Unemployed?

[PhilDL]

So here in my state of Tennessee, the Tennessee

[sarah_ab]

i can't fill this out cause i can't answer the second question as i'm working, so there is no option for thsoe who are working... but the answer to question one is... i'm working

[Knuxie Fawks]

Well, I lost my job in April, and had to move, but I'm working now. I have friends who have been without work for about a year or so collectively. I moved and trained for this new job which I'll be seeing my first paycheck tomorrow.

[PhilDL]

Congratulations!

Yeah moving for me would be difficult but I guess if I can find something where I have to move I'll have to do it!

Well, I lost my job in April, and had to move, but I'm working now. I have friends who have been without work for about a year or so collectively. I moved and trained for this new job which I'll be seeing my first paycheck tomorrow.

[ArtemisEnterri]

I've been out of work since the first week of January (got severance pay through the end of the month tho).

Been living on unemployment since February, and have had no success when applying for new jobs. The only responses I ever get back are the automated "Thanks for your time" or "Thanks for applying" that the websites send, not even a single personal message or call.

Very frustrating.

[timmyc]

I am working full time +, right now, but have already I will be laid off in November. Michigan probably has the worst economy in the country. I am looking here but plan on moving. I am not at all worried about finding something else.

[zdravo]

I am currently unemployed. No one wants me

[PhilDL]

Well being 48 has hurt me!

Age discrimination {40+} is illegal. I've been discriminated a number of times already. In May there was a local company advertising, after meeting with them they took the listing down, two days later they re-listed it stating the idea candidate will be between 19 and 36.

I called the EEOC {the feds} and then the TN Human Rights Commission. They told me that this company is free to discriminate because they have less than 8 employees.

So I contacted my local State Rep, since this issue seems to be for law makers, not agencies who simply are watch dogs and investigators. Since this company is allowed to discriminate against people over 40 because they are a small size company, I am sure that they would not be free to discriminate in regards to race or sex. Picture this ad "Ideal candidate will be a white male!" No way would they get away with that!

Simply put, the State and Feds in this issue are being selective and discriminating in their own labor laws. Icronic being many Government officials having no retirement age and can be elected at any age.

Phil

I'm in oregon our state unemployment rate is 12.2 percent last month, I've been unemployed since february. I'm 22 and live alone you think my resume looks as good as yours phill? You can bet I'm not finding work

[anned]

I have not worked since 2003 and have been on permanent disability since.

There is no way i would be able to find work now even if i wanted to work as few if any employers would hire someone that is disabled when there are so many non disabled workers out there looking for work.

I just got a milling machine to go with my lathe for hobby work and if i can make a little money with them that would be good. and if i don't it will not hurt me and it gives me something to do.

I have a friend that makes a $1000+ a month buying cars from impound auctions and reselling them. he's been unemployed for over 8 years.

[Guest]

I lost my crappy seafood factory job back in 2007, I was out of work for 30 minutes. As soon as I got home that day, I got all my landscaping tools out, put an ad craigslist under services, and have been making more money ever since. My only regret is that I wish I would have started it sooner. The best advice I can give anyone looking for work, is to start a business doing something that someone with cash doesn't want to do. (i.e. yard work)

[Bettypooh]

I'm self-employed which means I spend time unemployed on a regular basis whenever my current work ends. It's stressful and not something many people can handle which is why most people prefer working for someone else. The way I see it, even if you work for someone else all you're doing is trusting them to find work for you instead of doing that for yourself. So in the last 12 months, about half of the time I could have been working I wasn't but that's not as bad as it seems. Except in the best of times I'm out of work for 1/4 of the time anyway, and it doesn't impact me much until that number goes past 1/3 of the time out of work- that's about the average in my field of work. The 'out of work' times aren't all 'free time', in fact that's when I'm busiest trying to line up more work!

I voted "IDK" in the second half of this poll because I had to vote for something to complete it, but that's not quite true: I know what I'll do if I can't find work in my field. There will be some kind of job out there somewhere and I'll find it- I can do so many things well that I always know of a little something I can get if I need it which will get me by for another week or two even if it does no more than that. I keep a small

'waiting list' of people wanting me to do something for them and I use that to fill in the gaps between regular jobs. These people know it may take me awhile to get to them but they almost always wait for me since they want the quality of work I do and can't find it elsewhere- especially for the price I'm asking of them for it. This system has never failed me completely but it's come close a few times, one of them recently. Don't "keep all your eggs in one basket" and there will always be something for you when things don't go as you planned.

Bettypooh

[Bettypooh]

.... I am sure that they would not be free to discriminate in regards to race or sex....

Phil

Don't be so sure of that. Federal law deosn't come into play at a certain level(as you found)and small employers can discriminate racially and sexually unless state or local laws come into play, but what they usually do is create a safer reason to not hire you. And then there's states like mine where they don't need a reason ti hire or not hire you, and they can fire you on the same terms. To 'balance' this you are free to walk away from their job anytime you want to. They call this "the right to work" but it's actually just giving employers the right to do whatever they want while leaving you out in the cold, unable to do anything about your employer's decisions of what to do to you whenever they want to do it. That's why 'right to work' states have the highest levels of poor

people living there and the biggest spread between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

Bettypooh

[Guest MunchKitten]

I've been unemployed since the beginning of the month, but it was my choice, will probably do work study when school starts next month.

[ArtemisEnterri]

Don't be so sure of that. Federal law deosn't come into play at a certain level(as you found)and small employers can discriminate racially and sexually unless state or local laws come into play, but what they usually do is create a safer reason to not hire you. And then there's states like mine where they don't need a reason ti hire or not hire you, and they can fire you on the same terms. To 'balance' this you are free to walk away from their job anytime you want to. They call this "the right to work" but it's actually just giving employers the right to do whatever they want while leaving you out in the cold, unable to do anything about your employer's decisions of what to do to you whenever they want to do it. That's why 'right to work' states have the highest levels of poor

people living there and the biggest spread between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

Bettypooh

You know, that phrase really gets on my nerves: "'haves' and 'have nots'", it's a word trick, it's not the REAL situation.

In America the reality is a battle between "WILLING workers" and "government-dependent laziness". I am EXTREMELY sick and tired of hearing all the whining of "it's not fair xxx has so much money/stuff compared to me". If you are saying that kind of thing, my question to you is: DID YOU WORK as hard as your neighbor to EARN the money to be able purchase those things you envy him/her for?

THAT is the BIG PROBLEM in America. Too many people sit on their couches watching TV all day thinking "I deserve the same things my neighbor has" even though they DON'T DO ANY WORK. People who are PHYSICALLY CAPABLE of working but DELIBERATELY REFUSE to work do not deserve JACK SHIT!

I know people are gonna flame me for this attitude, but guess what: I don't give a flying fart in space if you don't like my opinion. My opinion is based on FACTS SEEN with MY OWN EYES and HEARD with MY OWN EARS: people in line at the Welfare office making jokes about the people who go out to jobs, people who openly say the words "why work when the government is giving us money for doing nothing?". And the government keeps trying to EXPAND the coverage, trying to turn MORE PEOPLE into government-dependent LEECHES on society! I didn't go to work to EARN a paycheck to watch that money being TAKEN from me (through taxes) just to be handed over to someone who is NOT WILLING to really WORK.

I only made $36,500 for my income last year. I have not had a job since January, but I PAID into the Unemployment system, so I am using the benefits I PAID for, not that someone else paid for. I own a 10 year old car that was signed over to my by my father. I RENT because I cannot afford to buy a house. All my computers are AT LEAST 4-5 YEARS old. We don't own any LCD/flatscreen TV's, just a couple old CRT style units (one of which is dying and we cannot afford to replace). I WILLINGLY CHOSE TO WORK, NOT SIT ON MY ASS SAYING "I DESERVE" SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR OR A COWORKER HAS IT!

[PhilDL]

I fully agree with you.

Now after mentioning I agree with you, I must be up front and tell you that I've been on unemployment for a year now!

Everyday I'm looking for work. I think by next week I will have a job, I hope writing this I don't jinx myself!

I feel some family members and neighbor sometimes thing I'm just taking it easy and collecting. It bothersome since it's not the case. I believe receiving any benefits from the government being with unemployment or social security is socialism. Our employers contribute to unemployment and we all pay to social security so this is a nasty web of a mess that needs to be wean off.

Phil

In America the reality is a battle between "WILLING workers" and "government-dependent laziness". I am EXTREMELY sick and tired of hearing all the whining of "it's not fair xxx has so much money/stuff compared to me". If you are saying that kind of thing, my question to you is: DID YOU WORK as hard as your neighbor to EARN the money to be able purchase those things you envy him/her for?

THAT is the BIG PROBLEM in America. Too many people sit on their couches watching TV all day thinking "I deserve the same things my neighbor has" even though they DON'T DO ANY WORK.

[Guest Katharsys]

...And then there's states like mine where they don't need a reason ti hire or not hire you, and they can fire you on the same terms. To 'balance' this you are free to walk away from their job anytime you want to. They call this "the right to work"...That's why 'right to work' states have the highest levels of poor people living there and the biggest spread between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

Bettypooh

Just a quick clarification. Right-to-work laws apply to employees NOT being coerced/forced to join into a union when employed. States without right-to-work laws can have what is known as Union (or closed) shops, where the employee, as part of their employment, is required to join the union and/or compulsory payment of dues out of their paycheck (employer withheld dues).

What you are referring to however Betty, is "At Will" laws. A State that has At Will laws, can have right-to-work laws or not. While both deal with employment issues, they deal with two separate parts of employment law. Basically as long as the employer/employee relationship is not governed by a contract or with a collective bargaining agreement, At Will follows the following legal doctorine:

any hiring is presumed to be "at will"; that is, the employer is free to discharge individuals "for good cause, or bad cause, or no cause at all," and the employee is equally free to quit, strike, or otherwise cease work.

- Mark A. Rothstein, Andria S. Knapp & Lance Liebman, Cases and Materials on Employment Law (New York: Foundation Press, 1987), 738.

There are several exceptions to this law, such as in discrimination cases - see the wikipedia entry for examples. But even that suffers from the small-business loopholes.

[Guest Baby-Toa]

Don't be so sure of that. Federal law deosn't come into play at a certain level(as you found)and small employers can discriminate racially and sexually unless state or local laws come into play, but what they usually do is create a safer reason to not hire you. And then there's states like mine where they don't need a reason ti hire or not hire you, and they can fire you on the same terms. To 'balance' this you are free to walk away from their job anytime you want to. They call this "the right to work" but it's actually just giving employers the right to do whatever they want while leaving you out in the cold, unable to do anything about your employer's decisions of what to do to you whenever they want to do it. That's why 'right to work' states have the highest levels of poor

people living there and the biggest spread between the 'haves' and the 'have nots'

Bettypooh

I know what that is like. Thought even though my state has the Free to work rules we don't have that many poor people in state. They can fire you for any reason or no reason at all *which I like and yet don't like*

[timmyc]

You know, that phrase really gets on my nerves: "'haves' and 'have nots'", it's a word trick, it's not the REAL situation.

In America the reality is a battle between "WILLING workers" and "government-dependent laziness". I am EXTREMELY sick and tired of hearing all the whining of "it's not fair xxx has so much money/stuff compared to me". If you are saying that kind of thing, my question to you is: DID YOU WORK as hard as your neighbor to EARN the money to be able purchase those things you envy him/her for?

THAT is the BIG PROBLEM in America. Too many people sit on their couches watching TV all day thinking "I deserve the same things my neighbor has" even though they DON'T DO ANY WORK. People who are PHYSICALLY CAPABLE of working but DELIBERATELY REFUSE to work do not deserve JACK SHIT!

I know people are gonna flame me for this attitude, but guess what: I don't give a flying fart in space if you don't like my opinion. My opinion is based on FACTS SEEN with MY OWN EYES and HEARD with MY OWN EARS: people in line at the Welfare office making jokes about the people who go out to jobs, people who openly say the words "why work when the government is giving us money for doing nothing?". And the government keeps trying to EXPAND the coverage, trying to turn MORE PEOPLE into government-dependent LEECHES on society! I didn't go to work to EARN a paycheck to watch that money being TAKEN from me (through taxes) just to be handed over to someone who is NOT WILLING to really WORK.

I only made $36,500 for my income last year. I have not had a job since January, but I PAID into the Unemployment system, so I am using the benefits I PAID for, not that someone else paid for. I own a 10 year old car that was signed over to my by my father. I RENT because I cannot afford to buy a house. All my computers are AT LEAST 4-5 YEARS old. We don't own any LCD/flatscreen TV's, just a couple old CRT style units (one of which is dying and we cannot afford to replace). I WILLINGLY CHOSE TO WORK, NOT SIT ON MY ASS SAYING "I DESERVE" SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR OR A COWORKER HAS IT!

I agree with you in theory. I have always worked, and worked hard. I have a decent, but not great job. My current boss resents me for working harder than him, and tries to get me in trouble. At least the upper management is wise to his game. I am also facing a layoff through no fault of my own. My parents weren't rich, and I had to pay for my own school, I only was able to get a 2 year degree, which is almost useless. I have some financial concerns, but not from an unwillingness to work. I try to live within my means, and don't believe in extravagances either. Not everyone sits on their ass and thinks entitlement.

[ArtemisEnterri]

I agree with you in theory. I have always worked, and worked hard. I have a decent, but not great job. My current boss resents me for working harder than him, and tries to get me in trouble. At least the upper management is wise to his game. I am also facing a layoff through no fault of my own. My parents weren't rich, and I had to pay for my own school, I only was able to get a 2 year degree, which is almost useless. I have some financial concerns, but not from an unwillingness to work. I try to live within my means, and don't believe in extravagances either. Not everyone sits on their ass and thinks entitlement.

IIRC, I did not say "everyone", I simply said "Too many".

And I only have a 2 year Associates degree as well, which has been a MAJOR PAIN while trying to apply for jobs. I was working on a Bachelors, but had to stop because we moved out of PA down to NC, and I've been facing the problem of finding a school to accept those credits (because the school I left was a privately run "business college").

[sarah_ab]

sometimes when it comes to school you just have to suck it up and start over, when i moved to the west coast from the east coast, the univs out here told me they would only accept about 1/3 of my credits, so its taken me an extra 3 years of univ (going part time cause i can't afford full time) to get my undergrad degree, but it will be worth it.. so what if it takes longer. You can either complain for years on end that they won't accept the credits, or suck it up, go back, even part time, and spend those years getting the degree.

[ArtemisEnterri]

I fully agree with you.

Now after mentioning I agree with you, I must be up front and tell you that I've been on unemployment for a year now!

Everyday I'm looking for work. I think by next week I will have a job, I hope writing this I don't jinx myself!

I feel some family members and neighbor sometimes thing I'm just taking it easy and collecting. It bothersome since it's not the case. I believe receiving any benefits from the government being with unemployment or social security is socialism. Our employers contribute to unemployment and we all pay to social security so this is a nasty web of a mess that needs to be wean off.

Phil

I've been unemployed for 6 months. I've been sending out applications and resumes, but have not received ANY replies back other than automated "your application has been received" or "thank you for applying" notes.

[ArtemisEnterri]

sometimes when it comes to school you just have to suck it up and start over, when i moved to the west coast from the east coast, the univs out here told me they would only accept about 1/3 of my credits, so its taken me an extra 3 years of univ (going part time cause i can't afford full time) to get my undergrad degree, but it will be worth it.. so what if it takes longer. You can either complain for years on end that they won't accept the credits, or suck it up, go back, even part time, and spend those years getting the degree.

I also had the problem of my previous school loans going into default on me during my search, which then prevented me from being able to apply at any school.

And before you say it, I know, student loans are another "government funded benefit", but the main difference is that LOANS have to be REPAID, the rest of the "benefits" used by the general public do NOT have to be repaid...

[sarah_ab]

lots of times student loans are the only way you can afford school, I get government loans... and just like you said, they are loans, its not free money. I also get grants, which is free money i.e. i dont have to pay it back, but i work hard to earn those grants through my grades.

i have no problem with people who have worked and suddenly need government assistance, due to a car accident my brother will for the rest of his life be on social security disability. he can still work, but only 10-15 hours a week due to his brain damage.

is it wrong for him to be recieving government assistance? should he instead be destined to live on the streets and beg for a living because of an accident?

[redneck diaper boy]

I would like to ask a question.

How is all that "hope" and "change you can believe in" working out for you?

[sarah_ab]

well stem cell research is now legal, so hopefully generations of children will never have to suffer certain types of incontinence, never have to suffer agonizing genetic disorders, never have to know a life of pain, suffering, teasing, taunting, and disaiblity...

but noo.. theres no hope there.....