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THE Unemployment Benefits Thread (merged)

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Re: Unemployment Bennies Countdown

Unread postby vision-master » Tue 07 Apr 2009, 12:32:24

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')The extended benefits program is for those who have already collected up to 26 weeks of state benefits and up to 33 weeks of federal claims. Those in the program can collect unemployment for up to 13 additional weeks, but they must apply for three jobs a week and must accept any job that pays at least minimum wage.

“This extension marks a last resort for Hoosiers who have exhausted up to 59 weeks of unemployment benefits,” Teresa Voors, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said Tuesday. “It comes with much stricter requirements than previous benefits.”


So of course every middle manager and IT specialist now has to take minimum wage jobs in order to retain unemployment benefits. So this should quickly drive down wages in ALL fields to the minimum wage. Why would you pay your Network Engineer $100K a year, when there is an unemployed network engineer who MUST take minimum wage if he is to have any income at all? Why would you pay a carpenter on your housing development $70K, when there are thousands of unemployed carpenters who HAVE to take minimum wage now?

Of course, paying all these folks minimum wage means they certainly can't keep up with the payments on the McMansions you built, so said McMansions go into foreclosure. Where are the rich people who will buy the McMansions if everyone is forced down to minimum wage?

Anyhow, there aren't even enough minimum wage jobs out there to keep everyone employed, so the question is when do they STOP calling this "Unemployment" and start calling it Welfare? Clearly once these payments stop, that is when the society goes ballistic. Can we keep 20-30% of the society on Welfare for very long with Toilet Paper? For how long?

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Welfare payments are very low and limited in duration. Also, yer assets have to be under $1,500. Cash assistance pays about $200 Month for a single.
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Re: Unemployment Bennies Countdown

Unread postby MarkJ » Tue 07 Apr 2009, 12:56:44

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'W')elfare payments are very low and limited in duration. Also, yer assets have to be under $1,500. Cash assistance pays about $200 Month for a single.


$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'N')ew York: Treatment of Resources

The resource limit for FA eligibility is $2,000 ($3,000 if the family has a member over age 60). The fair market value of a car up to $4,650 is excluded when counting a family’s resources, and the automobile exemption must be increased to $9,300 or a higher amount as determined by the county on a case by case basis if the vehicle is needed to seek or retain employment. Personal property necessary for business purposes, including vehicles in the name of the business, is exempt from the resource test. There is no resource test for families enrolled in CAP.

New York has an Individual Development Account (IDA) program that allows TANF families to open savings accounts that are not counted toward the TANF resource limit. IDA funds can be used for business capitalization as well as education and home purchase.


The cash assistance portion of public assistance benefits is fairly low, although the total value of various federal/state/local benefits including emergency housing, public housing, subsidized housing, food stamps, WIC, medical care, child care, HEAP, Emergency HEAP, transportation vouchers, wheels-for-work, lifeline landline/cellular phone and other benefits are often quite high.

Of course people can also spend, sell, transfer or hide liquid/hard assets or income(s) that disqualify them.

Not faulting the people that truly can't find jobs, but many people are treating unemployment and multiple extensions like a year long vacation. When, or if their current benefits run out, many people will find work because they are forced to.

There just isn't enough emergency shelter, public housing, housing vouchers and public assistance funding for them to go on Welfare.
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Re: Unemployment Bennies Countdown

Unread postby ReverseEngineer » Tue 07 Apr 2009, 15:06:58

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MarkJ', 'N')ot faulting the people that truly can't find jobs, but many people are treating unemployment and multiple extensions like a year long vacation. When, or if their current benefits run out, many people will find work because they are forced to.

There just isn't enough emergency shelter, public housing, housing vouchers and public assistance funding for them to go on Welfare.


I highly doubt a significant portion of the currently unemployed are treating this as a "year long vacation".

And yes, there isn't CURRENTLY enough emergency shelter, public housing etc to go around, which is obviously why we need a lot MORE, and right quick. Thus going back to the housing foreclosure situation, and people squatting on foreclosed houses.

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Re: Unemployment Bennies Countdown

Unread postby vision-master » Tue 07 Apr 2009, 17:30:12

What if yer over 55. :shock:

Pensions better not fail........ :badgrin:
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Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Sixstrings » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 02:26:54

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- Extended jobless benefits will run out for at least 212,000 Americans out of work after April 5 because the Senate closed up shop Friday afternoon without a deal to extend filing deadlines.

Senate Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on passing a House version of the extension of deadlines to apply for federal unemployment benefits and the COBRA health insurance subsidy.

In 10 days, those receiving state jobless benefits won't be able to apply for additional federally paid unemployment insurance, and anyone already receiving those checks could be cut off. They also won't be able to sign up for the 65% federal subsidy for COBRA unemployment insurance.

Key Democrats say they hope to pass a retroactive extension, compensating the unemployed for a gap in funding, after they return from a two-week break the week of April 12. If approved, it would be the seventh time the deadline has been extended since June 2008.

However, if lawmakers pass a retroactive package extending benefits, it could still take a couple of weeks to trickle down to some states with older processing systems, said Judy Conti, coordinator for the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy group.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/26/news/economy/unemployment_benefits/index.htm


It looks like they want to test the waters here, to see how people react to the checks stopping.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby timmac » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 02:59:23

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')t looks like they want to test the waters here, to see how people react to the checks stopping.


My guess only 212,000 people will complain, the other 380,000 million won't care.. :lol:
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Loki » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 03:25:18

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n February, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., single-handedly blocked a previous extension. This time, Coburn's fight gained support from several other Republicans, including Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a moderate who had previously opposed Bunning's objection.

What a great bunch of patriots. So concerned for the fiscal viability of our nation. Of course they've all enthusiastically approved hundreds of billions of dollars for the Pentagon without a peep---wink, wink, nod, nod---but god bless them for taking a stand now.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby MarkJ » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 07:27:30

Last week we were talking with several long-term unemployed workers that believe they'll extend benefits beyond 99 weeks.

Just in case they don't, they've been booking more side jobs and started semi-seriously looking for work for the first time in almost 2 years.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby sittinguy » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 13:35:16

Are you telling me people are going to have to actually get a job and support themselves. OMG, what is this world coming to.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Novus » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 14:26:40

I say good. Maybe when the "Bread and Circuses" end the people will take to the streets and we can get some real change underway.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Tyler_JC » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 15:06:13

In 99 weeks you can get an associates degree and transition into a brand new career.

After two years it ceases to be "unemployment compensation" and becomes just another income redistribution welfare program.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Ludi » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 15:07:15

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Novus', 'I') say good. Maybe when the "Bread and Circuses" end the people will take to the streets and we can get some real change underway.



Have you taken to the streets yet? Or is it some other people you're talking about?
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby mos6507 » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 15:13:13

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Novus', 'I') say good. Maybe when the "Bread and Circuses" end the people will take to the streets and we can get some real change underway.


Real change meaning blood on the streets?

Seems like that's not far off now.

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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Sixstrings » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 21:05:31

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'I')n 99 weeks you can get an associates degree and transition into a brand new career.

After two years it ceases to be "unemployment compensation" and becomes just another income redistribution welfare program.


15 million new holders of associate's degrees doesn't necessarily translate into 15 million new jobs.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Tyler_JC » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 22:55:35

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'I')n 99 weeks you can get an associates degree and transition into a brand new career.

After two years it ceases to be "unemployment compensation" and becomes just another income redistribution welfare program.


15 million new holders of associate's degrees doesn't necessarily translate into 15 million new jobs.


So they are better off blindly sending out resumes and waiting for things to turn around?
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Loki » Mon 29 Mar 2010, 23:59:03

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'I')n 99 weeks you can get an associates degree and transition into a brand new career.

After two years it ceases to be "unemployment compensation" and becomes just another income redistribution welfare program.


15 million new holders of associate's degrees doesn't necessarily translate into 15 million new jobs.


So they are better off blindly sending out resumes and waiting for things to turn around?


It certainly doesn't hurt to improve and expand your occupational skills. But people getting unemployment aren't supposed to go to school unless you're approved to retrain in a different field---pretty sure that even includes trades apprentices trying to satisfy their educational requirements. I understand why they have this policy, but it seems too inflexible to me.

There's also the small matter of paying for school when you're unemployed. Costs $1000+ every 3 months at my local community college for a full-time student, not including books. But I guess there's always financial aid, Pell Grants if you're lucky, loans if you're not.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby threadbear » Tue 30 Mar 2010, 00:26:43

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'I')n 99 weeks you can get an associates degree and transition into a brand new career.

After two years it ceases to be "unemployment compensation" and becomes just another income redistribution welfare program.

Uh, Tyler? There aren't any jobs. What new jobs are people supposed to transition into? Maybe they should become brain surgeons? Positions you train for in 99 weeks, are all filled.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Plantagenet » Tue 30 Mar 2010, 02:41:37

Economic models show the unemployment rate is about a percent higher then it would be if the Obama administration hadn't decided to pay people not to get jobs for 99 weeks.

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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Sixstrings » Tue 30 Mar 2010, 07:31:04

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'E')conomic models show the unemployment rate is about a percent higher then it would be if the Obama administration hadn't decided to pay people not to get jobs for 99 weeks.


Well yikes Plant, that would just mean millions living on the streets utterly destitute, just to gain 1% in employment? That 1% number makes some sense, as of course some people just don't seriously look for work while getting the checks, but 1% fraud isn't too much sacrifice so that the other 9% aren't just left for dead.
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Re: Unemployment bennies to lapse while Congress goes on break

Unread postby Sixstrings » Tue 30 Mar 2010, 07:40:48

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'S')o they are better off blindly sending out resumes and waiting for things to turn around?


Yeah, they are. Cuz then they won't be stuck with student loan debt they won't be able to pay back and end up in compounding debt slavery over it.

A bachelor's degree isn't as rare (and job guaranteeing) as it used to be, and an associate's degree sure as heck ain't no golden ticket for Pete's sake. You know how common those are now?

I was reading a job forum the other day and saw a post from someone asking about vocational AS degrees. The poster was advised that it doesn't really make a difference, you still need the work experience and many of the required certifications can only be acquired via on-the-job.

I'm not saying retraining is useless, just that quite a big huge chunk of it is -- studies on the out of work autoworkers in Michigan have proven this (and yes, they have all been getting retraining). All that retraining Michigan has done hasn't turned their economy around one bit. You have to realize the PROBLEM here isn't lack of education, it's cheap labor in China and India.

The jobs are gone, Tyler. The unemployed could all get PhD's and it still wouldn't matter, since they can't afford to live on what Indian PhD will work for. I'm not being negative, just realistic. The American worker cannot compete against billions of people willing to work for pennies. Add to that, there are hundreds of millions of Indians and Chinese who speak English and hold advanced degrees. And they'll work for pennies on the dollar. The Chinese government actually manipulates its currency to GUARANTEE they can always outcompete us, so really Tyler how can the American worker win against that?
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