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How’s unemployment benefiting you?
by Jonathan Berk | 7.23.10 | 8 Comments

unemployedThe Federal fount of unemployment benefits has been turned back on. Yesterday, President Obama finalized the restoration of unemployment checks to millions of Americans who’ve been out of work for at least six months. For some (whom we might or might not know), this means that long-planned PBR-can model of  Washington Crossing the Delaware will finally come to be. For others, it’s just on with the grind of Monster-ing/Craigslist-ing/Linking-in for that next job, 24/7. What about you? If you’re on unemployment (or you’re about to be), is your fully-funded sabbatical about earnestly sending out resumes every day, or something more creative?

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  • Tim Donnelly

    whoa whoa whoa… the government will pay you to be UN employed?!? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this!

  • Wendy

    I would just be happy if they gave me unemployment. I got laid off a few weeks ago and got denied for the second time. Yet, I know people who have been on unemployment for over a year that continue to get it. Makes sense to me.

  • pizzle

    you have to make at least $800 in two seperate quarters in order to qualify for unemployment. jan-mar, april-june, july-sept, oct-dec. think i grossed $806.25 in july before being laid off and calling. they said i just made it. my first claim will be this sunday. got my fingers crossed. hopefully it will stand

  • natasha

    I was laid off in march 2008, a month after I signed a lease on a one-bedroom apt. The first six months was stressing out about trying to pay rent and look for a job. Sweating it out daily in my suit and wondering how I was going to afford to have my clothes dry cleaned again. It was an utterly depressing and dehumanizing experience. I have never been rejected from so many shitty jobs. By late fall of 2008, I subletted my apt, and moved home to save money and regroup. Yes, I am one of the 99ers who never found a job and kind of gave up on the constant rejection. It eats away at your soul after awhile. I sent out hundreds upon hundreds of resumes. Signed up with every agency imaginable. Finally I turned to something creative to change my life. I applied for college, got in, and am now living off of school loans. It was the only thing I could do to stave off poverty and suicide. Seriously.

  • JerseyBred323

    I’d much rather be working. I’ve been on unemployment for a long time and I was cut off with a lot of people during the week of June 6th.

    I’m happy the extension’s been passed but I wish there were enough jobs to go around.

  • JerseyBred323

    @ Natasha – I can really identify with you. I plan to finish grad school when I go back Spring 2011. I had to take time off this past March because the stress of focusing on school and looking aggressively for jobs took its toll.

    I wouldn’t wish this experience on my enemy.

  • http://atslopes.bigcartel.com/ atslopes

    Hey guys ,

    The recession and not having a job in about 2 years motivated me to start my own new t-shirt line. In less than 1 month Ive sold over 40 tees online & offline, with brooklyn brawlers being really burning up the streets of NYC.
    I used the money from unemployment refund, and the ny state refund check, and decided to fight back and do something. Not having a job has made me realize as a artist, I should have been independent all along. Working for yourself is the greatest thing to ever happen to me.

    bigcartel: http://atslopes.bigcartel.com

    http://atslopes.bigcartel.com/product/brooklyn-brawlers-tee

    http://atslopes.bigcartel.com/product/mrt-shirt

    My next steps on my journey is to possibly get my tees in stores around the country. I found my inspiration from unemployement.
    All the best! Thanks for inspiring me! Loving the blog!

  • clayfilms

    Applied for unemployment a few months back after getting laid off a production job. It’s been a blessing. I must admit the day to day grind of looking for work and getting no response takes an emotional toll. But I am grateful to God for friends and family who daily encourage me. Being unemployed has given me time to do alot of meaningful volunteer work for non profits that don’t have big budgets for video production as well network with like minded professionals at networking events that I probably wouldn’t have time to go to if I was working. All in all, God is good and I’ll continue to trust Him for work.