I managed a Finance office with employees under me for years . Now I cant get a job even part time at Wal Mart. Thanks for letting me vent.
Michael Moore saw this coming to American. I just learned about his stuffs last year. Wall street and CEO are not happy with our middle class yet. They want to reduce our wage -20% to -30% more. 99% open your American eyes to see Wall Street run Republicans to destroy middle class. What better way than reduce the population. I m sadden to see rich live on $ million and want us to live on $9/hr. 99% do u see this is invasion( Civil War) on middle class.
Hi, the CEO’s are destroying this country. They live on $ million and they want us to live $9/hr. It happen in Greece and soon coming to America. So please 99% open yr eyes. There will be no more middle class. I m very sad to see the rich(million) are invading the middle class by refusing to pay higher tax.
The lack of pity, mercy, and morality that I see in some of these posts utterly disgusts me. You the posters are pathetic cowards, sitting there behind your computer screens and your perceived autonomy. Thank goodness that the poor and the unemployed exist, if only so that you can feel better about your insignificant lives. My brothers, sisters, and I risk our lives so that you can treat each other like this.
Shame on all of you. It’s called humanity – we are all in this together.
I’m 50 and have been out of work for 2 years, I have 2 more weeks of unemployment and then I’m done. I have sent out thousand of resumes and no one want to hire a 50 year old. I have worked all my life and paid taxes. I would be happy if they extend unemployment for another year. If not I’m f…ed
I have worked since I was in high school. I have reached my 99 weeks and without this unemployment check I will no longer be able to provide for my family. I have been applying for any type of work every week for two years now and still nothing. I haven’t even been called on for an interview because over 100 people have applied for the same position in almost ever job I’ve applied for. I am 30 years old and i have 3 young.children who constantly ask me of were going to be.homeless.
This breaks my heart to see that I what I always tried to avoid in my life is now probably going to be our life. Why must we be punished for our presidents flaws and economical disaster he has created. I fear that we may loose everything and mu children and I will have no choice to live on the streets until I finally find work. My children are ages 7,6,and 17 months. All I want is for them to please extend over 99 weeks so that I can do my job as a parent, a mother and be able to continue on providing a home and food for them to eat.
At least extend until the percentage drops to 8% so that way, we know we have a higher chance of getting a job. PLEASE. There are a lot of people who do work the system and they one day will be punished.
Right on, Marty and Thomas. I’m in the same boat. Worked at the same factory for 29 1/2 years, and it closed. I’m 50 something and can’t find a job either. I’ll keep trying but when I think of those who have given up………I strongly wonder, how many people choose to end their lives, with no hope on the horizon? I would urge employer’s to consider this when not hiring the long term unemployed. I would recommend, the Nation, consider this!
You people complaining about unemployment and people milking the system need to shut the HELL up! If that damn idiot President of yours did what he should have done when the economy started to go South we wouldn’t be in the predicament we are in currently.
You high paid employees should take pay cuts and your employers should start cutting your pay and hire people with brains that have hands on training. That’s much better than you selfish assholes that make a huge paycheck, drive an over priced car and snub your noses at those who might really want to work.
Stop sending your kids to private schools (they do drugs there too) and acting like you are better than everyone else. PAY SOME GOD DAMN TAXES why don’t you?
I pay more than all of you rich fucks and what do I get out of it? Unemployment that I have to pay DOUBLE taxes on – so stop saying I am milking the fucking system. You are milking it since you have all the RICH FUCK loopholes to get yourselves out of paying for what you should.
I’ve worked my entire life, I am now 50 and WHY THE HELL should I HAVE to take a fucking job I don’t want? I am not going to flip burgers for minimum wage and give up my standard of living. You sure as hell won’t change your lifestyle, so WHY THE HELL should I?
All you rich FUCKS get in the boat with that F**KING idiot president of yours and have a nice ride into the guts of HELL.
@ DAVID.
First off those 6 hispanic/latino guys (“spanish” is a language not an ethnicity educate yourself maybe that’s why your ass doesnt have a job) they are doing the jobs us americans won’t do. Will you go out and do gardening 10-15 houses daily, will you work at a carwash, will you be an under payed dishwasher 10 hrs daily? How about be a field worker picking lettuce or grapes, will you be subject to your labor rights to be violated?
Your Answer will be no you son of a bitch but if you want their job by all means go across the street and tell them you want to get your hands dirty!
Dave G,
There is no doubt that instead of bailing out rich people, our government should consider the social welfare of her people by extending UE benefits, especially during these holidays. But to take out your frustration on “6 Spanish guys”, most of whom would work for 1/2 the average salary is misdirected. This is the kind of hostility that perpetuates nationalism and hatred of immigrants, who are doing nothing you wouldn’t be doing if you were in their shoes.
Why isn’t your frustration directed at the government? Why don’t you express your discontent for companies that would knowingly hire an undocumented worker so they could pay them less. And if you are that “frustrated” about being outta work, I know of a way for you to go to work tomorrow! This job provides all the overtime you can ask for, and in most cases, will even provide housing. Go the the nearest agriculture farm, and tell them you will work for so many cent’s per pound of picked fruit. I guarantee you will be working within a week; maybe even working right alongside one of those 6 Spanish speaking guys!
Protest the injustice of the government, and the bailouts with taxpayer dollars by Ben Bernake — but NEVER let your feelings direct your hatred towards your fellow man. This is how the Germans felt before WWII and we saw the lives lost then! STOP COMPLAINING AND EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!
Dec. of 2009 my employer the Ukiah Music Center closed its doors due to the economy. The real reason our music center closed was the Internet competitors offered the same products at our cost with free shipping and no tax. We could not compete. Tax dollars not spent locally affected our Mendocino County Sheriff Dept. and two deputies lost their jobs for lost tax revenue. Not only did I lose the income as a retail clerk the music school associated with the store where I taught music to children and adults was closed within weeks also. I lost a second income that didn’t offer UI benefits.
I am a 99er now. I have applied for over 600 plus jobs ranging from stock clerks to administrative assistant to walmart greeter to janitor to laborer in my area in the two years since the demise of the music center. I received one interview and four rejection letters. Sadly no employment offer. It seems as if being long-term unemployed makes me less desirable to perspective employers, as well as being a 50-year-old white male and thousands of applicant that apply for the every opening. I have lost faith in this great country of our and our elected officials. ALL OF THEM!
I keep volunteering (as asked by two President’s) for 7 different non-profit organizations assisting to raise and replace much needed funds that have been cut. Former President Bush and current President Obama asked every American to volunteer somewhere. I did comply. I have lived below the poverty line for two years now. Sold off everything of value to survive to care for my children and grand children. Now about to become homeless. It seems as if the upper classes would rather have us lower class Americans just die off. Sad, but true.
I earn to much income on UI benefits to get county assistance so I self diagnose medically, dentally and prescription wise. I don’t have benefits, “why should you?”. Live my life for three months and see how you do.
So my question is to you Senator(s) and Congress(s) “what are you trying to fix in this situation?” It appears quite clear that you all continue to be the problem and not the solution.
– I AM DISAPPOINTED IN OUR SENATE and CONGRESS.
– YOU ALL ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY.
– GIVE UP YOUR GOLDEN FLEECE WHEN YOU LEAVE OFFICE.
– RESIGN OR BE VOTED OUT. REGIME CHANGE IN ALL OF WASHINGTON.
I’m coming for your job!
I was born in the U.S.A. haved worked from age 15 I am now 50. Unemployed from 1/5/09 Run out of benefits. The place I have for now there are 6 spanish guys that live across from me and thy all work every day. 4 can’t speak english but thy all work. WTF is that about? I put in over 35 years of work and I get 99 weeks.
So if I go to anouther country will I find work. That’s what happens here. Come here get a job!! Get my job! I am now have no income. Used up my 401. I will be living in my van soon. GOD bless america :)
Please extend unemployment until the percentage goes down
I do know what it’s like to lose everything I did and I don’t get any more UI Benefits because I exhausted everything I had. And was told Unemployment here in Sacramento that if I wanted the Federal extension of benefits it was a loan in which I would have to pay back with interest.
I’ve been working since I was 12 and now I’m 50 and no one wants to hire me. So WTF is up with that. And I am no longer counted. I look for work everyday and have since I was laid off in July 2009…
The injustice is that because your older you no longer have the shelf life as a 25 year old.
This is not for all of you who understand what it is like to be out on the street, But when crime peaks and your afraid to go leave the confides of your home because you refuse to ignore what is going on, Think to yourself, what would I do if My family needed to eat?I think we all need to pray to god to ask for forgiving and give us guidence.
As of Marty, I cant blame him, If you lost everthing and you cant support your family and you have people like Karen that is nothing but a sperm baby and had everything giving to her, There is a old expression, What goes around comes around… I think she needs to trade places with Marty and she what she writes in 30 days.
I just want to tell all of you who are in there 50’s that have your job and sleeping soundly…F*CK ALL OF YOU… You have no idea what it is like to lose everything. Your house, your family is living all over the place. No nothing….I worked since I was 13 years old, Go try to find a job at this age…F*CK YOU; F*CK YOU, Merry XMAS….
I would like to tell all of you on here that are the HATER”S of UI Benefits, hopefully being so hateful means that you are working and you think those who cannot find work are just lazy! I think that is the jest of what those on this site are thinking! Most of you who hate UI benefits and are working in the Education, must not understand that if you become unemployed, you are NOT able to collect you benefits because you NEVER paid into them.
In my state, if you are in Education, be it Accredited or as a Sub, they do not pay into our state’s UI Benefits program. That means that if you are laid off due to budget cuts, good luck and please don’t cry!! Then you would lose that HATE!! Just go out and find another job and then if you cannot in about 3 years, come back to this site and explain to those of us pounding the pavement, how mad, sad and just unfair the world is…
@ fed up.
You people make me sick. Have you read the statistics? There are 5.5 people looking for a job for every job that is available! You are the a$$ here. Stupid idiots on here saying things about people who are less fortunate right now. How bout do us a favor. All of you that are higher than us like you say or think, quit your jobs and we can have them. Then there will be no one on unemployment. Most of you who say these things are the lucky ones who have not had to lose a job in a really bad economy. But one day your time will come, and i will be working. The tables will be turned, and when you need help you will be asking for it too. Stupid people like fed up need to know how it is on the other side before they can belittle people. Obviously, there is a hue job problem if millions are unemployed!
And by the way, i know executives who have lied on their resumes to get a job at mcdonalds to support their families. Problem is, even mcdonalds is not really hiring anymore. So stop being an a$$ and for giggles, why don’t you try seeing how easy it is looking for a job? I am a mother of 4 with a blind husband who has been searching day to night for 10 months for a job, and i have had 3 interviews in 6 months! I am educated, and i have been working for a long time in the medical field. I have applied for sales jobs and mcdonalds, or anywhere to find something. No one has called me. Maybe they have called you?
Jerk!
@ Karen,
To generalize is one thing, but to imply that everyone who is on unemployment is lazy and using the governments “free money” is pretty sad. There may be virtually jobs everywhere as you blatenly say, but it is up to the company who has a job available whether they want to hire you or not. Also since there is 5.5 people for every job available, I would say it is pretty hard to get a job even if it is for less money.
So Karen, get off your HIGH HORSE. Just because people are on unemployment does not make them lazy or illiterate! It makes people like you selfish for saying what you say just because you are not in our shoes. One day though, the tables will be turned when there are not enough teaching jobs. What will you do then? Will YOU be on unemployment? Will you then be lazy and using your “free money” to buy a couch, or maybe just maybe…you’ll use it to keep a roof over your head and food in your stomach.
Stupid people say stupid things no matter how educated you think you are! Shut up and look at this country. People are starving because they have no jobs. They are homeless. I don’t think unemployment’s free money is doing a whole lot to keep them on their couch, it is just helping them to get by. One day you’ll be there crying for unemployment benefits too….just wait.
Yes congress should pass h.r. 589 there many unemployed worker out without a who has ran out their benifits , even the uneployment tate may come down this week that’s because those are the poeples who have exhausted their claims that doesn’t mean that all those peoples have found a job, when the end of the week comes .and they say that the jobless rates has went down that a lie, that’s why they should pass h.r. 589 and see what the really number are.
Please extend unemployment until the percentage goes down to 8%.
How you like this one? I know someone who was on unemployment there 2 years and it ran out in March. They extended that persons benefits another 16 months making it a total of 3 years on unemployment.
Karen,
My first wife’s name was Karen, she was a bitch too. Your not illiterate, just a stupid educated ass.
When I use to have a really good job, living from paycheck to paycheck, had enough money saved for those just in case things like a car breaking down or a kids school field trip expense, I, like some folks on here had looked down on those getting unemployment. I did because ther are some people in my area are really lazy and refuses to work and do anything they can to get the “free” money. Even when employment was good, there was these freeloaders sitting out on the street, same place, same time everyday and I am like, how do they do this. But then again, these are the same people you read about in the paper that get busted for drugs and theft and you realize thats how they get their money.
I have been unemployed now for the past 3 and 1/2 years. My unemployment benefits ran out over a year ago. I am attending a local college to get my degree in accounting or some type of business management. As long as I am able to, I will add programming courses. What pays for that is the FAFSA. I did not know this was avaliable until I found out that since I had a bad hip, that I qualified for disablilty rehab. I have since had my hip replaced but I am still able to attend classes. My wife works now and what she makes, we are still below the poverty level, big time, but we barely get by. Before three onths ago, I have had 3 interviews. The past 3 months, I have had 6 interviews and a few more in the works. The main problem I have now is I am way behind in child support.
It was lowered for a year but the amount was raised to the original level because I “have the potential” to earn wages to make the support. I do not disagree, but I have no income. What I have been doing the past year is I have been volunteering services I know of, like for instance web sites. I have designed a few pro bono for local organization. I am thinking that if I do enough, then word would spread and then I will be able to start to make money. What I am saying is that unemployment did not spoil me, it allowed me to look for work with a piece of mind. Now, even though I said we are barely getting by, it is frustratrating not have a cushion. We have one vehicle and if that breaks down, we are doomed for a bit.
To people that have jobs telling us unemployed drawing cant get job. Well at my age 62 people won’t hire you and with no education can’t get a job. All fast food jobs want to hire kids and no one wants hire old people. I worked all my life in factory’s didn’t go Mexico people have jobs.
To Rose S,
The reason that you have not been hired, is probably because you are illiterate!
99 WEEKS of FREE MONEY? You should be ashamed of yourselves! There are jobs virtually everywhere! Yes, you will probably have to take a huge pay cut. See, that is EXACTLY the problem! People refused to work for less than what they were used to and coerced Obama into extentions, when he should have refused them to get this economy back on track by putting (forcing) people to look for work. If he keeps enabling everyone, we are going to run up further debt and our economy is going to continue to suffer. Time to suck it up and actually LOOK for a job, instead of your pretend “check-ins” I have seen it over and over with people I know. You are all using the system and now you are like spoiled children whose parents have told them they aren’t getting an allowance without working. Whine Whine Whine!
I have my Masters in Education, however, there were no teaching jobs available. I went to my local school district and put in for a substitute job for both certified and classified. I have been offered 4 different jobs this month alone. There are many many many school districts looking for classified (instructional assistants) that do not require any type of degree. My school is begging for them. I honestly think that it is learned helplessness, combined laziness and a bit of entitlement, when people who whine about not having jobs can’t take a cut in the interim. I have tons of friends who refuse to look for work, saying that they make more money on unemployment than they would working right now.
So, of course they take the easy way out and continue to collect. There is absolutely no reason these folks can’t find work! A lot of my friends take the unemployment and then work on the side (so they don’t have to pay taxes) Unemployment never finds out and voila, they get a normal income. What a way to work the system! I am really really fed up with the whining. I pray to God that Obama does not extend your unemployment, so that you will be forced to actually get off the couch that you probably bought with the government’s money.
Unemployment for us wasn’t a choice it was something that was forced down our throats. I will and have tried to take any kind of job out there, but I have to know spanish or have a college degree to do something I already know how to do. This is an English speaking country and I am in my forties. I should not have to learn Spanish to work in America. I shouldnt have to have a degree to do a job that I have taught kids with a college degree how to do.
If these moron employers didnt hire workers for less then minimum wage and ship our jobs overseas to China, Japan, Mexico etc. etc. etc…..then maybe there would be even some cheap labor jobs here. So for the guy who complains about people in this position who have no job, karma has a way of coming back around to those you cast stones at. I bet you didn’t have a problem giving your money to all the banks and bailing them out. How about the automobile industry? Why not help the little guy we have paid in all are lives and we deserve the money not them, Hello MC FLY.
If you dont want to help your fellow man, someday you may find yourself on the other side of the fence and you’ll know what it feels like to have this country you’ve lived in turn their back on you.
How dare are you people judge all these people that are ultimately out of work and cannot get a job due to the idiot we have in office! Shame on you!
I shall return to tax the idiots!
I have over 1200 resumes out. I need a job! I hold a Masters Degree in Education. However, I’m willing to work for $8.00 an hour. The problem is I can’t even land a minimum wage job. My bills are out of hand and I’m getting depressed. I would shovel cow crap for a job. To the guy that says we need to get a job maybe he can quit working his 60 hours a week and provide someone a 20 hour part time position. That seems reasonable! America wake up and provide part time jobs! Quit letting people work 60 hours a week when others can’t even bring food to the table.
Hey making big money, your probably the guy that helped send maufacturing jobs overseas. I was employed in the industry for twenty five years and never had a problem finding a welding job. I was laid off three times in a year and a half. I have decided to go to school and change what I am doing to better my chances of getting a job, yes I am using the unemployment and now I am done with it, lost that too. I have always worked and paid my taxes, and when I need help where is it. The rest of the world no, Americans, yes. Help us first at least the ones who are willing to work to change and return to the working world and contribute.
I have been getting unemployment since January of 2009 and not able to find a job. I’m recently divorced last year and facing going to jail because i cant pay child support. I cant even get a gas station to call me in for an interview and I am at 99 weeks as well.
As long as the $700 a month I pay in federal income tax is funding your unemployment benefits, I’ll keep on throwing stones!
United we stand? Are you kididing me?
I’m working 60 hours a week, making BIG money, and paying taxes. You’re NOT. We’re not a team. I’m a provider; you’re a liability. I contribute to the greatness of this nation; you contribute to the national deficit! That ‘OVERQUALIFIED” detriment is such a CROCK! If you’re so “overqualified,” then tailor your application or resume to the job you seek. If you think that master’s degree makes you overqualified to be a WalMart cashier, then don’t mention it on your application! If you think you’re above an entry-level position, YOU’RE NOT! IF YOU’RE COLLECTING, YOU ARE ABOVE NO ONE! You should kiss the hand of the man cleaning the urinals at the I-95 rest stop like he’s the King of France, because compared to you, he is!
To all of you who happily and proudly collect unemployment benefits like it’s you’re God-given right, while you turn down jobs which don’t pay as much as sitting on your A$$, collecting: YOU LOSERS ARE DESTROYING THE AMERICAN DREAM! YOU ARE BREAKING OUR NATION! HAVE SOME DIGNITY!
ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, GET A FREAKING JOB!
Try living a area of two place to work the insurance companies a couple, not hiring, the newspaper not hire, and the hospital, and colledge. The local shops and grocery and the next big town is a good 3hrs away. As you can guess I am fror the Upper Peninsula or Michigan as close by water to Canada and there are maybe the same two job opening, everyday and everyone is applying for those jobs.
I would to work Mr. President Obama. I am out unemployment as of August . But our goverment could give a rats ass about us. We ARE THE POOR. And not even close to the middle class. How about training people for the big companies like Google and Yahoo, gmail but when I tried they want money to get started and are always scam anyway make these ass’s quit putting there shit online.
Get a grip
Stop throwing stones… Open your minds and hearts and READ the article and if you find it necessary to comment without knowing facts and with no compassion for your fellow AMERICAN then comment and DO SOMETHING about all the illegals that are absconding here in AMERICA every day!
Wake up our country is in a mess and we need to HELP one another with compassion and kindness. How about some job suggestions to help! United we STAND, Divided we FALL! Ignorance is not BLISS! I’m an unemployed teacher and widow with children who went back to school for another degree, certifications, etc. and STILL no employment and my unemployment has just run out. Any helpful suggestions? Thanks to our news, employers are told to watch out for those job seekers that are willing to take lessor jobs because 80% will leave. Thus, NO JOB even in there! Or my favorite is YOU are OVERQUALIFIED!
Believe me NO ONE wants to be in this place. It’s humiliating and to feel like a failure daily is a place YOU do not want to be. I Pray to GOD for AMERICAN people like myself that we get help and the Government WAKES up and stops with their constant battling amongst themselves. REPUBLICANS & DEMOCRATS You need to work TOGETHER on each issue as a WHOLE! NOT only vote if the issue came from ON YOUR SIDE!
GROW UP and work together PLEASE…
P.S. To the 8/2011 JA who said that the unemployed should VOLUNTEER.
1. Unemployed cannot work as a volunteer anywhere and for any minimal amount of unless they wish for their wages to be cut or lost completely. I quietly volunteer to the AMERICAN Red Cross when it does not interfere with my job searching but advised I shouldn’t. 2. One can only collect Welfare if they have -0- balance in the bank and have not source of income over $320/month.
How low can YOU go? I pray all you employed remain employed. So stop throwing stones and offer to help! We unemployed have paid into the system for MANY years and do not WISH this on ANYONE… NOT even you. God Bless you and AMERICA.
Yes, I am disappointed in my fellow citizens. You that aren’t working should not take the time to cry here you should spend every minute looking for a job, or creating one. You should not have access to a computer on your own, it costs money someone else is paying. If you have a computer you should sell it for food, etc. You should not use the energy for anger, you should be using it to find a job. My ancestors came from Italy and worked in the coal mines, they lived frugal and because they did it was easier on their heirs. I live where unemployment is 4%. You see signs in the windows offering jobs. I go to Dallas, there are signs in the windows offering jobs, is this all a scam? I think not.
I know several people on unemployment that plan to stay that way. One called me and ask if she had to take a job she was offered! I told her that no, but they may report you and you would be cut off unemployment!! She plans to work and quit before christmas vacation and draw again!!! I haven’t had a vacation in over two years, I am self employed!
You that think you pay into unemployment. You don’t, look it up if you are using a computer anyway. The first part of your unemployment was a percentage your eployer paid. After that it is welfare, paid by the taxpayers. What difference does it make if it is called unemployment, it is welfare!
Get real, turn in your ‘fellows’ and yourself if you are working at another job and drawing welfare, if you are not looking for a job and only putting down ‘scam’ contacts for your requirements, turn yourself and your friends in, it may be hard to prove but you will have done your job for the welfare you are getting!
Now, go get a job, restaurants, movies, bowling alleys, unloading at warehouses, anything that pays minimum wage! Go down the yellow pages and apply for the lowliest job at each business. After you have done that and can’t find anything, move to an area where the rate is lower!
You people who aren’t working have a lot of time to volunteer at hospitals, schools, senior citizens centers, cleaning our world! Help the elderly and disabled in your immediate area so you don’t have to drive. Many citizens of other countries on the dole have to do that to get their dole, it would be nice if all these people just volunteered if they aren’t working, and it would raise their self esteem!
Are any of you doing that?
Many times a happy, helpful volunteer position will work into a permanent position or help you meet people who will admire your work and give you a position. Welfare has certain qualifications and most would not qualify. Many poor people rent, they do not own homes, so why are all of you feeling that home ownership is a right? Many people have older vehicles and do upkeep, or no vehicles and share, so why feel you have the right to a newer vehicle?
Don’t give me this… to go to an interview… go to the library and apply online! If you own older vehicles there is no payment and you only have to buy liability insurance, further cutting costs! You can shop at Good Will or Salvation Army, but you should not need to shop, you should have clothes, etc. from when you were employed!
I bet none of you accept these suggestions?
I was laid off from work on May 15th, 2009, and yes I am collecting unemployment, but it runs out Oct 14th of this year. I look for a good every single day, and I cant even get a job interview! I am continuing my education, in hopes that it will help me find a job, but as of yet it hasnt worked. What will we do when it runs out be homeless?
I used to feel the same way you do until I lost a 6 figure job. I was driving a 7 year old Saturn that was paid for, and still am. I also bought a house at a fraction of what I was approved for, paid almost half of the purchas price as a down payment (no PMI), and even refinanced when the interest rates dropped, leaving me with a mortgage payment of less than $500. Everything else I own is paid for. I do not, and have never lived an extravagant lifestyle.
My one extravagance is a health insurance policy, and even that has a $10,000 deductible.
I have spent more hours looking for a job (any job! I don’t need a huge income) than most people spend working a full time job. I am over 50 which I feel puts me at somewhat of a disadvantage. I paid a huge amount to have a professional resume written for me, but have had to alter it for a lot of jobs so that I don’t seem to be overqualified. In the almost 2 years I’ve been looking, I’ve had only 6 interviews. One company”s hiring process took over 3 months, then after 5 interviews, they decided not to fill the position.
My unemployment benefits are exhausted. I scour the coupons and sale papers for food items I need, so I won’t have to apply for food stamps. I shop for toiletries at a drug store that gives loyalty rewards so I can use those with sales and coupons to be able to buy shampoo! es, I did plan for emergencies. I had a huge sum of money put away in a money market account so that I would have a cushion but that’s nearly gone.
Yes, I used to look at the long term unemployed as bums, leeches, bottom feeders just as you do. I couldn’t imagine someone not being able to find some sort of employment for over 2 years until it happened to me.
I’ve been where you are. I hope you never have to be where I am …
I can’t believe all the pdople here who collected for 99 weeks and still have the audacity to call the government heartless or criticize the rich for getting richer. You blame the republicans for this mess? I blame YOU!
You draw a paycheck for doing nothing in return. You take more than you provide this society. You are the reason our nation is broke! There is not a botyomless pit of money, people. Unemployment benefits are not intended for you bums to live the same lifestyle you had with a job. It’s meant for temporary support, to feed your kids and stay in your homes. 99 weeks is not temporary! Get a job.
I worked my way through college in a tire shop. Now I’m 35 and have enjoyed a solid 6 figure income for years, but if I got laid off, I’d start at the bottom and start climbing again. I’d do that because unlike you, I have too much pride to accept a handout. I wouldn’t have to sell my vehicles because unlike you idiots who drove the newest, most expensive cars they could afford, I paid them off and maintained them for the long haul. I wouldn’t sell my house because even though I was approved for 5 million dollar loan, I bought a house for $170k. Years later it’s worth much more, and I owe much less. It’s called living within your means.
You can read about it in American History texts. Get a job, bums! Pick up a paint roller; push a lawnmower! Stop diverting social security funds frim the seniors!
I agree with everyone who is looking for a job. I have lost all my unemployment and I look everyday for a job. I call staffing agencies, the Local Career Link Center, and even signed up for Civil Service Tests.
I have no money, no more beliefs in my Government. I want to know if lawmakers would rather see people living in the streets and telling them that we do this because we have no money, food , homes and we can’t pay taxes because you took all our dignity. No one cares about us and we fall deeper and deeper into holes.
When does this all end?
Yeah I cry bologna. I have searched every day, most of the day for 18 months. I am so nervous when December comes, CHRISTMAS EVE to be exact and my benefits will end. With a Mortgage of 2400.00, I will be in major trouble. I feel for most of us are working our tails off to get a job.
I know I am not milking the system, however what do I do then, say goodbye to my home that I have worked so hard for? I think Unemployment should be extended past 99 weeks. I am tired of the rich people banking on all of our homes people are loosing.
Very depressing I hope something changes soon.
I saw the economy getting bad so I went back to school. After graduating I found out that I was scammed and can not work in this field for misdemeanors that are expunged. These offenses were put on the open internet by the state of California and now I can’t even get a minimum wage job. I am bankrupt I have lost my house, my truck and my ATV vehicles along with more than half of my personal belongins.
Now I am struggling to stay away from homelessness. Thank you American government for spending all of your time giving American tax money to froiegn nations. It is clear you forgot about all the Americn peole right here at home. How about realizing that not all of us are rich like you and start remembering who you are suppose to be serving, AMERICANS!!! And 99 weeks is not enough I have done everything I can to make the best of a bad economy and find work, I haven’t worked in 3 1/2 years now.
I worked for 20 years before that why can’t I be compensated during this depression?
We have a very cold, cold government! We can’t find work and we need the help to maintain some standard of living. We give billions to the oil company’s and billions more in foreign aid and billions to help bail out the banks and car company’s.
What about the “AMERICAN PEOPLE” For those people who say we are just lazy, I hope you never have to wonder where your next meal is coming from, or if you will have some place to live. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave and sometimes the land of the “HEARTLESS”
Thank You.
Man I have been looking for a job going on 2 years now.
We all know that if your over 50 and pushing 60 and been out of work for over six months might as well get used to the idea your not going to get hired. People say they can’t do that it’s illegal. Sure it is however try to prove it. I am not one that will turn down any kind of work. I really would like something that at least paid the bills but will do whatever comes along.
Right now I go out and direct traffic a couple times a week. doesn’t hardly pay my gas to get to the job. But I’m not turning down anything. So for the ones that say we are to lazy to go find any job. Screw you. It’s just not true. Am I not qualified for a decent job? I would think so as I always had one till now. So tell us what we are to do? I could tell you my sad story of how my wife died of cancer and she did in 08.
Or how I have a 1500 dollar a month house payment and the house went down in value so can’t sell can’t move and have no clue what to do with it. but what’s the point when your 57 years old and worked all your life to raise kids and support a family who cares right?So we hope congress will do something anything besides ignore the problem that is growing ever larger as the days go by. For some reason they just don’t get it. We must be getting by as they don’t see us in the streets. Not yet anyway.
When what little money we saved for retirement is finally gone. When the homes go into foreclosure as they are. When no one will hire us as we are un hirable as to length of time off work and age. Then what? Then where do we go and what do we do? Really to the ones that think we are avoiding work to get that big unemployment check try walking in our shoes for just one day.
Then maybe you will understand. but to do that you would have to be unemployed and really I’m happy your not as to have a job and continue to pay my own way is all I know. This isn’t the way I thought it all would end. You try to plan for things going wrong but sometimes its just more then a person can do. So Tell me someone where do we go from here?
I have been without work since 2008 (March) working for the US Government as an civilian since 1984. And for some government reason I am unable to secure a job at a lower grade that I started at. (GS-3) Lost my job at a level of an (GS-6). When the Government was at it low in the 1990’s I decided to lower my grade to not ( LAY OFF EMPLOYEES I was an (GS-8)
I downgraded myself to hire more civilians to keep up the dedication and show what one employee can do. As the governmnet functions today it seems that all the civilian are getting passed up due to Veterens (RE-employed Annuits) due to tey have served the United States. (Don’t passed up) But give Civilian with experience the SAME CHANCE!!!
I think that if the government does’nt extend the 99 week rule for UIA benefits, they better bring back welfare and ADC, or some other form of benefits, for those of us who have exhausted their benefits. I’m coming to the end of my 99th. week, and I have a house note; car note; insurance on both; I need food, health care; money for utilities; gas for the automobile, to get to an interview.
I think this whole bull about extending the 99 weeks will stop people from seeking employment, is just that, BULL. Who in their right mind would stop looking for work. If they keep thinking like that, I hope they have a plan for when that one back-fires. How many weeks do they think it will take to loose a car; home; a family, and for some the will to live. How can the lost of those things motivate anyone to seek work?
We believed in our government, and now it’s time for them to believe in us, and don’t turn their backs on us, when we need them the most. We contributed little to the state of the nation, bad government is to blame, so the government needs to bail us out, of a problem they created. This 99 week concept, was determined, I’m sure, when times like these were not a foregone conclusion.
STOP stalling and call this sitution we’re in what it really is, a Depression, and govern yourselfs accordingly!
I have worked all my life. I want to work. I am told on a daily basics that we are staffed. I have a home and car payment. Not to mention IRS who is not given me a break. So getting off my butt I would love to do. I need help
And these idiots keep voting rep. I don’t understand for the life of me why people are so fickle. The rep put us in this place, now it’s not going to take 4yrs to fix, yet now the will vote rep again?
I don’t understand people, rep are for the rich! bottom line. How dear they say we don’t want to work while they are collecting a check, riding in fancy cars, going on trips etc…….it’s comman sence and they don’t have a bit of it.
Our country really is a big joke now, sorry to say, but is true. How can anyone read these blogs listen to people pleading that they need to keep a roof over there heads and feed there kids and be able to sleep at night? GREED thats how. I am so tired of feeling so angry over a comman sence issue! I truly wish come voting day no one would vote!! NO ONE thats the only way we will truly be heard!
My brother-in-law has been unemployed since November 2008. He has decided that as long as he can collect unemployment there’s no reason to look for a job; especially if it pays less. His words. He has become lazy and it sickens me that he sits on his butt day in and day out. When the weather is warm he does nothing but fish.
He was in construction/remodeling and there have been several job opportunities over the past two years but he always has an excuse not to work. I know there are others like him out there and that is why I get irritated every time I hear about extending benefits.
i got layed off in 12-08 i worked for 20 years.. now im a 99er.. the government cut me off because i went past 99 weeks . now i have no money comeing in.there are just no jobs out there ,, i put out over 1000 applications in the 2 years ive been off and got 50 interviews.. the companys have a 3 ft pile of applications to choose one person..im still off and looking every day..i am about to loose everything ive worked for my whole life wile the rich get richer
..then they say unemployment is dowm 9.4 percent.. ya because they cut us off…this is america the american people should be taken care of we’re the ones that pay the taxes and built this country..while the government wastes trillions on other countrys and wars that have nothing to do with us..add the extention for the people that have been off for over 99 weeks..cut funding on stupid things and help us
..the government caused this problem they should take care of the american people first until they fix it…they cut us off in the middle of winter. while they have there lavish partys for x mas and and new year.. while we loose our homes and have no food…makes me sick..
Last week my brother, during a conversation about my 99 week, lack of a job said to me, “Well maybe you should consider taking something that pays less than what you were making.” I was stunned. WHAT – How narrow minded can anyone be! He too thinks that we 99’ers should get off our behinds and get a job. If only we could.
On one particular night, I applied to 150 open positions on Indeed.com and other sites. I applied to everything that was open. I received 5 emails stating, “Your resume has been received and is being reviewed.” Never heard anything further from either of them. I tried to submit in person to a couple of the positions open at nearby offices, only to be told smugly, sorry but we only accept them through the internet.
With my chin up, I walked out, thinking….when it is her time…she’ll see just how useless the internet is when it comes to job hunting. I can not count the number of resumes I have submitted either in person or internet, in my town and out of town, even in other states. It seems to be the same everywhere. No jobs.
To my brother whom I love , I have cleaned homes, helped cleaned stables, worked temp positions for attorneys (who don’t want to pay or hire), done without now with UEB maxed there is no money coming in at all. Sure hope you keep your job through this economy……wouldn’t want you to live like this.
I was laid off from a very lucrative position in June of 09. Since then I have been collecting my whopping 275.00 per week (249.00 after TAXES), and applying to every job from the corporate level I was in to the “first job” type positions. McDonald’s would not hire me because as they said “I would jump on the first job paying more money”; therefore, they did not want to invest the time to train me. My reply to them was, wouldn’t you? But I still need/want this job! But instead, the next teenager with no work ethic took the job. I have applied to be a paper carrier, secretary, you name it. So go ahead, tell me I’m lazy, tell me I’m milking the system, and when your round of layoffs hit, I hope you can survive as long as many of us have. It’s not easy telling your children that Santa didn’t have room in his sleigh this year. I have worked full time since I was 15 years old, at 38 I shouldn’t have to sell my home, my car, my personal belongings, but I am. I am disgusted at the fact that I am on unemployment, but I’m on it so that my family does not go without food, and even that is scarce. I was told that I was not eligible for any other governmental benefits. So 401k, gone, life insurance, cashed in, home, sold, cars, sold, electronics…need I say more.
For those of you who choose to come and bash us, apparently your life holds no meaning that you find the time and enjoyment in coming here to put us down. Perhaps your energy would be utilized better elsewhere … say … creating some jobs
Good luck to you all and God Bless, were in this together, at least most of us are :)
I ran out of unemployment benefits Nov. 30th, 2010. I am a widowed senior citizen with a small Social Security Pension. Without unemployment I can only afford my rent $750 or food. I am on the verge of being homeless because I chose food. I don’t even have a car.
I am more than willing to work if there were jobs there aren’t any jobs and also living in South Florida, you either have to speak a second language which I don’t.
Please extend the 99 weekers till the job percentage goes down….please before I am just another homeless person. Low rent housing isn’t even taking names for a waiting list. I am a strong believer in God so I know something will come up.
Please extend unemployment past 99 weeks, I have worked since the age of 12, and worked over 80 hour work weeks since I was 18. I worked 6 years as a CNA, beacme an LPN, and a correctional Officer, I have saved peoples lives, protected my community, and now being out of a job since 02/2009, had a baby, lost my job, and now I dont know where I am even going to get the money for gas to get to and from interviews!
IT TAKES MONEY TO MAKE MONEY!!, If people become homeless, no food, etc. Now welfare is going to increase, these people now without money have no money to spend to stimulate and keep the economy going, and without money how the hell can we even interview? no gas$, no babysitter$, I find this all very sad, and I am praying for everyone out there in the same situation, Ive never been so scared, and I worked in a state Prison!
God bless everyone, Please extend unemployement, these people, myself included, that are now 99ers, have worked, we are workers, we are not lazy or have experienced being without a job, and unfortunetely, we have lost it, and are the ones suffering the most right now.
The gov has no money every leader said they want to help but do you really hear a talk about getting out of these wars, anyone older then eight knows that these wars have no end. This country has been fighting since the begining of time and lets there people work out there own troubles. The money we spend on these war could help the unemployed and put start up money back in the system.
To “No unemployment extension” …….I guess you must have a job. I have looked every day since I was laid off in September 2007. I have applied for jobs that were much less paying than what I earned. I was told I am overqualified. But then again, how many people can they hire at McDonald’s?
I am fortunate in that I do not have children to take care of. The ex left 6 months after I was laid off so I went from 2 incomes to no income. Every case is different. Sure, there may be a few that take advantage of the system, but the majority out there are truly seeking work, any kind of work.
I would take a job or jobs that will pay for the mortgage, gasoline, insurance, food, health insurance, utilities and all the other necessities. I too am at my wits end. I have dipped into the 401k, sold things and done odd jobs while looking for work. Really don’t know what else to do.
I am so sad by what i have read above we are just in a sinking ship. I am also disgusted about people who would call the unemployed lazy. Sure I bet there are people living off the state or government there will always be those few… These people will never go away…..But like myself i have been looking for a job for almost 2 years have learned quick books.
And excel during this time… Guess what? Seems now i have to learn spanish too ! I live in florida and the unemployment is over 11% must be bilingual…. Seems to pop up more times then i care to see.
(should say must speak english i would think? ) anyway i have seen my own son computer engineer take a job in a sporting goods store to wok a cash register.
We are not to proud as the ass above said to take a lower job and the guy who said he has a doctorate is just plain nuts ..Employers are taking advantage …Taking theses people over the ones where it only requires a ged why? To get the very best and pay you nothing … That just keeps pushing every one else further down the totem pole. Im not here to blame or sham anyone but really we are all trying to survive.
There is no jobs for all the people graduating or looking to new ventures no one has the money to spend with even the employers knocking down the wages. Oh and giving you two to three jobs worth of work to do on top of that is really disgusting and most of these big wigs do so because they wont take less $ and want their raises ….
I wish i could tell a employer that takes advantage ….You want to pay me what to do what???? Please just stick it … But we cant can we…. At least not yet….
Worked 40 years but now you whine? What the hell did you squander it on? You’re 72 and on SS and medicare but want unemployement beyond 99 weeks. If you are young keep your pecker in your pants or else if you have em you feed em. If you throw a bad wad, why do I have to pay for your irresponsible pleasure?
I have been out of work for 1 yr now. I have been busting my ass trying to find work anywhere and everywhere. Its bad when the government can bail out banks and auto manufacturers but cant do anything for us who are jobless.
I’ve applied from McDonald’s to working as a deckhand on the inland waterways and nothing. Those who say we are just sitting on our asses need to give us unemployed ppl there lifesavings and jobs and see how they like sitting around wondering if they will have there cars and homes taken away.
I’m already planning to go to trade school and get certified and licensed for a new career. Manufacturing companies pack up and go to different countries for cheaper wages to pay.
SARA nice jewish name btw! J
Jews are u 4 real? Get your pointy white hat and jump off a bridge! I am not of the Jewish faith but idiot DUHH! JESUS WAS A JEW !!!!!! so was moses jerk get a frigin grip on reality….. its assh**es like u with the narrow bigoted bird brain. Oh’ sorry birds didnt mean to offend that has us stuck in the 50’S mentality.
…..now back to topic depending what area u live in there are many jobs but living in a rural area like i do there are very few and not for nothing for the 25 years i have been putting in to unemployment. Thats the reason why so we have it when we need it i hope all of u who pish and posh over unemployment one day have to go on it !!
You’ll see there is a need for it and how difficult it is to really find work outr there. I have been looking for a while im talking everywhere including walmart kmart any gas station i stop at. I’m not pickey but currently in my area there is verry little work and what work there is u need either cdl nursing degrees ect…. which i dont have but i will still look.
Yes there is no money for alot these days even food ect… presents being x-mas but not eveyone is milking the system ….. but those who are make it rough on those who dont!
I would gladly shovel shi* to buy my kid presents this year! But any way Im going back to the hunt and good luck to all u all who is also and those who naysay well just remember this what goes around comes around !
never say never cause one day u may be me!
For all those people who are tired of paying for me to be on unemployment, I would like to talk to you face to face. Oh, that’s right people like you hide behind the internet to sound tough. I personally would beat your butt’s into the ground if you said any of the b.s. above to my face regarding being lazy and milking the system. I hope all of you burn in hell!
Sara what the hell are you talking about? You’re rant does nothing but make you look ignorant and adds nothing to the topic which is about us 99 Weekers.
Go watch “Ring of Power” on youtube…you will understand this whole afair…Always remember, if you gonna let Jews run your affairs, you think you will get justice? NOT
Who betrayed Moses after he saved them and parted the sea? Jews –
Who betrayed Jesus? Jews – who God turned into Monkeys and Pigs, when they broke the covenant they made with God, Not to Work on Sabath”? The Jews
Whos running the Govt? jews
Who’s the largest recipient of U.S. aid and how much? Israel – $3 billion/yr
Who controls the Banking Industry? jews
Who’s on Obama’s economic advising team?
Who controls sports? jews
Who controls the Media? jews
Who controls Porn? jews
Who control entertainment? jews
A jew will sell his own mother and his daughter for money…so hit them where it hurts the most, and stop spending on unnecessary or recreational stuff – STOP WATCHING TV – TV is how they get you, “mouth piece of satan” by pounding us with ads and naked gurls – STOP buying Alcohal, stop going to the malls etc etc – wait for the movie to come out on dvd – and teach your children why u tightning the belt and tell them whos responsible for it too – AND NEVER VOTE FOR A JEW AGAIN – REMEMBER THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE AGAINST IT>>>MAKE SURE U DON”T LET THEM WIN AGAIN – Don’t get caught with this republican/democart and now tea party SHIT – they are all the same –
AND CURSE THE ONES WHO ARE OPPRESSING YOU
WRITE AND CALL YOU REPRESENTATIVES AND TELL THEM TO INCLUDE AN EXTENTION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN OUT OF WORK 99 WEEKS.
They are in negotiations while we speak, now is the time for them to include this is the bipartisan tax break that is taking place, otherwise the republicans will never vote for it. CALL YOUR REP!
AMEN to screwing over older americans.
Hubby is 53 with 2 degrees, I am 56 with 2 degrees. I never got it since no one would hire me out of college five years ago- so I have been online selling and making shit in this terrible economy. Hubby exhausted his 99 weeks.
We spent our savings trying to keep afloat. We owe no one- paid off house, cars, 2 college degrees and still are struggling since we are making less than 15K combined. We are in MI and are taking shit jobs to put food on the table. We cannot sell our house for anything to move out of this shit state.
We are in MI- ground zero. Hubby put out over 1000 resumes in two years and for every job they had over 1000 applications. He is at top of his scale and even offered to work for 1/2 his pay. STill no hire. YOu cannot even flip a burger here unless you have done it recently. The job situation is scarry.
Our health insurance is $998 a month so that leaves us $150 a month for food and taxes and gas etc. You try living on that. We are doing everything we can to try to find work- there are no jobs- there are no jobs out of state. Unless we want to move to Calcutta and work for .50 an hour we are FUC*edup the rear. Thanks BUSHIT
Well I have to say that I my self was fired from my job on December 21, 2009 I had a part time job at game stop. All im collecting from unemployment is 63.00 dollars weekly. I had to sell my phone to makes my ends meet im a college graduate in computer A+ Repair and maintenance, and a graphics designing in Photo Shop.
I have 5 years + in sales and retails on computer and both phones I do try my best to find a job at a Radio Shack Store Best Buy. While I was with out a job I visited a local best buy store made a regular customer apply for their credit line they bought both a playstation 3 with both xbox360’s and a Hp Desktop computer.
The manager of the store saw the way I handled the situation and had told me personally he wouldnt hire me because i would put his job position into danger because of my selling and well knowledge of technology meaning that they would get rid of him for me
So to make a long story short many people like me that are honest and hard working are not able to find a decent job or a job at all because you have specially in the state of New York City Many people instead of giving jobs to people who have the qualifications they would rather hire friends and family and play it off to the Human Resources as Regular people who are trying to apply
How come I know this because from where i live at in the Bronx N.Y. their is a super market and the owner of the super market has their cousins and nephews and nieces working and their nieces and nephews and cousins hires their friends to work thats the reason why its hard to find a job specially in New York City.
You must always no some one in order to get what you need in life. YES AND TO MAKE THINGS MORE INTERESTING WHY IN ORDER TO GET A JOB ONE MUST TAKE A PERSONALITY EXAM JUST FOR A POSITION THEIR KNOWING THAT THAT EXAM WONT HELP YOU IN FINDING YOUR LAST PAYROLL DOING A ITEM EXCHANGE OR A REFUND ON A COMPUTER OR ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ECT……. BESIDES LET ME KNOW IF IM RIGHT OR WRONG.
Hope this gets red by a person in a high place.
Thank You for reading.
I just turned 62, and am still working part time due to a spinal injury that put me out of work for almost 6 months. I now have to walk with a cane, after working outdoor construction jobs most of my life. For 12 years, I worked for a major tool manufacturer (electronic) calipers and micrometers and measuring gages.
Then, 4 years ago, 90% of the jobs went to China. I went almost a year before I got a job for $9 an hour, half of what I used to make. My wife was making $18 an hour as well, then SHE was laid off from a doctor’s office as manager and CMA.
Two Master’s and other various degrees doesn’t do a damn bit of good when your 61. That was 2 years ago and still not even an interview. Also, I had to cancel my health insurance, at $9 an hour, I couldn’t afford the $158 a week cost. We both have worked all our lives since we were 16, and now they want to put illegal immigrants in college? WTF?
These people NEVER contributed or paid for these things like we have. Close the borders, do away with the TSA and Homeland Security, and PROFILE potential terrorists. This alone is one of the biggest drains on our economy. Also, why is it more millionaires are senators these days? So they can pay the sales tax on their yachts? How about DOWNSIZING Wall Street? YOUR tax dollars are flowing out of the country like a river gone mad.
How dare you compare unemployed people with “lazy bums”?
You may think you’re smug, but YOURE job is is on borrowed time buddy. Welcome to the class of “NO RETURN”. This is an engineered collapse and will affect everyone, even you.
Check out Gerald Celente – Economic Collapse on youtube
A lot of the so called 99 weekers like myself are 50 and above and the reason we are unemployed is b ecause the government allows companies to lay off their older workers for no reason with no consequences a quick solution would be to fine the companies for everyone over 50 they lay off and also not allowb any company to out source to other countries or to hire any foreign workers but to only hire american workers and to send all illegals back to where they came from untib the ecconomy gets better also stop giving money to any country that supports our enemies in any manner lets take care of us first. i am a vietnam vet, a senior citizen, and the father of a handicapped son i am not lazy, and i do have a part time job but with everything going up in price and the government saying no increase in ss, and with a governor who has screwed up my great state of jersey i say i do need help.
Not all folks on unemployment benefits abuse this benefit, but far to many do. I know or know of too many people who are not even looking for a job. What ever happened to the day when people held down two jobs to make ends meet. A lot of people don’t want to look, but love complaining.
Those who are seriously looking for work I support you.
I think 99 weeks indicates enough time to find a job – many who lost jobs before the extensions to four times, soon to be six times as long package appeared had to take positions for salaries less than what many on unemployment compensation are receiving. Perhaps 100% benefits for a year,,, then 75%for six months and 50%up to 99,,,, the 25% to help those earning less.
We have to face the fact that a person employed many years may well have to accept an entry level position,,,, It is what it is.
At this point, we may all be a little leery to state the obvious,,,,, to those not looking for or accepting a job because it isn’t what they want,,,, or pays too little,,, or isn’t worthi it because unemployment is better should sutstitute the word “Welfare” for “unemployment” – and if you complained about those too proud ot lazy to look before,,,,, take a look in the mirror.
Well I’ve lost my home and now I’m living in my car.I’ve been looking for work for over a year now.I wish they would give more befits after 99 weeks.
All you 99 weekers whining…..I’m self employed and when work runs out so does the money. NOBODY sends me a check! No wonder my taxes are so high….most of you make more on unemployment then I do working.
Bro it’s all a huge scam. Just think you go on unemployment and collect $300 – $450 per week then work a job under the table for another $500 a week and you’re golden.
Hell if you’re bar tending or waiting tables at a popular restaurant you could walk away with $1000 plus cash per week just from that. These 99 weekers are not fooling anyone which is why their time is just about up.
They keep crying for an extension so they can skim by under the radar milking the system and the tax payers.
There may be the rare exception to the rule who actually can’t find a job but 99% of these jokers either are to proud or have a job under the table simple as that.
I know of 3 people on “dole” of unemployment and all 3 are working “off the books” and laughing all the way to the bank. They are doing jobs as waiter, waitress and bar helper.
Every single person that lost their jobs that I know from my work (we had several waves of lay offs), every single one, has a job now. There are definitely jobs out there. If you can’t find a job after 2 years then maybe you need to move to a different country altogether.
I with you 2 years and you can’t find a job give me a break. These suckers just want to mooch off the system as long as they can. Our government provides a breeding ground for these leaches.
Sorry, but if you can’t find some kind of job in 2 years then you must not be looking very hard. I worked very hard for 46 years and retired last year. Now I’m living on a fixed income so why should i have to take more of my income to pay more in taxes so the unemployed can live on welfare for a longer time?
I am one of those people the congress refers to as a 99er. I have been working since i was 151/2 doing construction and i just cant get a job. i also have applied at retail stores that dont even pay a quarter of what i use to make.
They try to make it seem like it’s the peoples fault for not having a job when really its our own government that screwed us, sending all our work here in the United States to other countries such as Mexico, China,etc.
They sure can help bailout all the banks, dealerships that started this mess, and finance the war but they cant bail out the American people that are in desperate needs right now to suruvive. Top it off all the money they used to bailout the banks and fund the war is tax payers money and were the ones that are going to be paying it back for generations!!!!
I’m sorry but regardless of how hard times may be for you it’s not my job as a taxpayer to pay your bills. Everyone struggles and goes through hard times and I don’t understand why it’s up to others to bail you out.
Doesn’t seem right to me that I worked my butt off to get where I am and just because I do so my tax dollars go those who bought homes they couldn’t afford in the first place.
I have a full time job. I also pay health care out of it, which cuts it substantially. I also have a husband that has been out of work for over 2 years. He has put in more apps than I can count. He has taken more 1 day, 1 week, 1 month temp jobs than I can remember.
He has heard more reasons and excuses why he was not chosen than I can name. Too old, too young, too thin, too fat, too qualified, not qualified enough. We have 2 children under the age of 10. We have cut out everything we don’t need. We had to give up our home of 10 years because after 10 years of paying steadily the mortgage company would not help in any way.
His unemployment has run out and we now live paycheck to paycheck on my salary. We used to have savings. I make too much for us to qualify for any state aid, (and believe me, I am not highly paid), which I have paid into for over 20 years and have never asked for before. For those who think he isn’t trying to find a job. To those who think jobs are plentiful. To those who think the government has given too much….walk a month in our shoes and then talk to me again.
You’re kidding right? So now it’s up to the people that have jobs to find jobs for those of you who don’t?
This is out of control. Obama has given to much to you people already now you think you’re entitled. You can’t tell me there isn’t a job out there I don’t buy that crap.
You don’t want the jobs that are available, period. For those who say there are no jobs where you live ever thought about moving?
I bet if there was no unemployment your ass would take the job that you think you’re too good for right now!
To the moron who wrote that the unemployed are lazy and want to live off benefits…Instead of wasting everyones time on here. Why don’t you put your effort into finding every unemployed person a job!
While I don’t resent the unemployed getting benefits, I do find it disgusting that some are milking the extension instead of applying for jobs. My brother in law has been on this form of welfare for almost two years. He applies for jobs via the Internet only and so that he isn’t called for a job, he applies for those he knows he isn’t qualified to work.
He did take a job in a bread factory but hated it and began to screw up so they’d fire him. When they did let him go, he was able to resume getting the extension. This is bullshit. BTW…bro in law has no wife, children, and lives with his mother in her paid off home.
Sorry but I believe people like him are the reason extensions need to be ended. There must be another solution in order to prevent the deadbeats like him.
Sounds like you should move then, that’s what it takes sometimes.
I was a soldier in the United States Army..Iraq, Saudi….don’t tell me I’m lazy or not willing…I have worked in Boating…drilled a finger off….worked after having surgery several times within DAYS…worked all areas…college educated…cleaned up dirt…grime…shit…to survive…..I am a mom….and where I live …THERE AREN’T ANY JOBS….I would do anything it took to work….70,000 residents…..10,000 unemployed…..2000 jobs……
Live in a shelter….have my child molested? Or subjected to the unknown?….WOULD YOU DO IT? Don’t preach to the pulpit….don’t make accusations…especially if you are not living the life…..
Veteran…mad as hell….seething and on fire…..
Last time I checked McDonalds is hiring and any other fast food related business. I think the problem is those of you that have lost your job don’t want to suck it up and take what you can get.
The economy is down I realize that and you need to as well. I now work 3 jobs that still don’t add up to what I was making at 1 job before. You people need to stop crying suck it up and do what it takes.
I don’t buy for one second that you “can’t” get a job it’s just on plausible. The problem is you think you’re too good for the jobs that are available and don’t apply for them.
I live in Oregon. Where they voted to tax the small businesses. The State of Oregon is a very blue State. So blue it lacks Oxygen. People here don’t under stand $250,000.00 is a small business. And not the rich. They are the bosses that have now quit hiring and closed down. I have been on unemployment since January of 2009.
I would give anything for a job. I have applied for everyone that comes along and told Oh your over qualified. In code language that means your over 40 and to old at 57. Beside we had over 100 applications the first day. Now people are saying oh you just will keep getting unemployment instead of a job as long as it is offered. Has anyone noticed the people saying this have jobs !!!!!
Where does it end? If 99 weeks is not enough, what is? We have to draw a line at some point, don’t you think?
The sad truth is if you can’t find a job after two years, you are probably not going to find one in two more.
Getting laid off and looking for work is a depressing picnic.
But it can also serve as a wake-up call. It means you are going to have to drastically change your lifestyle, give up your house, and possibly rent a room or live in a trailer. It means eating potatoes, peanut butter sandwiches, and finding where the free food is at happy hours. It also means you have to get serious about figuring out how to create an income stream for yourself, not necessarily a job, but something different. Ninety nine weeks should be time to do that IMHO.
There’s one thing I don’t like though, not all the statistics are legitimate. I do not believe that temporary jobs such as the census should be counted with the stats, and people who do not have jobs should be counted as unemployed regardless if they are receiving unemployment or not.
Calling people lazy or getting angry is not going to create jobs any faster.
Back in 2007, I was laid off. It took me seven months to land a job. I looked for work, I submitted resumes and what have you. While looking for work, I lived life the best way I knew how to. I went to the gym to work out, I studied for the classes I was taking. During that time, I only scored two job interviews.
Back on September 7, 2010, I was laid off again. I did janitorial work for two years and two months. While doing that job, I looked for work. I did not find anything. I did score a couple interviews. One of the jobs passed me up because they decided to hire someone on the inside. Another job passed me up because they decided to not hire anyone at that time. Even though I lost that job back on 9/7/2010, I humbled myself and delivered phone books. Unfortunately someone ran a stop sign and hit me. I lost that job because I was unable to deliver those books. Although I got hurt on 9/24/10, I managed to score a job interview. I’m waiting to hear if I get the job.
I don’t think the majority of the people here are lazy. I think most people here are casualties of circumstances. Did anyone here wake up one day and say: “Gee, what a beautiful day, I look forward to unemployment and it taking a while to find a job?” Getting laid off from a job in my opinion is almost like that of losing a friend or a loved one to death. We all know we’re going to die, but sometimes we are shocked when we find out someone close to us passes away. Again, no one wakes up and says: “Gee, what a beautiful day, I hope I lose a dear friend or loved one and cry my eyes out?”
There are reasons jobs are scarce and it’s not just due to outsourcing! The reason why the US Economy is in the crapper is because nothing backs up our currency. We function off of a legalized Ponzi Scheme that prints off money. In fact, the world economy is a Ponzi Scheme. We are all paying a price because of greed, arrogance, and ignorance. We all are paying the price because of the negativity shown on TV.
Those who have jobs, be grateful to have a job! Those who judge the jobless, be careful because you might not have your job tomorrow.! Jobs are like life, one minute it’s here, the next it’s gone! It took one of my friends 15 months to find a job! He did everything known to man to try. He spent 8 hours a day trying to find one, but nothing arrived. Another friend of mine was without a job for about six months. She found one, and three months later was laid off because the company declared bankruptcy. Sadly, some people I know ended their lives due to not finding a job as well.
to ANGRY99ER;
You must be glad you’re not one of those “stinking bastards” that has a job. It sounds like you have a serious anger management issue.
I hope your whining ass doesn’t get a job for another three years, you sound like you would be very hard to work with.
Why do you refer to females as “low life” pieces of crap?
Maybe your anger management and issues with females are hindering your search with getting a job.
ANGRY99ER,,,,, go f**k yourself.
Yeah, and i made a couple spelling mistakes, now talk your trash about that also. Just make sure you keep hiding, and dont say the shit in public to a true 99er.
I hate the fact that all of you stinking bastards that have a job, speak down on the unemployed. We are lazy bums, you are tired of paying for our unemployment benefits, or what ever else you faggots say.
I hope you, and all of your family become unemployed for about 3 years, plus loose all of your possesions that you worked so hard for, then maybe you will have some compassion for the unemployed! Even if the unemployed were being lazy, the stinking government has sucked the like out of the working people to provide bailout mone to the lying, cheating, crooks on Wall Street, and every other cheating white collar criminal in america, but you people dont complain about paying for their rescue money.
You can hide on these little discussion boards, and talk your trash, but i guarantee you and you low life female pieces of crap who say these stupid things, if you say any of that shit to a true 99er who is looking for work, and can not feed their children, or pay their bills, you will find yourself getting up off of the floor.
Please, Please, approach me, and see if I am a 99whiner, as you say! I will make sure that your dentist has a job!
To the morons that say we are lazy because we collect unemployment and cost them money. Please let me know where you work so I can take your job . I would love to see you change your s–t attiude once you don’t have an income.
Why the f**k do we need to argue with the idiot who says unemployed people are lazy? This guy want want to piss us off. Just get rid of all the Republican senators and congresses to make it easier for this administration to pass meaningful reforms that can create jobs and real healthcare reforms for this country.
After 99 weeks, what are people supposed to do? If people can’t pay their mortgages then more homes go into foreclosure. Doesn’t anyone see this? Most unemployed really want to work! Additionally, everyone should be allowed the 99 weeks of unemployment. How fair is it that some have been receiving benefits for 27-99 weeks and then others will be cut off at 26 weeks? It’s not fair. At least allow EVERYONE to receive the 99 weeks of benefits!
I had to go to Western Union yesterday to send money to someone. In front of me was a Mexican Guy trying to send money to Mexico. He was frustrating the clerk because he couldn’t understand english. WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING HERE? As was previously stated.
These people DON’T PAY TAXES. THEY ARE TAKING WORK FROM US AND AREN’T PAYING A DAMM THING. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE THEM LEAVE. ALL GREEN CARD INDIVIDUALS SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO SEND FUNDS OUT OF THIS COUNTRY. IF THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IT HERE THEY SHOULD SPEND IT HERE OR LEAVE.
I am pass beyond the 99 weeks. Apparently, most Americans are that we are unemployed since the year 2007 and have exhausted our efforts in trying to find stable employment. Most Americans “DO WANT TO WORK!” The economy cannot fix it self. A visible hand it not going to make the economy better. The realistic solution to the economy is employing people. Employed people spend money. The cash flow fixes our economy.
Buy anyway; I am in the same situation as many of you. It’s scary to see how many people are losing everything and desperately looking for work. I have applied everything and any where, even a crappy part-time job would help. But mostly I have been told I am over qualified. We are running out of our savings and we really need that extension to at least help as I continue to look for work. Has anyone received their extension yet? Anyway, Best of Luck and God Bess to everyone.
People wake up! This is the new “American Nightmare”! I have two college degrees, worked hard, and am nearly finished with my master’s degree. I taught school for 2 decades…tenured…but still lost my job!
I am willing and able to do ANY job…not too proud to work at any job. Nothing is happening on the job front. I have sent out online and via “snail mail” HUNDREDS of resumes…nothing! I will babysit, clean houses or anything else…except anything to do with “sex industry”…sorry…I have morals! I am on the last leg of my unemployment…and am moving with my two daughters into a small apartment. On daughter has a part time job and the other one just got out high school…and she is looking…but even for a young adult…hasn’t found anything!
I am only blessed by the fact that I can at least cash in my retirement..to keep us afloat for two more years…but of course, I have to pay taxes on this and then what about when I am older? I just turned 47….my future is slowly but surely sinking through my hands like grains of sand. Too depressing!
In my opinion, the next ten years may well be like the great depression….or as others are terming it…”The Great Recession”….and our way of life might become much like that of many of our southern neighbors…an hand and mouth existence. I am still in a state of disbelief regarding our country’s current situation! At least my car is paid off and we also have another older car that is also paid off as well. I worked hard since I was 16 years of age…and did what we were all told was the “path to success”…work hard, earn an education, watch your expenses and buy a home.
Hmmm…something is seriously wrong with our country if this is our new reality….maybe we should all head south beyond our borders??? Or to another country? I don’t know what the answer is….all I really believe is one true thing…at least our family unit is intact…we love each other and are trying to pool our meager resources together…and help each other out emotionally. Believe me…I thought about killing myself…for the eight or nine months of being unemployed.
Now, I have accepted the fact, that’s never has been my fault …being unemployed…just our greed, our bad company politics…or other factors that have caused this calamity. I am praying for our country….everyone think positive or pray if you believe in a higher power….and stay close to those who love you and that you love. Hang in there!
President Obama…I believe in you…but please reconsider extending unemployment beyond the 99 weeks ….until the job situation gets better…or else full scale calamity may break out!
This new extension there trying to pass is really not helping every unemployed american.What about people who has done 99weeks or so there just getting thrown under the bus like they dont exist anymore.I hear debates about giving extending benefits for people under 99weeks but no one ever mentions the 99ers What are they to do?99ers are part of the 2. whatever millions who are unemployed were not being lazy or just riding off the government this is not a hand out this is something youve earned from working because everyone will not qualify if you havent worked before or enough.
I do hope all people who are struggling get what they deserve to get meaning (extended benefits)but for 99ers its still not fair to them.I really dont have much faith in this government anymore because they have shown they like to put the american people in tight situations and thats not fair to us at all.Its especially hard when you living in a state that has such a high unemployment rate in it but the 99ers are still in the dark trying to make there way through.
My thing is to create jobs so unemployment wont become such a big issue because if people can get jobs then this debate wont be on the table that much and create jobs that everybody can have a shot at not for just a limited or certain type of skilled person.I do wonder whats the next thing will be come november will this be back on the table again come the end of november or december?So hang in there 99ers or whoevers getting close to 99weeks of unemployment its not good to not have INCOME and thats a fact.
The problem is to many people milk the system and not look for jobs. I looked for jobs for months in new york and could not find career jobs but jobs making 10 to 12 dollars an hour. the problem is many people are lazy and cheat the system. that’s why i do not support the extension more then 99 weeks? how many people waited on line and did not even prove they were looking for jobs. Why should my tax money go to deadbeats cheats.
The problem is about 75% of the people milk the system and saved almost 30,000.00 in there bank accounts and the government saying these people did not need all that money. The big con from consumer affairs were that people transfered the money to a savings account and they saved that money when they collected 36,000.00 for the 2 years.
Your telling me that person did not work off the books somewhere and pocketed my hard earned tax money. two years is to much unemployment. take a job making less money not a career for the time being and you will be alright. I’m sick of hearing from people if i work that job i collect just as much from unemployment so why work? i get 350.00 a week. i’ll get the same amount of money from government so why work. You should have went back to school to pursuit a career in demand which you could look up at government. employment trends in your area.
Get a degree in that area and you would be working. stop crying your in this predictament because of laziness and not trying to better yourself. look at me i was making 950.00 a week lost my job and refused to take unemployment got a part time job working 20 hours a week a went back to school to pursuit the american dream. you should have done the same time. take pride in being an american get up and do what you have to. the republicans did well by not extended benefits for people in tier 5 because of the corruption out there. you get a total of 99 weeks that’s almost 2 years and you did nothing to make your lives better. new york is going bankrupt and cannot afford to shed money to the cheats out there.
Remember you are cutting jobs in police, fireman, administrative and other govt jobs when you do this the nypd is a good example they had a class of 1200 recruits go into the july academy class if they approve extensions over 99 weeks no more govt hires even though they need the people. by cutting unemployment will help create jobs. there are companies out there that have 1.6 billion dollars to invest in the new york stock exchange if they make the right choices they will hire thousandths of people. the govt should take the unemployment money and give it to these big companies to expand there business. if they did that it would create many jobs and no one would be out of work. please stop crying and get a job.
Don’t be lazy go back to school and make something of yourself yes it is tough but it could be done. i’m doing it after being out of college 7 years its tough but the rewards are worth it. hard work pays off at the end. laziness does not. the govt could not find a way to cut other places where they are given aid to so that’s why unemployment beyond 99 weeks will never happen. they have to cut money in other places and the deficit is to large to overcome. not enough money and other countries will not let USA borrow money to support the unemployed. my advice for you is you wasted two years of your lives doing nothing you should be ashamed of yourself and look in the mirror and say why did i do nothing to make my situation better.
Its on you not obama or the rest of the politicians do not be a begger be a leader and you will be suprised where you will end up. i know i was in your situation but now that i am a senior in college i see the light under the tunnel with a bright future at age 30 i am proud to be an american and will make my nation proud of me how i took myself out of poverty will hard work and living on tuna fish to survive because its the cheapest food you could find. maybe when i am done i will write a book on being a true american during tough times if i could do it anyone can do it,
I find it amusing when people try to adjuticate the unemployed with improper use of the english language. If you can’t provide provisions to the unemployed, consumers will default. This will lead to another bailout for financial institutions, ignorance is bliss.
Sweet Caroline hit it right on the nail. To those who say we people are lazy have no clue what its like to be unemployed. I have a degree like the annointed one claims,you will get job,instead that 10,000 dollar paper (Masters Degree) mounted in a glass frame is useless.
Being unemployed and having to eat top ramen ,bread and water is not a very healthy life style when the unemployment checks have to pay for bills,rent,car insurance,and utilities plus phone bills. We unemployed would love to have your jobs, then you can get a taste of what its like to be unemployed. There are jobs out there , but when youre over 40 years old ,told you’re overqualified,or unemployed need not apply, thats a kick in the teeth.
I’m exhausting all I’ve worked for years. Savings are almost gone. Bankruptcy is my only way out……99 weeks is not enough…..
To the idiot’s who say we are lazy or not trying and on “vacation”!!!! This is no god d*mn vacation! I’ve tried to get work every single day since I lost my job in May 2009. Geuss what losers! NO JOBS!!!! I’m either over qualified or they went with someone else better “suited” for the position. In otherwords; someone who they could hire for less pay because I had the experience that would have made them pay me more.
I’m so tired of not working and depressed every single day! I can’t pay my rent right now because I am waiting to see if the bill wil pass to help us “lazy” people out. So get off your high horse and shut the hell up by saying we’re lazy & on vacation. If you are so worried give us your job and try walking in our shoes and see how you like it.
I’ll be more then happy to take your job from you. FYI, while unemployed I have been going to school online hoping this might help me get a job! I work hard every day towards getting my Associates Degree so no I am not just sitting here taking it easy.
“Sweet” Caroline
i think for those of you that say everyone can find a job in 99 weeks evidently have a job and have no clue what is going on around you. myself, i have a job, thank god but i also see people every day struggling to get by because of unemployment stoppage. i also know these people paid in for years and if we hadn’t let the government take our tax money and our social security we paid in all those years to fund their own lives and pad their own pockets then we would not be in this shape. not only does the government owe the unemployed that money .
They should not have to go in debt to give it to us. now if someone has only worked for short periods in their lives then i say yes to shorter unemployment but for those like my 70 year old husband who is still trying to work and make ends meet i feel like if you have paid it in then you should be able to expect it back…i don’t think we were paying in all those years to fund anything but our later years and any one who feels like we don’t deserve this respect don’t know much about hard word and lifelong commitments to our government.
If you can’t find a job in 99 weeks, you are not looking. I can’t believe there are so many freeloaders out there. The employers on the boardwalks in New Jersey are having trouble finding people to work. Why? They say that laid off people tell them that they still have 40 or so weeks of unemployment coming and it’s summertime. Are you kidding me? 40 weeks coming? Unbelievable! What a bunch of worthless slugs we’ve turned into..
Well, for those of you out there who think that unemployment folks are milking the system. You should quickly rethink what your saying. Who do you think your so called milkers are? The same people who paid into the system for years. The so called milkers still pay taxes with their earned UE checks. These same people I’m sure matched you and beyond in regards to paying taxes before they became unemployed. So there should not be a lack of respect.
There are people who claim that there are many jobs out there, but that people have too much pride going on. Well, there should be pride when you have more than just yourself to take care of, and worked hard from your prevous job. Most of us are not teenagers with out much responsibilities. The real pride can be obtained by putting into place opportunities for people to be able to go back to school or be retrained for well paying jobs, with job placements who have a relationship with companies to hire their graduates.
We also need more job fairs to be able to meet the employers at one time in person. There are so many jobs app processes that have to be done online these days so you really do not know how many people are trying to apply for the same job. They claim that it is 5.5 job apps for every one job but my guess it is really 10.0 or more for every job. If you have a job a good job then your blessed.
Everyone has a different situation that you no nothing about and are in different age brackets. Some companies do not want older people so people should spend more time trying to think of ways to solve the problem and realize that this problem wasn’t always so. Why did the companies and banks really need bailing out? Oops! these same milk paying tax payers helped with that also and I’m sure paid into sending our troops needlessly to other countries instead of getting to the core of the problem.
Shucks we really need for our rich representatives to train and create jobs as being assistants to them. We are the ones who know what’s really going on out here. The medi-cal and health system is totally ridiculous. The calculation is all wrong. They want us to pay half of our UE checks for medi-cal which is needed for food, gas, and other necessities. We paid into this system too and this is with a job or receiving well deserve UE benefits, just because now the shoe is on the other foot does not mean that we are not entitled to it.
Well, as someone once said, “Unemployed feels like unwanted, undeserving, unnerving, unforgivable, unhirable, underlearnt, unpleasant, unrepresented, unsensitive, and when the Gov’t backs away from taking care of the business of unemployment folks and not just by checks our will power and confidence takes a nose dive.” California
The unemployed should be permitted to kill those that say the unemployed should get of their butts a take a any job after all the government says those long term unemployed are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.
There are simply no jobs out there I have applied to over 500 companies and had 20 interviews.
I have been told many times after the interview “We will be conducting interviews over the next several weeks and make a decision on the best candidates to invite back for a second interview” after all is said and done I get a response ” thank you for interviewing with us, but we have decided not to fill the position until next year.
Two weeks ago I applied for a 6 month temp /intern type position ( 400/ wk) and then last week at a local job fair I inquired at that companies booth about said position and was told that the position is only for college/university students. Funny the job description on the company’s web site never mentioned must be a college/university student Lets face it that those over 40 may never work again because the government refuses to enforce the anti discrimination
Relating to illegals coming to America, taking our jobs from us, taking our health care, and living off us
Remember during the 2008 Presidential campaign the news media brought a story about President’s Obama Aunt from Kenya, who was living in public housing in Boston (health care for all in Massachusetts) and she was ordered to leave the Country in 2005 by an US Judge.
Why hasnt the news media given us updated info on her, she is still here in the US, she is living off of US Taxpayers,
We are giving to illegals in US and for the people who have worked and paid taxes here for 40 years, no money, no unemployment, too bad for you!
People we are not living in the united states of america anymore. We are living in the united states of illegal immigrants. Thats why there are no jobs. then you have the bailed out banks, autos, wallstreet, ect. instead of giving out 8 million as bonusus, how about you give it to us people that have paid our dues.
We cant even get 290.00$ a week, thats after taxes on 330.00$. what a joke, that just shows you how this country has gone straight to hell. but what do you expect, when you have a terrorist running the country.
where is he from anyway, can anyone tell me? what he better do is get our sh-t together, or when it all runs out and i think it certainly will. then thats when we have no choise but to come and take your 8 million dollar bonusus. its just a matter of time.
TO THE AZZHOLE THAT SAYS WERE LAZY, YOU MUST HAVE WORKED FOR THE GOVERNMENT. AND WE THAT HAVE PAID IN OUR 40 YEARS OF TAXES HAVE BAILED YOUR AZZ OUT. JUST LIKE WALLSTREETERS, BANKS, AUTO COMPANIES. ECT. IF YOU GET ALL THE ILLEGALS OUT OF THE USA. THEN WE US CITIZENS WOULD HAVE A JOB. BUT I HAD TO GIVE MY 30$ A HR JOB TO A MEXICAN, BECAUSE HE WOULD WORK FOR 10.
THEN SEND ALL OF IT BACK TO MEXICO. OH AND THEY DONT HAVE TO PAY TAXES. SO I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF MEXICANS AS NEIGHBORS, CO-WORKERS ECT, BUT I GUESS THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING A U.S. LEGAL CITIZEN,RIGHT. BUT JUST LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE RUNNING THE COUNTRY,AZZHOLES.
So it’s okay for people who come to this country specifically to ‘milk the system’ for years and nobody says anything about that, but citizens who have worked and paid their ‘fair share’ are told to F off? Wow.
To the idiot…you have to have worked to get unemployment, it’s called unemployment insurance, which you pay into when you WORK, a deadbeat can not get unemployment if he did not work for it. So are you a deadbeat for using medical insurance or car insurance that you paid for?
To the 99ers, I wish you well, ignore the ignorant, I am not on unemployment, just so you know idiot! But I do have empathy for those who are and I consider myself lucky.
I can only hope that this economy turns around soon. I have been unemployed for 7 months and looking for a job since day one. It has nothing to do with lazy and everthing to do with employeer’s not hiring.
I personally am not drawing unemployment because I don’t believe in it. I don’t hold anything against those who do but it just doesn’t fee right to me. I guess if the worst case scenario happened and I was desperate I would.
I sometimes think when I tell people I know who have jobs that I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs over the past year and have had only 3 interviews…I think they don’t belive me. I feel this immense guilt that somehow I am not doing enough….and lately that maybe I am not good enough anymore. You spend literal hours crafting resumes and cover letters to showcase talents you have that are applicable to so many jobs….then you don’t even hear an echo back. The times you do you are so grateful for the chance.
I’ve dumbed my resume down, taken out dates that reflect my age, had my resume and cover letter professionally critiqued, joined networking groups, talked to everyone I know…man….I’m almost out of steam. It is really tough out here. Those that are able to find a job…God Bless You. Feel fortunate. And stop stepping on those of us that are working our a**es off every day to get one.
Stop telling us we’re lazy. Stop telling us we’re costing you money. Nothing’s free. I paid my taxes for better than 25 years before I lost my job in this economic crunch…and I continue to pay taxes on this measly unemployment check.
We don’t need pity and we don’t need ridicule. We need jobs. We need encouragement to keep putting one foot in front of the other day after day after rejection, after hitting stone walls, after putting forth your best effort and hearing silence. An unemployment check isn’t much. But it keeps our heads above water one more week…and damn…we need that.
Wow, for the guy that says we are lazy and stop milking the system, who the hell are you to come on here and judge us…There are NO jobs, my pride is not to big to take any job that is offered to me. I am a single mother of a 2 year old, lost my job in 08 during maternity leave and have yet to find one job offer. Granted, I decided to go back to school and will be graduating in Dec with a nursing degree, but that doesn’t mean I do not need a job too.
I got turned down at McDonalds for christ sake, they told me I was over qualified, well no shit, but I need the job. So for all of us 99ers, we need this extension to stay afloat and not lose everything else that we haven’t given up yet.
We are the same as the people that just lost their job, we all need the help, and our so called government is too busy helping people in other countries than our own US. And the so called 100, 000 jobs or more that were created last month are BS, construction jobs and government jobs were created, how are those gonna help us?????
Trust me, if they offered me to stand on the expressway and hold a flag for 12 hrs a day, I would do, but there aren’t any of these jobs available. Not even a waitress job, because they would rather hire the 20 year olds that are home from college break.
So you tell me MR. A*SHOLE, how are we milking the system???????????? People are just ignorant and rude and that is one major problem in our world today, people have lost all pride and respect the people.
WE ARE NOT DEADBEATS, WE ARE HUMAN, WE WANT JOBS, AND I FOR ONE AM ASHAMED THAT I NEED THE UNEMPLOYMENT, BUT I AM PROUD FOR WHAT I AM ACCOMPLISHING IN MY NURSING DEGREE!!!!
Help us please I dont understand people. I am a 99 weeker and I will work until I cant work no more I loved it when I was out there. I have some skills and I been everywhere to apply for jobs and sitting at the computer for hours in a day filling out applications.
I am willing to do what i need to for me and my family mind you singe parent. I don’t understand people think that we are lazy but, we are tired of the bs the goverment is dealing us. Please extend benifits passed 99 weeks god knows we need it at least until the rate of the unemployed goes down. Hope you can have a heart.
I have been out of work for almost 3 years now. My husband was in a nursing home for 4 years which cost us his social security and union plus an extra $1,000 a month. I got lung cancer in ’06 and my employer fired me with only 6 months of severance because it took me too long to recuperate from surgery. So, I was living in my home with a $1,900 monthly mortgage and $1,500 in social security benefits. My husband ultimately died in 2008.
Get a job?????? To those idiots who think there are jobs out there, let them go and get one. I worked for over 54 years and have sent my resume out to over 500 employers and belong to about 20 employment agencies. The answer: You’re too old!!!!! (not in those words, but I am 72 ) I feel I can still contribute – I even asked for a dish washing job in a restaurant and was turned down because of my age.
What I would love to know is how do I find out how many weeks I have collected unemployment benefits. Does anyone know????? If you have collected for 99 weeks, are you automatically declined for payments?
What is very confusing is I received a letter from AWI telling me that I should report my weeks. My unemployment ran out the end of March 09. When I tried to apply on line, I was told to apply in two weeks which I did, however, no funds were ever placed in my account. And, every other Tuesday, I am told to apply for the previous weeks – I don’t understand. I called the 800 number and was told I am not eligible!!!
Also, President Obama signed for an extension of benefits. Does that apply to me?
I need answers, so if there’s anyone out there who could answer some of my questions, I would very very much appreciate it.
Thank you “anyone” and good luck to all
Myrna Stern
Dale if you are referring to me the truth hurts. The fact is there are plenty of jobs available. The problem is people are to proud to take them and they think the jobs are beneath them.
As I said above I was working at a job using my doctorate degree which I spent many years obtaining. I came way “down the ladder” so to speak to take not one but two jobs.
At the end of the day I am a proud working American knowing that even in tough economical times I still am getting by on my own. I would rather take what I can get than live off “the system”. It’s not just a matter of principal for me – it makes me feel good at the end of the day knowing I don’t have to rely on someone else.
WOWEEE ZOWEE THERE ARE SOME REAL AS*HOLES HERE!! GET A JOB? STOP MILKING THE SYSTEM? SHOOT DIS PICE OF CHITT!!!!!
What do you mean there are no jobs? There are tons of jobs out there but the problem is you are to proud to take them!
I for one lost a job making over 200k per year and I could not find an equivlent job after searching for 3 months. Now instead of milking the system and jumping on unemployment I swalloed my pride and took what I could get.
I have a doctorate degree and now have two jobs neither wich require any more than a high school education. Everyone needs to get their head out of their ass and keeping contribuing to society rather than living off it!
I love the guy who said get off our lazy butts. We are not lazy or milking the system. If there were jobs, we would have them, don’t you think? It should be a clue that millions of people don’t have jobs..BECAUSE THERE ARE NO JOBS!!!!!
Lack of sympathy is due to the inability for rich people to empathise with the less fortunate. Idiots with jobs and security for survival who can’t see one foot in front of their own full pockets. They say get a job you bums and what do they think our answer will be no i prefer hoping this gov’t will pay my way as if its doing us a favor returning a fraction of the taxes i paid over the years people who are suffering with real issues are trying their best to keep their families alive and the genious answer is get a job you bums.
Actually whats going to happen to the rest of the country if 15 percent are starving and suffering is it better for us to take it from you because when nothing is left and no jobs are available no one is going to wait for an unemployment extension we’re all coming to your upper class neighborhoods and we are going to have to take what we need.
This is supposed to be a united county but soon we are going to see if all you greedy cold blooded fools can hold on to that money your trying so hard to keep for yourselves or if one way or the other desperate people with no help and in great numbers end up in a life of crime. Its way beyond get a job.
Please extend benefits beyond 99 weeks there are 5.5 people apply for the same job at one time I send out resumes on a daily basis during the time that I am out of work I have gone 1 interview in almost 2 years and that failed I was told I would receive a call back and never called back.
I am starting to feel like a failer because I am tying the best that I can and nothing is working I don’t know what to do at this point I know 1 thing I will not give up I have faith in God and I know that he will make a way out of no way to all the unemployed american’s keep the faith and keep jesus on your side hopefully it will get better in the future better days are on the way stay strong God bless everyone.
Please give another extension because the American are in a desperate need of need it is not fair to the people that have paid into the system for many years. We the american people did not begin on this depression it was brought to us unexspectly we as american citizens deserve better. The american leaders of the uninted states need to step and give a helping hand for the people that have nothing and no one to turn too in this economic crisis.
I want to work I would rather be working then collecting UE checks but at this time that the only thing that I can do and I have ran out of them on march 30,2010 and all my bill are now do and I can’t even pay them it’s not a good feeling. I just pray and ask god to help me because I have no money i dont want to loose everything that I that I worked for.
I was not always the underdog I was a taxpayer employee who made a decent living and earned a decent amount of money while employed untii April 09,2008 when I was laid off through no fault of my own PLEASE LEADERS OF THE COUNTRY/NATION MR.PRESIDENT OBAMA,CONGRESS, SENATE,US.HOUSE PLEASE HELP THE MILLIONS OF UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE WE DESERVE BETTER.
You are kidding me right? I can’t believe that you really think that all of the unemployed people are just enjoying themselves. I am one of the 99 weekers and I would absolutely love to have a job. I hate not working. My job for the last two years has been submit resumes, test for staffing services and submit more resumes. Of the thousands of resumes I have submitted, I have had 5 interviews.
That isn’t a typo. I just got rejected again this week after a second interview. I am devastated. I still have no job and now i have no income. I am not a bum and would love a job. Do you have an extra one i can have???
How about you bums get off your butt and get a job. Stop milking the system because it’s only costing hard working Americans like me money! I’m tired of paying for your “extended vacation” and the economy is an excuse for people like you to stay on unemployment.
I have a car payment and my unemployment run out. The bank will not work with me due to the fact i need a car to look for work.
These are the banks that got bailed out by our tax payers but they will not listen for people who can’t find work.What am i supposed to do? Let them take after 2 years of paying on time? I hope congess can extend unemployment. I leave in California and unemployment rate is very high.
Now I am pissed at the old blind rich morons little men running the senate. 99 weeks I have collected 4 kids under 13 the car is gone pretty much I am screwed no money no food no extension oh by the way way NO JOBS.
Sent out 124 resumes 2 responses 3 on line interviews. He comes welfare and I will suck every dime and benefit I can get out of the gov. If it’s free it’s for me I starting to believe Michael savage this country is run my fools and clowns starting at the top thar idiot is runing the USA with all his fat cat wall st buddies.
I’m at the last step, I suppose since most everybody (“99 weekers”) won’t be able to have a House or rent one, Electricity, Water and Sewage, Phone (cell or landline costs), Car (gas,oil,tires,filters), Food (it’s time for the dime and quarter menus), Insurance (for vehicles,etc.) and also pay child support (which sent a letter the first missed week).
Any other unforseen cost that always seem to get slid in,,the most useful thing to do is suicide,,now if 1.5 million unumployed commit suicide, do you think the odds of pursuing criminal charges against the founders of NAFTA and any other job moving great idea to screw Americans? or Blame the Gov’t for bailing out most of the cheating pricks and leaving the country for the illegals!!
People are right… it paid my mortgage payment and now I have to figure out how to keep my house. It’s not money I’m saving but keeping a roof over my head. Where I live the economy has been hit harder by IBM moving out of the area in 1994 causing many companies to layoff or stop hiring and now this. J
Jobs aren’t here because Clinton signed NAFTA and American jobs went to other countries that don’t have to pay the American wage. Our government should be prepared for the fall out from people not having any income at all. Many counties are feeling the pinch with increased social need. If you think the job market was tough before just remember the college students that are graduating with degrees.
I am over 99 weeks, no money coming in now.
I have worked over 40 years and have estimated I have paid over $200,000. in Federal Income Tax over those years. I am 57, to young for Social Security. I applied at 22 locations last week alone, most of those Companies gave me “we are fully staffed”
There are more than 1,500,000 unemployed in Florida alone (I am not counted now) THERE ARE NOT 1,500,000 EMPLOYERS HIRING TODAY IN FLORIDA, THERE ARE NOT EVEN 10,000 HIRING IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
What am I suppose to do????
Please extend unemployment until the percentage goes down to 8%.