Preparing to be laid off..........

[Mara]

ditto what hest said re: enjoying the time you do have off. you don't know how long it will be but try to enjoy it...also the other thing i found previously helped me was to have a schedule and don't just get lazy... like i'd work out every day, i'd do job related items once a day, etc. i also did a bunch of stuff that i'd always wanted to do, like learn to cook, learn to bake, etc. might as well learn a few new skills while off!

ditto others re: unemployment capping, here in CA i think it's $2k a month max which is not much..but better than $0!

good luck and lots of dust!!

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/7/2010 3:50:09 PM
Author: Zoe
I actually was really surprised at how lax the unemployment office was. My husband could do it all online and there was no need to stand in long lines each week anymore. He logged on, answered 3 questions (''Were you available to work?'' was one but I can''t remember the other 2), and then they cut him another check. I kept thinking there had to be more to it than that but it was so simple. I know that he needed to be prepared to show proof that he had been looking for employment but no one ever asked him to.

Yeah, it''s similar for me. I call every week and have to answer 7 questions. The first one is "Are you available for work and actively seeking work?" and you have to answer yes. To everything else, you answer "no". Haha. The others basically ask if you refused an offer of work, got some other pay, changed your address, etc.

I had to go to a workshop thing because I was picked out as being in a declining industry (manufacturing). So they had all of us manufacturing people come in and listen to the resources available at the unemployment office, but that was it.

 

[zoebartlett]

El -- that''s interesting. I bet (or wonder if...) all of New England handles it in a similar way. My husband was collecting from MA. Good luck to you, too, on your job search!

 

[purselover]

The same thing happened to me in April, it is such a horrible feeling being laid off! I was lucky enough to start a new job the day I was set to be unemployed I hope the same happens to you! Lean on your husband for support and you''ll be just fine.

 

[Indylady]

I am so sorry to hear this RBH! Lots and lots of dust.

 

[Amandine]

Oh, so sorry to read this RHB! And after seeing you through your house process...I can understand how you feel about the mortgage and the house! Dust for your job hunting and (((hugs))) for you!

 

[Amethyste]

I am so sorry to hear this - I know how it is to be laid off and stressing out about living expenses etc...
But I am sure something will come you way... When things don''t always go in the right direction, I always say this ( and to this day, it is still true ):

"It''s all good, it''s all going to work out, just like it''s supposed to!"

 

[Smurfysmiles]

My advice, get your resume out. When you think it is everywhere, keep looking for places to put it. And after that, find even more places to get it out to. Give copies to friends and family who might hear of an opening, do ANYTHING to get your name out there. There's a lot of competition for jobs even now with the economy improving. Don't rely on getting unemployment because you won't get a whole lot unless you had a REALLY great salary at your current job. I'm not saying this to scare you; but to be real, as well as from my own personal experience.

On another note, find one thing each day that you are grateful for. It will make it seem a lot less hard. Don't let things get you down. You might have a day where you are just exhausted of looking for jobs. Take that day off, take a bath, read a book, do what you need to do to re energize yourself, and then get back to it the next day.

If you don't find a job by the time you are laid off, make finding a job your full time 9-5 job. Use this time strictly for job searching.

And don't forget, coupons and macaroni and cheese are your friends!!!

 

[rhbgirl24]

Date: 6/7/2010 3:33:02 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 6/7/2010 3:18:48 PM

Author: rhbgirl24

Date: 6/7/2010 3:05:18 PM


Author: HVVS


http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/ui/ui_index.html




That site should answer lots of questions. Some states let you work part time & earn up to 25% of your unemployment compensation, and they won''t dock your unemployment any. I guess they figure part time has a good chance of leading to full time later. Other states won''t let you earn more than $50 per week.




If your unemployment is 50% of your full time pay rate, then that surprises me. The 2 states I collected from were capped at $366 and $475 per week, nowhere near what I''d been earning!




Your mortgage holder might be willing to reduce your payment. They don''t want your house back, unless you happen to have loads of actual equity in it and it can be rapidly resold. Most lenders would rather negotiate than have to take back the house.

You are correct. I looked through there and it would be approx 40% of salary and then minus taxes. Yikes! Still better than nothing, I guess.

Thank you for the info!



I have no intention of letting the mortgage slip or lowering the amount, even though its good to know just in case. However other spending will be nix. No more jewelry for me any time soon. Oh well tis life!

I''m confused - according to the site, you should get 60% of your pay, up to $600 a week - that cap is pretty much the same as that for CT, except that ours is calculated by 50% of previous pay. Still, $600 a week is quite a bit.


Also, you don''t have to pay taxes on the first few weeks of unemployment (maybe first 10? I don''t remember) so you you''ll get that tax money back in your return. Also, the taxes removed from my check every week are not that high - it''s only about 12.5%.

I am not exactly sure elrohwen. Its confusing.

ETA: I redid the the calculator with specific numbers, when I got home, and I am looking at a little short of 60%. I didn''t know the rules on taxes taken out, good to know, thank you!

 

[rhbgirl24]

Smurfy: And don''t forget, coupons and macaroni and cheese are your friends!!!
Ha! Thanks!

Thank you everyone. I think a boost is what I needed. My DH and I talked, and we will be able to do it fine, we just need to cut out some extra spending, which is fine. Also I have been unbelievably stressed out with things going on, so some time off (not too much - I hope!) might be good to put the house in order and finish unpacking. Both of us have been so busy, we haven''t had time to do ANYTHING really.

Just trying to look at the situation in a positive light.