Trying to hire and they are all "Drawing"

[LD1]

Unemployment is also based on what the employee made in the prior 6 months I believe. Up to a maximum.

You dont just have to be able to pay as good as unemployment. You have to beat it substantially in order to make it worthwhile.

I was on unemployment for about 3 months back in 2008. Based on prior 6 months work, I was able to draw the maximum that I was able with 0 dependents. Didn't have kids at the time and wife made TOO much to be eligable as a dependent.

I was making like $396 per week. After the federal taxes cane out, that was about $325 into my account EVERY WEEK. I didn't even look at several jobls in the 11-13 per hour range. Even though my pride told me I needed a job, by the time taxes came out and travel expenses, I would still only be making $325 per week. I though, why settle when I can keep looking. Fortunatly, the right job cam up and I got back to work.

No if my prior 6 months employment was NOT at a good job, and I was only bringing home say $200 per week, those $13 per hour jobs would have looked a lot better.

The fact of having a guarenteed $325 per week makes it hard to go back to working 40hrs for the same amout of money. I needed a good bit more than that for me to call off the dogs on the job hunt and go back to work.

 

[Reverend Blair]

True enough... just don't know how a cruise ship would fit into that scenario?

I have a friend (photographer) who took a cruise to Alaska in an attempt to get work on cruise ships. It was kind of a hair-brained scheme and he didn't get work, but it was his plan. It was also at least as possible as trying to find work here at that time was.

I have a cousin who went on an extended European vacation with her grandmother as kind of a travelling companion/nurse. She was the chosen grandchild simply because she wasn't working.

You can decide how legitimate those things are when it comes to unemployment benefits (I don't think my cousin was getting any benefits, but only because I don't think she'd had a job yet), but both are pertinent examples of how one might end up on "vacation" while unemployed.

Unemployment is also based on what the employee made in the prior 6 months I believe. Up to a maximum.

You dont just have to be able to pay as good as unemployment. You have to beat it substantially in order to make it worthwhile.

I was on unemployment for about 3 months back in 2008. Based on prior 6 months work, I was able to draw the maximum that I was able with 0 dependents. Didn't have kids at the time and wife made TOO much to be eligable as a dependent.

I was making like $396 per week. After the federal taxes cane out, that was about $325 into my account EVERY WEEK. I didn't even look at several jobls in the 11-13 per hour range. Even though my pride told me I needed a job, by the time taxes came out and travel expenses, I would still only be making $325 per week. I though, why settle when I can keep looking. Fortunatly, the right job cam up and I got back to work.

No if my prior 6 months employment was NOT at a good job, and I was only bringing home say $200 per week, those $13 per hour jobs would have looked a lot better.

The fact of having a guarenteed $325 per week makes it hard to go back to working 40hrs for the same amout of money. I needed a good bit more than that for me to call off the dogs on the job hunt and go back to work.

That's very true. It costs money to go to work. You need transport, clothes, possibly childcare. It's also hard to look for work when you already have a job because you have trouble scheduling interviews, taking phone calls etc.. That all plays into people's decisions.

 

[ultrarunner]

If there was national health care (not insurance) the country would be in a better place. The medicare people know what things cost, and don't over pay the overpaid health workers.

That doesn't always work. New, lower Medicare rates of reimbursement that do not cover costs of certain procedures are often no longer performed... it isn't reasonable to expect a company can take a loss on each case and continue to offer the service.

We have Doctors that still do by scheduling a few of these types of cases among all the cases on their surgery days... Once your at the Hospital with staff in place it is less of a burden to have 3 cases for which you are paid and one you do for charity.

It is not so easy on the Hospital... a shortage or cost spike in drugs or supplies makes a marginable or break even case become a loss and any patient complications are almost always on the Doctor and Facility... makes treating patients with Diabetes, Obese, and other Health Issues that much more of a risk.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have a friend (photographer) who took a cruise to Alaska in an attempt to get work on cruise ships. It was kind of a hair-brained scheme and he didn't get work, but it was his plan. It was also at least as possible as trying to find work here at that time was.

I have a cousin who went on an extended European vacation with her grandmother as kind of a travelling companion/nurse. She was the chosen grandchild simply because she wasn't working.

You can decide how legitimate those things are when it comes to unemployment benefits (I don't think my cousin was getting any benefits, but only because I don't think she'd had a job yet), but both are pertinent examples of how one might end up on "vacation" while unemployed.

The media had an in depth story on benefits... I guess the real question is if the eligibility requirements to receive the benefit met...

The Cruise Ship ATM withdrawls were only a small portion as were the amounts from Indian Gaming Establishments... CA has changed procedures to limit Cruise Ship and Casino transactions.

 

[Jimbrown]

Well Heck I don't need a job and really don't want one. But if I lived close by I would give you a try just for the fun of it.

I have had bad experience with that though. The last job i took like that the agreement was I worked 9 to 2 4 days a week. The next thing i know its 6 till 8 6 days a week.

Also took a small gorvenment job once just for fun. 7 to 4, 5 days a week. I am the third assistant to nobody and crap six months later they all been fired and I am running the place 24 hour on call.

 

[slowzuki]

UI up here must be different, you can only draw so long based on how long you paid in, and the checks are like 70% of your pay but only up to like 30,000$ per year. What you pay in depends on the unemployment rate in that industry, ie seasonal jobs they take a lot out.

My sister was laid off from a minimum wage job, she immediately had to find other full time min wage work as 70% less tax isn't enough to pay the mortgage. Welfare here is probably less than 40% of full time min wage.

 

[Mousefield]

Yours might be different down there, but I've had an Employment Insurance deduction on every pay cheque I've ever drawn. Up here the employee pays part and the employer pays part. The government manages the program and makes the payments, but it's self-funding.

You are right, employee and employer both pay into the program. You need to work a certain number of hours to qualify and then you get a % of what you used to earn. There is a cap on how much you can get on unemployment insurance per week, no matter how much you used to make.

In Canada the government took a bunch of money (can't remember the exact amount, but it was several billion) out of the EI fund to pay down the deficit because there was a surplus. It's not doing as well now, but it's not that bad.

Reverend Blair, As well your memory is correct, the government stole a few billon dollars from the unemployment fund to help pay off some of the deficit. This money actually belonged to the people who had paid into it. They really should have lowered the premium that employee and employer had to pay.

Sweettractors, There are lots on people on unemployement that don’t want to be on it. I would contact your unemployement office even if it is 30 miles away. They must have some clients that live in your area. Good luck finding someone.

 

[bdeboer]

In Ohio them maximum is around $500/wk before taxes with dependants. You have the option of them holding back I think 20% for Federal Taxes. From what I understand you do not have to take a job that pays less than your previous job.

I know a single dad with 3 kids that has been laid off for awhile. He said that the local TSC offered him a job that would have him bringing $275/week home after taxes. He turned it down, couldn't afford his rent etc. He is not happy about his current situation, and continues to look for work.

 

[Mousefield]

This is a sad but common problem to be sure. I agree that the government has to take the vast majority of the blame for making unemployment look too good. A couple of years ago, my wife and I saw a news story about people on food stamps and how hard they had it. Interviews of shop owners revealed that every month, as soon as the stamps arrived, they would completely sell out of all the steaks and lobsters. By the end of the show, I came to the conclusion that most food stamp recipients actually have a much larger monthly food budget than we do. Now, don't get me wrong, we eat really well, but if I had a food stamp budget, I'd eat like a king!

We need welfare reform alright. It's much too good and easy to get.

Ken, if I was within 30 miles of you, I'd work for you. As it is, I'm frozen to the Canadian border, slinging windows for the last 20 years. Only 20 years to go! WOO-HOO!

Joe

In our area the unemployment rate is around 8%. Given that the government only counts the people on EI in this stat I would suspect the real number is more like 12% if you count all the people who would like to work. Fact is there are not enough jobs for everyone who would like to work. As well many of the jobs available are part time and or low pay. In our area an average house costs $340,000. and in Victoria BC, capital city of British Columbia, which is about 80 miles from us, the average house price is around ½ million. Pretty hard to exist on low and or minimum wage and or part time. I am unemployed at the present time and the last 5 resumes I sent out I didn't even get a phone call. Have never seen it this hard to even get an interview.

 

[LBrown59]

Problem is private enterprise has to compete with government when paying folks.

This means the government is overly generous or employers are overly stingy

or could it be a little of both .