Not Just Sitting Around Collecting UI Checks

I lost my job in November 2012, approximately 1 week after Hurricane Sandy. I have had a few short stints of temporary employment, but I've pretty much been unemployed ever since.

 

I qualified for the maximum unemployment benefit in the state where I worked ($405/week), and I was able to live on this while I looked for work. I certainly didn't live lavishly, but I was able to survive. But as of 12/29/13 that vanished.

 

I wish all the RWNJs out there who think UI makes us lazy could understand one thing. In order to collect UI, you have to be able to demonstrate that you are actively looking for work. This means you not only have to look for work, but you have to keep a written record of what you do to look for work. At any time while you are collecting UI, your state's Department of Labor can contact you and ask to see your work search record for a given period. If you are unable to produce any records of work search activity (either because you didn't keep a record or because you didn't look for work), you can lose your benefits. This should effectively quash the notion that people on UI just sit on their asses & collect checks every week.

 

I'm still occasionally getting temp work here and there, but I've only had one long-term assignment since I've been unemployed. It lasted 4 weeks. I temporarily replaced a receptionist who was on medical leave. The company liked me, but at the end of the 4 weeks the receptionist returned to work, and there is no hope of me going back there unless someone else gets sick.

 

As of right now I've got enough money to last about 5 months. And that's if I don't buy food. After that I don't know what I'm going to do. I have no family, no one to rely on for help.

An Immigrant's Story

Came from CUBA w my parents back in 1967 in the LIBERTY FLIGHTS.

Got married ,divorced, no kids and worked different jobs.

In Feb 11th    1980 got an office job and I thought to my self I will retired from here at 65.

 

On JULY  2012 after 33 years I  got layoff .They got TEMPS and younger college people.

I did  get UI .and looked for part time jobs. But there is a problem I was 60 They want younger people.

 

In NOV 2013  after I did worked all my life the stop my UI .No savings.

I will be force to retired at 62  10 months to go.

I have not paid rent for the last two months, going to food pantry and Salvation Army for food, for me and m pets.but they don't give personal items. EMBARRASSING.

You can go once a month to either one .Never get enough food for my dogs. So if I get $5 extra dollars is for pet food.

I don't drink or smoke but I LIKE TO DRINK DIET COKE  and I can't .My dogs are first.

I been waiting to get help w my electric bill since JAN 16th  that I did apply for help.

Com ED can't wait till I AM approved ,they want down payment of $67.by next Friday.

Had to cancel the YMCA of 14 years.

My family pays my phone and Internet in case of an emergency .
My neighbor did give me money to help w my cooking gas.

I am not a lazy person I clean the building to help w my rent. I take care of a couple of cats ,I do my land lord's laundry and help her in her house .She takes it off the rent.

They offer me to apply for low income ,just have to get in line.....

Why do I have to move when I been here for 34 years?

 

No one can tell me that I am taking a long vacation and enjoying this situation ,not knowing if next month I will have electricity or cooking gas or a place to leave.

I wont tell my name. , don't want anyone to feel sorry for me .I want what I deserve ,what I worked for. 

Failing to Renew Unemployment Insurance Benefits has Real Life Consequences

Clayton Edward Rowe - by Kimberly Rowe

On April 6th 2014 My Husband took his own Life. He was a very private man, and did not like asking anyone for anything.  He did not even want our kids to know how bad we was having it.

It all started back One year ago to the day.  I didn't find this out till after.  He was let go from a job he had for 17 years.  Downsizing.  The company let him go and gave his job to someone with lesser seniority but same pay.  He loved his job.  He took pride in everything he did.  When the company was going to cut just the Printer Operators pay (His Job) he stood up to all the big men and told them that that was not right.  Everyone he worked with loved him.

Well, he signed up for unemployment and he was in his first tier when benefits was cut off.  He was a very prideful man.  He watched me struggle with trying to keep the bills paid and going to school.  We was evicted in Dec and moved to where we are now.  We have had 3 cars taking away.  He loved to watch the News, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CSPAN.  The last few weeks before he passed he would talk about how bad this world had gotten, and what our kids and grand children was going to face in the future.  He loved History and good tell you anything you wanted to know.  He was a avid movie watcher and loved the Old Movies.

He was like everyone else that put in endless applications, No calls, Not Hiring. He would cry because he felt like he wasn't a full man.  He wasn't taking care of his family like he was use to.  He finally did get a job right before he passed.  He just couldn't handle it.  He felt like he was nothing to go from a 24.00 hour job to 10.95.  His letter he left that night said he just couldn't take it anymore. Losing everything we owned just about, really played hard on his mind.

This time last year we had 2 grand sons 10 and 4.  This year we have 5 with 2 more on the way.  One in May and we just found out our daughter is having one in November.  Our new ones are 9 months only girl, 8 months. 3 months,  We have 5 kids together.  His only Daughter Alicia, My daugthers Tiffany and Samantha and my Son Clay. He also loved my stepdaughter from my previous marriage. She called him dad.  Not too many men will accept another man's child into a relationship.

We have been together 13 years.  We met at his job of 17 years.  We have been married since July 2006. He grew up in a very hard childhood.  He moved 22 times while in school. He was the youngest of 9.  He said he would hide when they come to cut off the electricity or tell them they had to move.  He hated hearing that knock on the door, and that was what we was going thru here. I have newspaper articles when he was little for where his dad was willing to sell and kidney or an eye for money to feed and turn power on.

I hope this helps you understand what kind of man my husband was.  I loved him with all my heart, and I will never be the same.  I blame the government for this, If this extension had passed he would still be here I believe.