janesvillean wrote: "skippy31, there are still 4.5 applicants per job opening, three times as many as there were before the recession began. What are you suggesting the enterprising person whose unemployment has run out do -- kill two people?"
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Great comment! Actually, employers are receiving a minimum of 20 applications; not 4.5, so they would have to kill 19 people in order to get that job. The official 8.5% unemployment rate is actually closer to 20%, which is what it was during the Great Depression. The self-employed (independent contractors) were never included in the unemployment statistic, and those whose unemployment benefits have run out, are also not included. Also, recent college graduates unable to find work are not included in the UE statistic because they were never eligible.

HAHAHA, re read the last comment of mine and you will see at the end that I said I realize that I don't know you. Maybe that is why you can't get a job.

Skippy- You dont know me or the stuggle I've been threw. Boy oh boy it`s fun(and easy) to get people all wild up on this website. HAHAHA

marge...you know what emac means. Don't be stupid. I agree with him. Unemployment is meant to bridge the gap between jobs when someone is laid off TO NO FAULT OF HIS/HER OWN and until they can find another job. It is not meant to be a way of life, to sit back and do nothing until the benefits run out. And you know as well as I do that some people will milk it and not look for another job.

HAHAHA, It sounds to me by your irresponsible comments that you will be unemployed for a very long time. That is in response to your comment "It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." You have definately removed all of my doubt. You will also have nothing to show for your life as there is not an ounce of responsibility in your being. Just going off your comments. I do realize that I don't even know you.

MGDJoker
You have to set yourself above the competition. If that requires schooling, then so be it. There are many ways to go to school. I am sure that you would be qualified for this job, but the other people who apply may have more qualifications then you. It is all about looking at yourself, and making sure that you have what is needed. How many of those 80 did you call back to see if they had filled the position. This shows initiative and desire to an employer.

mespl
First off, yes I do know many people about 8 that are doing this.I obviously will not reveal their names. I am also educated by schooling, in HR, and Managment. I do know how unemployment works, and have seen alot of abuse. The suprise for me is that the people who are on unemployment and need it, don't speak out about the abusers who ruin it for the people who need it. Things in life always get judged by the bad apples, and there needs to be accountability. I am not on a high horse, just have a straight opinion about this, I am sorry that you can't accept that.
HAHAHA,
It becomes my business, when the unempoloyed complain about nothing being out there. There is a reason that you are unemployed. If you fill out an aplication, call back about it. Don't apply for a job that you are not qualified for. Get yourself the skills needed to set you apart from the competition. These are just a couple of things you can do to get a job. Oh thats right, it is everyone elses fault.

emac- It's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

So emac--you think people that haven't worked are collecting unemployment benefits? Got proof on that dumb statement?

HAHAHA- Just to make sure you don't get me wrong. I have no problem with anyone who has worked and been laid-off collecting unemployment benefits. I agree if you work you are deserving of those benefits. The discussion started with those who cheat the system.

nicksmom, HAHAHA- I myself have had more than one employer make the claim that they are directly on the hook for anyone they have laid-off. When in fact it is all tied to payroll tax they will pay regardless. So, I am sure many people believe their employers when they make that type of statement.

HAHAHA- Your first comment: "my former employer was paying my unemployment NOT YOU". Your second comment on the same subject:"they don't pay your unemployment benefits directly". All you did was reinforce my comment. For all I care you can stay on unemployment for as long as you like, it doesn't effect me either way. I do agree that tax payers have a right to disagree with the UC system and there any many who take advantage of, or cheat the system. A big part of the problem is lack of accountability. You don't even have to turn in a work search record until you are drawing extended benefits. So, many people don't even bother looking for work until that time. It ends up looking on the surface like the welfare system in the eyes of those who never have to use it.

"Learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn't matter."

nicksmom- Like it's just that easy to pick up everything and move to North Dakota?? Get real.

Maybe some people should start worrying about themselves(nicksmom)and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing(Get A Life)

emac- You should look into things before commenting.

If you get laid off and collect unemployment, the benefits you collect, get charged against the UC accounts all your former employers you had during the "earnings" year used to calculate your benefit - they don't pay your unemployment benefits directly - it just gets charged against their account - too many unemployment claims against a company in a year and their unemployment tax rate could increase going into the future.

I think I'm on my 80th application. Only had one interview. Having six years of I.T. and design experience just does not seem to cut it now a days. The only interview that I got had over 20 plus other applicants. With odds like that maybe I should just play the lottery.

emac: The taxes are paid by the employer & my understanding is that the employer tax rate can be affected by having employees who successfully obtain benefits. At least that's how it is in IL.

janesvillean: When the going gets tough the tough get going. There were periods in my life when I worked as many as 3 jobs. I was on unemployment once for a few months but it was less than $100 / week - why? Because I went out & got whatever work I could & my benefits were reduced. These comments of people "milking" unemployment. What a bunch of losers. What is the rate these days - not even $400 a week? If that's the life some of you want so be it. Others go where the opportunities are instead of sitting around feeling sorry. I thought I just heard one of the Dakota's - North I believe is in an employment boom. Maybe not the most desirable location but in my book you do what you gotta do & don't sit around on your keester sucking at the public trough feeling sorry for yourself waiting for the opportunity of a life time to come knocking on your door - but hey that's just me.

HAHAHA- Your former employer isn't paying your UC benefits.
"The unemployment insurance system is jointly operated by the state and federal governments. It is financed by state and federal payroll taxes."

Yeah I've milked unemployment for about 5 1/2 months, is it any of your business? Does any of this money come out of tax payers pockets? NO, my former employer was paying my unemployment NOT YOU

mespl- I personally know quite a few people ( 6 or more) who stayed on unemployment until they found a job that paid the same or more than they were collecting on UC benefits. If you made a decent wage when you were laid off you would collect the max. benefit of $363 a week. That is about the same as a $12/hr. full time job (after taxes and fuel costs). They weren't taking $9-10 offers until their benefits ran out. I don't know if you would call it corruption but the definitely "milked" the system as long as they could.

skippy: No you really don’t have to answer that just be a good little republican and offer people candy. I really get sick of the whole “just get a job” and the “I will just sit on unemployment” wining that comes from the right. If one person dose that then the right wants to remove the whole system. It is pathetic, look at the system as a whole and if you want to say that the system as a whole is corrupt I want some facts to back that up otherwise you are simply spreading lies. From your own statement you have never used the system, and neither have I. I am simply tired of the people who say how well they know the “I will just sit on unemployment” mentality. Really you know it? How do you know it? Please specify, be exact in what you say. What one person you know who is on unemployment abuses it, how exactly do they abuse it? Do you know all the facts of their life and all the items which are taken into account by the system to determine if that person qualifies? I doubt it, you are simply sitting there on your high horse judging others!

There are hiring booms in Pennsylvania and North Dakota. Research it.

skippy - I think I know of the employer you mean. My husband is a hard-working man and worked at the place I am thinking of UNTIL they decided to go 2x12 24/7 because we had small children, I worked full-time days, and paying for childcare, if you could find it for the hours in question, would have made it not worth working at all for him as it would have burned up most of his take-home pay. He now has a different job with normal, non-rotating hours, at which he works just as hard and may get paid somewhat less, but we were willing to accept that to have a family life. Not all jobs can be a good fit for all people because there are other responsibilities in life such as child care. Note that I mention that, yes, sometimes you have to take lower pay to fulfill your responsibilities in life; the times when we were laid off for jobs, the first place we called the next business day was the temp agency, and took any assignment (none of which were that glamorous, trust me) that came regardless until such time as we found a new permanent position. People do need to decide whether their pride or their responsibilities are more important.

I feel for certain people like my neighbor who's plant closed down, applies for jobs across the country, willing to relocate where needed, goes to interviews regularly, and is either 'over qualified, under qualified', or just plain never hears back! It frustrates me that many abuse the system and it mostly hurts people like him, who are looking at losing everything.

donnaw - you've got that right. Let's add in multiple piercings, bizarre hair styles and colors, extreme makeup (IE goth), extreme fragrance (whether applied or just BO or smoke-infused) .... I wouldn't want to be an employer; I would want to have a laundry list regarding dress and demeanor codes, and the lawyers would shoot it down as possibly getting me sued.

janesvillian...if any of those 4.5 applicants for jobs go for job interviews looking like some of those who went to the job fair pictured in the Gazette, I've got news for them. You are not going to be hired, ever. Torn jeans, flannel shirts, tats all over, etc. I wonder what their resume looked like if that's how they dressed.

more than half the states have this. no big deal.

Do I really have to answer that? If your unemployment runs out, you have been on it for way too long. Come on. Seriously. The problem exists when you can't get into the same paid job that you were in before, and are turning down jobs because they are not perfect. Where I work there are 12 hour shifts, and have been there 13 years. This runs many people off. To me it is just lazyness. I don't want that job because it is 12 hours. We are always hiring. Unfortuantely there are tests that have to be passed before you get in. That is why promoting your own knowledge and skills is very important. I go on Wisconsin job net, and see hundreds of jobs out there. Oh wait, they don't pay what your last employer did, so people don't apply. If I was unemployed, I would work at mcdonalds, at least that is an honest job and wouldn't make me a social burden. People are not helpless. I don't need to hear sob stories.

skippy31, there are still 4.5 applicants per job opening, three times as many as there were before the recession began. What are you suggesting the enterprising person whose unemployment has run out do -- kill two people?
http://www.economytrack.org/jobopening.p...

Unemployment was designed to aid people whose jobs have closed, have been layed off, or the company was wrongfully terminating people. It is not supposed to be used for the people who get fired due to their own idiocy. Every company has rules, and it is up to us to follow them. It is not supposed to be used as income for long time periods, and you should get a job as soon as you can. I know the "I will just sit on unemployment" mentallity, and have never had to collect it because I maintain a job, and mine has not shutdown. I also know many people who sat on it and got degrees when GM and Lear left. What more do people want?

just gotta love the getta job comments coming from people who dont know you or your life or work history . .....comments like that sound so ignorant .

WOW! Maybe all of you should find a job.

The recall can't come fast enough for this piece of (pick your own word) we have in office.

Waiting week? It took my unemployment over a month to kick in. What the heck is this?

Garentee there will be complaints about this so let the crowing begin