I bumped into an old co-worker at the gym. We used to be shift supervisors together back in the day. Our professional paths meandered in different directions over the years but we’ve always kept in touch. It turns out, he was just let go and after expressing my concern, he actually joked, “I’m better off actually. You’d never believe it but the difference between me working and being on unemployment for the next 2 years is like $100 a month. Why should I bother?” He was pretty candid and admitted, “I never thought I’d be ‘that guy‘ taking advantage of the system, but seriously, who the hell’s going to work 40 hours a week for 25 bucks?”
Continue Reading Why This Guy… and Many More…. Are Better Off NOT Working
Darwin
I don’t blame him for taking two years off, but it proves that our system is broke.
I think the standard 26 weeks of unemployment is an acceptable period and I could even agree to 52 weeks during really bad times like now. But two years is too much. If you can’t find a job in two years in your area, you need to look in another area.
The normal 26 weeks is paid for by deducations from our pay, so it is funded. The 99 weeks of funding is coming from the workers, so your friend can sleep late every day.
The system will continue this way until it can’t. That time is approaching.
“The system will continue this way until it can’t. That time is approaching.”
+ 1 !!!
Admin
Well said and completely agree. This system is broken and has been broken. The experiment has failed and we are dealing with the consequences now. We need to change the system for the better. In the beginning, times will be tough for many during the transistion but in the end, it will be best for our future. If you are unemployed longer then 52 weeks, you need to move or begin looking elsewhere. If we didnt’ have this system, it would have forced Americans to live within their means and save money. Since most Americans don’t save, they are fucked if a crisis ever occurs. The crisis is here and Americans are freaking out.
Our consumer based, debt driven economy was milked and now we are feeling the effects of the so called, “good times.” For istance, my mother is 57 years old. She has lived above her means for a long time and now that she is getting closer to retirement, she is realizing after I discuss her finances that she can’t afford the retirement she feels entitled to. Unbelieveable…. She has very little in savings and no retirement really. Her car just broke down and she has to buy a new car. I told her to buy a reliable car that will be cheap to repair and maintain and fits into her budget. I told her to look at a Toyota or Honda that is used with low mileage so that she can have a car that lasts her for close to 10 years and will have a manageable payment since she doesn’t have much in savings. I received an email this morning from her with a picture of a 2008 BMW and a price tag that I know is above her budget. The sad thing here is that I’m being the parent and trying to tell her what she can afford since I have seen her finances. She told me she has expensive taste and deserves a nice car since she is older. She hasn’t bought a car yet but I’m getting very frustrated. I love my mother but she lacks common sense. I’m beginning to give up and just accept that I will be taking care of her and financing her wreckless decisions in the years ahead. It is frustrating but it is reality.
I have a system mooching sister (w/ a child) that hasn’t worked going on 2 years now, She even flew to Vegas during the summer “just to get away” Must be rough having to get away from doing nothing. Probably makes more than I do…….Is the system broke when the unemployed can take trips and the employed can barely keep gas in the tank to get to work, you better fucking believe it!
Tough love, jmarz.
Tough love.
It’s the only treatment for the epidemic of “lacks common sense” plaguing our nation.
Fairy tale life = just another addiction.
Dan,
Sorry I can only give your post 1 “like”.
I’d give it 100 if I could.
“Must be rough having to get away from doing nothing.”
Indeeed.
We had to lay off more than half our staff a few years ago.
One of my former machinists drew unemployment and got the government to pay for TWO more “degrees.” The moron has FIVE different associates degrees, but still no job.
We called him back, part time, a year ago. He continued to draw partial unemployment (only a portion of the pay, but still counted as a full benefit week) for over a year.
He came to us earlier in the summer and “demanded” to be put back on full time because his unemployment ran out. We strongly encouraged him to leave us and find a better job because if we could afford to have him back full time, he would have been back full time.
I just don’t understand people these days. I know people that work 37.5 hours a week and are losing their homes over a $100 increase in their mortgage payments. Just like my former machinist, they cannot even phantom the thought of taking a part time job for extra money, nor will they pare back their “entertainment” expenses (smartphones, digital/HD cable, netflix, gamefly, video game console monthly membership), because, of course, they are “stressed,” they “deserve” it.
I’m starting to hear the drumbeats of “jobs Americans won’t do” again. My gawd with SNAP, Section 8, free healthcare and under the table, we seem to be intentionally discouraging people from working.
What in the hell happened to the mindset of, “I deserve anything I am willing to work for!”?
Instead, we have the “why would I?” mindset. Why would anyone trade leisure for hard work when the outcome financially is the exact same? Why would anyone work two jobs to be able to afford a vacation, or a tv, or a 2008 BMW, when we can just charge it and pray that our incomes don’t drop more in the next five years.
Jmarz, I feel for you, it is so tough when your parents are the children. Call a couple auto repair shops that specialize in BMWs. Get quotes for maintenance things like oil changes, headlamps or windshield (or back window) wiper blades. Show them to her, because she is really going to regret her choice the first time it needs service.
It is so strange to hear about a broke 57 year old “planning” on retirement. I’m not broke and only 44 and I KNOW that I will NEVER be able to retire – barring hitting the lottery or lawsuit lottery. Good luck to your mom, and to you.
jmarz, that’s a perfect example of the situation so many Boomers are in. It’s mind-boggling how they just don’t get it.
PS – Yes, all you TBP Boomers, you ARE the exception!
Jmarz: Good to know there’s another in my club… In my own planning, I must include how I’m to shelter the old man because I know I have to. Include an in-law in your life map.
I have friends who were laid off almost two years ago. I told them then that being laid off sucks and they should use the seemingly hard times to go to school…
Well, all but one didn’t. All but one are at the end of their lazy vacation.
99 weeks could offer a whole new in demand, skilled trade to the opportunistic or an employment gap as wide as the Grand Canyon…
To think that if I ever get laid off the safety net would be so used and tattered as to be useless.
Until this laziness and entitled thought process is socially scorned at the top (tbtf execs) and the bottom (fsa) the idea of a safety net will fail miserably.
The nitwit marxist la razaite that beat me in the House race in Arizona last year is leading a charge with the other elected Demosocialists in AZ to extend that 99 weeks of unemployment because 2 years of loafing just isn’t enough. Forget the fact that most of the unemployment was CAUSED by them between the “everybody deserves a home” program and the rediculous taxes that came from the Janet Nacrapitano spending spree during his stint as governor.
@TeresaE: +1
Truth be to tell, I worked the system one time myself – a long time ago. I was working for RCUH (Research Corp of Univ. of Hawaii) which is their “hot body” organization that allows the Univ. system to hire people without board of trustee approval. Anyone who works for the Univ. of Hawaii directly cannot be fired short of a nuclear blast, so they did a work around with RCUH.
Anyhow, I had been working for RCUH for 6 years. The average employment time with RCUH was 3 years. I was starting to make too much money and no longer fit their employment profile.
So they tried to fire me. No grounds, of course, and I assured them that if they unilaterally did it, I’d sue them. But —- I told them that if they wanted me to leave, just ask with a please. They did so and I said,”Fine, just give me full pay, one month per year of employment, let me keep the insurance and at the end of 6 months, lay me off.”
They agreed. I had just had a home (I built it and sold it in Idaho and carried the note), pay off with $85K, so I took a year off and built two more dwellings on the property up in Kula. 6 months of pay and bennies, then 6 months of unemployment and COBRA and whoopee – we were in the Bed and Breakfast business with the two dwellings, had more than tripled the value of the property (this was in the late ’80s).
Got that done, ran out unemployment and went back to work the next day managing another tracking station (GEODSS) atop Haleakala for twice the UH money.
I suppose some could look at as morally wrong. At the time I just made sure I didn’t get screwed by UH and played the cards that were laying on the table. First and last I was ever on unemployment. Didn’t waste a nickel of it and not a minute of the time. In fact, I had a blast building the three places myself and were I younger, I do it again in a heartbeat, without any unemployment!
Lemons and lemonade and all that stuff.
MA
One more note, when I moved here I actually QUALIFIED for unemployment because my wife had a job here so I technically moved with her job even though I quit. Couldn’t take it, because that’s just rediculous. Once I started looking I was working in 2 weeks.
Dan:
“Is the system broke when the unemployed can take trips and the employed can barely keep gas in the tank to get to work, you better fucking believe it”
Well put. I see Welfare and disability recipients going to Hawaii, Orlando, New York, going on cruises. It blows my mind. They haven’t worked a day in years, and are taking vacations and living the high life on my dime. I want to strangle ’em.
The people who do the work in America have gone Gault. Or, they are just too beaten down to make an effort.
My brother-in-law is an attorney in Western Michigan with a small firm. He drives about 400 miles a week, meeting with defendants in various prisons and courts because he has a contract for PD with the state. Has an associate who handles property closings, family law. Money is tight but he’s working his tail off to keep the enterprise going…
We visited back in August and he observed a huge change in mentality. In the past, the conversations were, “Yeah, I’m getting my associate’s degree, should be working as a _ real soon. Or, I just passed my electrician’s license. Should be getting a raise soon.”
Today, he said the converations are, “I have 30 weeks left on my unemployment, tough to find the right job.” Or, “I applied for SSI, should know soon if I’ll get my disability.”
No one gets married anymore. All babies are out of wedlock…the breakdown in family is acute.
Western Michiganders are a self-reliant, hard-working crew. To see so many give up is heart-breaking…
We live in an affluent community in Northern NJ, with the most expensive property taxes in the country. Over 60 homes were auction off in ONE town last week. Mansions with ARMS are all up for sale, modest homes and historic colonials showing signs of disrepair.The signs of American decay are everywhere.
I teach a class for adults who are changing to new career. There’s a core group of 50% who attend every classs, complete assignments are sincerely interested;. The balance don’t show up or walk in an hour late, or leave early without an explanation.
This kind of behavior would have been unthinkable among this group five years ago.
The people who are considered the backbone of America have left the reservation. The signs of societal breakdown are everywhere….
Mary, great comments.
My brother relocated to Western Michigan for a job a couple years back. Shortly after moving from small town MI, to suburban sprawl MI, his company cut pay by 20% and canceled health insurance.
Thanks to the fact that what they do is not being done well by the Chinese AND that 70% of their Michigan, 50% national, competitors went out of business, they are now busy again. Busy enough where wages & partial benefits have been returned.
His staff, from the office girl, to his salesmen, to the machinists are overwhelmingly broke and in debt. They bitch and cry and file bankruptcy, or walk away, all the time.
The company is now busy enough where there is overtime for ANYONE that wants it. The company doesn’t want to (can’t) hire more workers thanks to unemployment taxes and insurance costs, but they cannot get their BROKE staff to come in and make 1.5 times their regular pay. Nope, nope, nope.
Decay is right, and an understatement.
Something is seriously wrong with a person that refuses to help, or control, themselves even while drowning.
And proves the point that money only motivates the majority of people, up to the point that a person’s basic necessities are met.
Which should then explain why we are in such deep shit. With the advent of Obamacare, and the very real fact that the majority of people cannot afford $1200 a month in insurance for their families, most families are going to be forced to work less to qualify for “help.”
Talk about FUBAR. Talk about trying to crash the system through taxation, mandates and regulations.
“Something is seriously wrong with a person that refuses to help, or control, themselves even while drowning.”
Welcome to the welfare state. Learned helplessness courtesy of the Federal and state governments. They kill you, and it help, in exchange for a democratic vote. The government freed 2 million slaves after the civil war, but now has 45 million people in slavery worse than anything experienced in the south. Societal breakdown indeed. Why work when you get everything for free?
Jmarz……If your Mom’s plans are any indication of the average boomer retirement….Mobile home parks will continue as a solid investment. I can’t see the average retiree afford anything else.
Jmarz – you said: “I’m beginning to give up and just accept that I will be taking care of her and financing her wreckless decisions in the years ahead. It is frustrating but it is reality.”
Ummm, no it isn’t reality and no you do not have to accept that situation. You need to explain to her that you will not in fact bear the cost of her decisions – you will have your own family to raise and support. You need to make a stand, and stick by it. It is cold and it is hard, but it is not your responsibility. If she were doing the right thing and made every effort to provide for herself, then I she would be deserving, but that is not the case. I went through the same thing, and I am here to say that it will cause you trouble in your marriage, and will hurt your children and your own future.
It is a hard thing to do, but if she thinks that you will be her savior in the long run, she will do nothing to help herself. Save yourself first, Jmarz. You are worthy.
What’s the over/under Obama eventually gets the 99 weeks extended to something higher, like 149 weeks. Seems like many on the left have no problem with seemingly endless benefits and use arguments like “it’s effective stimulus” and “they’ll just end up on social programs anyway”. I agree, during periods of recession (and technically, this no longer qualifies per govt definition), the 26 weeks should be upped w federal help – but 1 year is plenty. Within 2 years, your skills are no longer relevant, you should have moved or you’ve simply got to accept you’re not going to make the wages you’re seeking and accept something at a lower pay scale. It’s the hard truth.
llpoh
Thanks for the wisdom. It has already caused some friction with my wife. My wife is not very happy with her dependence on me lately. I have been helping her out a lot lately and it is affecting my wife. She is worried that this is going to be the norm in the future. I agree with you that I have a big responsibility of having to provide and take care of my family and shouldn’t be responsible for taking care of my mother. My problem is that I have a soft heart and it is hard to say no. I feel this internal guilt if I say no. It’s hard since she doesn’t have any family except for me and my brother. My brother is younger and lives in a different state. To make matters worse, she is single and doesn’t have many friends so I feel like I’m the only person that can support her when she needs help. I’m going to take what you said seriously and start being tougher with her.
Jmarz – it is incredibly defficult, but in the end she must do what she can to take care of yourself. You deserve a chance to better yourself, and your wife does as well. It will be a very difficult thing. All the best.
Yet another manifestation of the entitlement and bailout mentality that is destroying the United States from within.
From 99 weeks unemployment to corporate welfare (GE,GM) to the endless Wall Street bailouts success and hard work is punished whilst sponging and f**king everyone else over is rewarded.
This type of 3rd world Greece, Argentina mentality turns countries into shitholes.
AWD – The problem is not just restricted to the low level scammers sponging off unemployment, the rot goes right to the top, the bribes and campain kickbacks in Congress, the lawless theft that is TARP,ZIRP and the rest of the Wall Street welfare bailouts, too big to pay taxes (GE)… and the list goes on.
Thirld world societies operate in this way, that is why they are poor and shitholes, the United States is racing down that same path at Warp 9 and that terrifies me far more than the coming economic collapse…
Imagine a world where the United States is a failed state… and the implications that has for us all…