No Unemployment Extension for 99ers.whats the point?

StillHere

This big unemployment extension that is supposed to be signed into law in a few minutes does NOT include any tier 5 benefits for 99ers right?

So what's the point?

I don't get it.

We need it too.

blackredyellow

For those of us unfamiliar, can you explain what tier 5 benefits are or what 99ers are?

Godfather.

blackredyellow wrote:

For those of us unfamiliar, can you explain what tier 5 benefits are or what 99ers are?

yes please.

Godfather.

gimmesometruth27

i believe it is those people who have been out of work and receiving benefits for 99 weeks ? i am not sure on that though, but i think i read that in another thread somewhere in the last week or two...

StillHere

99ers, unfortunately, are people like me who have gone a long time without new work or new full time work.

we've exhausted all of the 1st 4 tiers of unemployment benefits available in most states

there are 4 tiers of benefits...and i'm only speaking for NJ here

but each tier has more and more strict requirements for keeping your benefits as far as a work search and other requirements

there were initially only 2 tiers when i first became unemployed

tiers 3 and 4 were added later

as well as the emergency benefit which added $25 into each unemployment check you were eligible to receive

all that ended too long ago without a hint of a job in the foreseeable future

it was widely hoped that the new bill, just signed less than 5 minutes ago in washington

would provide a tier 5 of benefits

thereby extending exhausted benefits for those who have used all the available benefits in their states

but are still unable to find full time permanent work

"tiers" are nothing but a length of time that benefits are payable, usually 13 weeks each, (some extended to 26 weeks) coupled with, as i said,

bigger and more complicated hoops to jump through, training to attend, on site job searches, volunteer work, etc.

to be done...at the dept of labor (so they know you're doing them) or a valid waiver from those requirements

99ers are called so because if you've run through all of the benefits previously available, in theory, if you were eligible for "all" of the benefits (which i was not at one point)...then you would have, or "could" have, received a total of 99 weeks worth of benefits

(a note here...the reason i was NOT eligible for a tier of benefits at one point is because in order to BE eligible, you had to have gone back to work, worked a total of 8 weeks i think it was, or earned 4 x your weekly benefit rate, and then lost that job through no fault of your own. thing was, it could not be temporary or part time work, so it begs the question then: who, if anyone, would be eligible to receive that tier of benefits?. To be eligible ... you get a job...and if you are able to get the job, why, i ask, are you going to then lose it to become eligible for unemployment again? if you get fired you're locked out for a month or two..and then only eligible if you win an appeal with your former employer..none of that makes any sense, so, i was not eligible for that one tier...tier 3 i think)

now there's nothing

what to do? i don't know. i just don't know

keep on keepin' on...the only choice

now, i know that many who are lucky enough to have kept their jobs throughout this mess,

or who were fortunate enough to find new work that pays the bills if they'd initially lost a job

will not understand what many of us are going through

there are those who call us "lazy" or say we don't "want" to work

that couldn't be further from the truth, at least in my case, and some others who are in this

unfortunate situation

there are places in our country, this being one of them, where there are not many decent paying jobs, or any available jobs at all...

for example, not too long ago, there was ONE, ONE job available as basically a janitor at an industrial complex not too far from here. the pay was minimal. there were no benefits...there was ONE job..but there were over 500 people in line down the street and around the bend to apply for that ONE job. Its better than nothing if your benefits are gone, right? that even made the local tv news

Then there are the people like me.

We are just a little too old
A little too experienced (they'd have to pay more than a younger hire ..although i've said i'd accept less)
Our salary history is a little too high
Our titles have been maybe a little too grand for our own good in the past
Perhaps a worker with special needs of one nature or another (uh oh insurance premiums can't hire that one)

We can't get anyone to hire us
We send out resumes
We go to job fairs
We solicit companies who aren't even hiring in the hopes that when they have an opening, they'll remember us
We answer ads for jobs and pay scales way way way below what we need to make ends meet
but we go for them anyway
without any results

we've started internet businesses
we've sold everything we have
we've turned to family, even our adult children (awful)
for the necessities at times

its hard
its even harder when you hear people say that you don't want to work otherwise you'd have a job by now

its demeaning
its depressing
especially at this time of year
and especially when its been more than just "this" christmas

now you know

if you're not in this boat with me thank your lucky stars

Jeanwah

I thought the extension is supposed to include all tiers. Did you find out stillhere?

And it could be worse, like the situation I'm in. (temporarily disabled and not eligible for any income programs)

Boxes&Books

Stillhere,
you're a brave person for sharing all that information. I'm sorry for your situation. I personally have done all I can to support the 99ers and the other good people who were having their unemployment insurance cut off- I know that there are people who take advantage of the system, but those are limited, and those who are suffering really are hurting . I see real people every day suffering because they haven't been able to find a job and they've run out of unemployment insurance. What breaks my heart the most is when I see a father/mother not being able to provide for his/her children. When an innocent child asked for something so simple such as a piece of candy, yet that isn't even possible...... I really am sorry....

sending some positive energy your way.......

StillHere

Jeanwah wrote:

I thought the extension is supposed to include all tiers. Did you find out stillhere?

And it could be worse, like the situation I'm in. (temporarily disabled and not eligible for any income programs)

yeah, it does include all tiers..and there are only 4 tiers currently

the history has been that they've added a tier when they renew benefits

so the consensus was, a tier 5 would be added

but no go

sux

ya i am on the verge of that disability thing too

i am considered a "special needs hire" which is good and bad

IF i can get an employer to hire me, they get a huge, like half my salary, tax break for the first year i work there...that is if they jump through the hoops, a lot of paperwork prob but i'd say worth it for them. however, its a double edged sword because they are scared of health-care premiums, possibility of a disability worsening and losing a new hire after a training period, etc. i guess there are many concerns when hiring a semi-disabled person (its not something that anyone can see, its my back and leg, old car accident injury and LOTS of pain...so maybe they worry about meds and work performance, time off for treatments, whatever, i dunno, whatever it is, it sux) hey, i think they should be happy i'm willing to work in the shape i'm in..but not everyone sees it that way i guess. my doctor says i should apply for permanent disability (SSDI) and have it over with, but who can live on that? right?

EDIT: oh and i didn't say..i've not even been telling prospective employers about the problem anymore until it comes down to the wire. it used to be a positive to hire a disabled person. not so these days. employers have too much else to worry about these days. i don't care what you hear on the news, read in the papers, the media is so biased and off the mark. things are NOT getting better. not by a long shot. at least not in this area of the country. OK stick a fork in me, I'm done.

StillHere

tonifig8 wrote:

Stillhere,
you're a brave person for sharing all that information. I'm sorry for your situation. I personally have done all I can to support the 99ers and the other good people who were having their unemployment insurance cut off- I know that there are people who take advantage of the system, but those are limited, and those who are suffering really are hurting . I see real people every day suffering because they haven't been able to find a job and they've run out of unemployment insurance. What breaks my heart the most is when I see a father/mother not being able to provide for his/her children. When an innocent child asked for something so simple such as a piece of candy, yet that isn't even possible...... I really am sorry....

sending some positive energy your way.......

thanks
that's so very nice of you
yes it is sad ...i'm so glad that my children are not little any more
it breaks my heart too when i see that
i'm glad it didn't happen until mine were all grown and on their own
although it hurts me not to be in a position after working hard all those years,
to be able to provide those nice little extras for them at this point in my life
there's that

whatever i do have
i try and contribute to what i can
like the giving tree in the mall and walmart for the kids who's parents cannot get them anything for the holidays
so sad
if i have ten bucks to get a little gift to put a smile on a little boy's or girl's face on christmas morning
i'm more than happy to do it
kids don't know the difference between ten dollars or a hundred right?
all they know is that they got something cool on Christmas (or Hanukkah or whichever) morning
i can't stand seeing the little ones suffer
thank goodness my kids all have decent jobs and can provide for the grandchildren
that's what's important...the little ones

although i do feel really bad about one thing
and that is that i was able to put my two oldest children through school
my youngest is 21 and she still hasn't been to college yet
she wants to go
but even with student loans/grants whatever, it costs money...more money than she has
and i can't help her
(her father's a useless POS and couldn't care less) but that's another story and not for here or now
anyway..
i suppose i could keep on whining you know?
but there are much more important problems in the world than mine
i'm very lucky in the end
i have a roof over my head
food in my belly (too much food really)
a warm bed
and a wonderful family
AND my PJ family
really...its what keeps me going
who could ask for more?

Jeanwah

I think you should apply for SSDI anyway. Your doctor would verify your problems, and even though you'll probably get denied the first time, appeal (almost everyone gets denied the first time). Yes, it's not a lot of money, but it's something. I'm on the crux of the "year" being disabled qualification, so it wouldn't matter for me, but chronic pain like you have will eventually be able to win you the benefit. (perhaps with help from an attorney)

I'll be only able to apply for desk jobs and limited work involving my right hand, so it'll be tough for me once I have the go-ahead to work again. I plan on getting assistance with job training.

This Christmas my family is focusing on just being together and having each other and I try to explain to my 7 year old that one small gift is all Santa can afford this year. She tries to understand, I think she does well because she knows how it was when her father and I were both in the hospital and not home with her.

Good luck, and I really think that the whole point of the extension is to help people like you. It better be!

StillHere

Jeanwah wrote:

I think you should apply for SSDI anyway. Your doctor would verify your problems, and even though you'll probably get denied the first time, appeal (almost everyone gets denied the first time). Yes, it's not a lot of money, but it's something. I'm on the crux of the "year" being disabled qualification, so it wouldn't matter for me, but chronic pain like you have will eventually be able to win you the benefit. (perhaps with help from an attorney)

I'll be only able to apply for desk jobs and limited work involving my right hand, so it'll be tough for me once I have the go-ahead to work again. I plan on getting assistance with job training.

This Christmas my family is focusing on just being together and having each other and I try to explain to my 7 year old that one small gift is all Santa can afford this year. She tries to understand, I think she does well because she knows how it was when her father and I were both in the hospital and not home with her.

Good luck, and I really think that the whole point of the extension is to help people like you. It better be!

i don't think i've ever asked what happened?
how did you get your injury?
you and your husband were in an accident?

Jeanwah

StillHere wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

I think you should apply for SSDI anyway. Your doctor would verify your problems, and even though you'll probably get denied the first time, appeal (almost everyone gets denied the first time). Yes, it's not a lot of money, but it's something. I'm on the crux of the "year" being disabled qualification, so it wouldn't matter for me, but chronic pain like you have will eventually be able to win you the benefit. (perhaps with help from an attorney)

I'll be only able to apply for desk jobs and limited work involving my right hand, so it'll be tough for me once I have the go-ahead to work again. I plan on getting assistance with job training.

This Christmas my family is focusing on just being together and having each other and I try to explain to my 7 year old that one small gift is all Santa can afford this year. She tries to understand, I think she does well because she knows how it was when her father and I were both in the hospital and not home with her.

Good luck, and I really think that the whole point of the extension is to help people like you. It better be!

i don't think i've ever asked what happened?
how did you get your injury?
you and your husband were in an accident?

car accident.

StillHere

sux jeanwah
hope you all recover completely
and that your holidays are full of joy
and thanks for what you do have
and the fact that you're both still here!
peace, hugs,
jo

whygohome

Get a job you lazy bums!

Jeanwah

Thanks Jo.
Happy Holidays to you as well; I'll be thinking of you and sending positive thoughts that you find some financial relief soon! Count your blessings and enjoy your children and grandchildren.
Hugs and peace to you, too!

whygohome

********
I apologize for the previous comment made under my screen name. I was temporarily possessed by Republican Senator Jim Bunning (and most of his colleagues on the Right).

Again, my apologies, but these things happen.

unsung

StillHere wrote:

This big unemployment extension that is supposed to be signed into law in a few minutes does NOT include any tier 5 benefits for 99ers right?

So what's the point?

I don't get it.

We need it too.

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

StillHere

whygohome wrote:

Get a job you lazy bums!

got one for me?

StillHere

unsung wrote:

StillHere wrote:

This big unemployment extension that is supposed to be signed into law in a few minutes does NOT include any tier 5 benefits for 99ers right?

So what's the point?

I don't get it.

We need it too.

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

i AM a taxpayer, even unemployment benefits are taxable
i've paid taxes all my life, started working "on the books" at the age of 13
started working full time at age 18
then paid into the system for a continuous 30+ years before i needed it.
raised 3 kids on my own while working 6 days a week every week...
not good enough?
personally i have NOT received 99 wks of benefits
i was not eligible for certain extensions
however, it has been as long as those who have been paid out the 99wks

i know people don't get it, those of you lucky enough to still be working

i know because i once might have felt the same way

sux to be on the other side looking back...hope it never happens to you

my field? not that it matters much these days but its mental health. make any difference?

got a job for me?
know where there's a job for me?
know what else i can do to make ends meet?
give me a job..i'll work for you

until you've been here...its difficult to fathom isn't it?

the only good thing about this is that i will never look at people and judge them ever again
not disabled people
not homeless people....
it can happen to anyone
in the blink of an eye
much easier than you could ever imagine
i "used" to think like you
no longer
things are not always what they appear to be

unsung

I've been there. Don't judge me, or does that only apply to the unemployed?


You did not answer my first question.

gimmesometruth27

unsung i seriously doubt that you were unemployed for 99 weeks...

why are you so hostile towards those that have been unemployed for so long? especially if their area of expertice has been eliminated?

perhaps you are misplacing your hostility towards illegal immigrants and projecting it upon your own fellow citizens???

KDH12

unsung you don't come off as very empathic

that is why people respond as if you don't understand the plight of others

StillHere

whygohome wrote:

********
I apologize for the previous comment made under my screen name. I was temporarily possessed by Republican Senator Jim Bunning (and most of his colleagues on the Right).

Again, my apologies, but these things happen.

StillHere

unsung wrote:

I've been there. Don't judge me, or does that only apply to the unemployed?


You did not answer my first question.

Certainly I'm not judging you..is that what you are saying? Cuz i'm def not. Sorry that you've been here too.Anyway..
This is what you asked, right? What part is unanswered? Maybe I'm missing something. Help me out?

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

StillHere

i'm saying this
without giving away ALL of my personal info
i was a mid-level supervisor at an agency funded by and overseen by the govt of the state of nj
part of what is "now" the dept of children and families
under the "latest" reorganization of state govt
the field is mental heath, children and adolescent
i would accept a lower position..in a heartbeat
i would accept something in any area of healthcare i am qualified for
i would accept a position even totally unrelated to healthcare
i would accept just about anything that i am able to do
and that even comes close to making ends meet

these are the three basic responses, among others (hundreds if not more), i've received from prospective employers:

* we have decided to accept a candidate who more closely meets our needs at the current time; we will retain your resume..yada yada yada blah blah blah.... (by far the most common) ya, in the round file

* thank you for your interest on (insert organization here)..... the position has been filled

* applications are being accepted through our job fair at....(one college campus or another). we welcome your.... yada yada yada...(in other words, recent grads only, sorry you're overqualified, too experienced, too old, etc, or we"d have to pay you more than we want to pay) oh and in case you're wondering, ya, i go anyway..and you might be surprised at how many people are there that are not recent grads...in the same boat as me

unsung

gimmesometruth27 wrote:

unsung i seriously doubt that you were unemployed for 99 weeks...

why are you so hostile towards those that have been unemployed for so long? especially if their area of expertice has been eliminated?

perhaps you are misplacing your hostility towards illegal immigrants and projecting it upon your own fellow citizens???

I was off for a year, I took a job delivering pizzas for money.

Your illegal alien comment has no relevance on this issue.

unsung

StillHere wrote:

unsung wrote:

I've been there. Don't judge me, or does that only apply to the unemployed?


You did not answer my first question.

Certainly I'm not judging you..is that what you are saying? Cuz i'm def not. Sorry that you've been here too.Anyway..
This is what you asked, right? What part is unanswered? Maybe I'm missing something. Help me out?

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

I'd like to know who is supposed to pay for people to go past 99 weeks and how long should it go on for?

StillHere

unsung wrote:

StillHere wrote:

unsung wrote:

I've been there. Don't judge me, or does that only apply to the unemployed?


You did not answer my first question.

Certainly I'm not judging you..is that what you are saying? Cuz i'm def not. Sorry that you've been here too.Anyway..
This is what you asked, right? What part is unanswered? Maybe I'm missing something. Help me out?

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

I'd like to know who is supposed to pay for people to go past 99 weeks and how long should it go on for?

we've (you and me) have "already" paid for it. it's not my problem that the gov't misappropriates funds and uses our payroll taxes for whatever they feel like using them for. I've paid in. you've paid in. it should be there when its genuinely needed.
as far as how long it should go on for i can't answer that question. maybe until there are "real jobs" for real people like you and me?
however long that is?
if they have to keep paying us benefits, then maybe they'll actually DO something about this mess.
i didn't get us into this mess
i acted responsibly

unsung

So create another potential permanent welfare payment/program?

StillHere

unsung wrote:

So create another potential permanent welfare payment/program?

unsung, i don't agree with your characterization of this, but
i guess we are going to just have to agree to disagree
and leave it at that
i'm not going to argue

inmytree

unsung wrote:

StillHere wrote:

This big unemployment extension that is supposed to be signed into law in a few minutes does NOT include any tier 5 benefits for 99ers right?

So what's the point?

I don't get it.

We need it too.

So you paid into the system for 26 weeks of benefits and are now at 99. How long should the taxpayer continue to fund your unemployment? I'm not trying to be hostile, or offensive. There are programs for people that cannot find work, are those not suitable for your situation? What is your field?

you ask the "how long" question in every unemployment thread...please, could you answer your own question..?

how long?