A ? About Unemployment Benefits...

[fireSTRIKE!]

As some of you know, I've been laid off since last New Year's Eve...

I ran out of my initial unemployment benefits package a couple of months ago and am now using up my 20 week benefits extension, which will run out this coming January 3rd...

as of late I have heard that certain states, of which mine, Illinois, will have an additional 13 week extension due to the extremely high unemployment rate...

my question is... after my 20 week extension runs out, will I qualify for the additional 13 week extension that Illinois would provide or am I pretty much finished in getting any benefits after the new year?...

I've tried to contact the unemployment office to find out, but those people never answer their phones and they have an automated phone options thing where it usually winds up back to where you started from when you began the call... sound familiar?...

and I'm not going down to the office itself, as it's crowded, you have to take a number and wait in one of three different lines and eventually end up with a rude state employee who talks down to you and acts as if you are the stupid one and who has an attitude like you are imposing on her time... the bullshit you have to go thru and the time you have to put up with just to have a question answered just isn't worth it...

I haven't recieved any kind of notification as to this matter from unemployment thru the mails, so I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who can give me the heads-up as to what's up... maybe someone from my home state would know, but any kind of help or answer from anyone who might be keeping tabs on this and is more fully aware would be greatly appreciated... I recieved notification when my original package would run out and when my 20 week extension would begin, but there's been no word as to the 13 week extension, so I need to know...

and any link to the info that I need would be helpful, as well...

thanks to whomever can help...

[Cam63]

Good luck, Strike.

[fireSTRIKE!]

Good luck, Strike.

thanks Cam... 'ppreciate the good words... gettin' a little scary as my benefits time is winding down... been tapping into my immediate resources which has been slowly draining off... do not want to be forced to tap into my future retirement monies, but it MAY be a possibility... it's an option that I'd hate to have to be forced to fall back on, but it just MIGHT happen if things don't improve in the job market... and SOON... but I remain optimistic... I HAVE to...

[o1pickleboy]

Well I have been running on unemployment benies for just over 13 months now. so I am about 16 weeks ahead of you and still on federal extensions.

From my understanding unless things have changed. Their is your initial 26 weeks of benies. Then a 20 week extension followed by the 13 weeks extension. After that there is the emergency extensions for the states with high umployment(9%) I do believe. Those extensions are 13 weeks and then 9 weeks.

This is not counting any unemployment you get from the state. I did the math for me and I am personally covered by unemployment until next October.

If you not sure try your states online website for information they should have something for you on there.

Also if you lost your job due to foreign competition in relation to any free trade act. I may have more information for you

[fireSTRIKE!]

Well I have been running on unemployment benies for just over 13 months now. so I am about 16 weeks ahead of you and still on federal extensions.

From my understanding unless things have changed. Their is your initial 26 weeks of benies. Then a 20 week extension followed by the 13 weeks extension. After that there is the emergency extensions for the states with high umployment(9%) I do believe. Those extensions are 13 weeks and then 9 weeks.

This is not counting any unemployment you get from the state. I did the math for me and I am personally covered by unemployment until next October.

If you not sure try your states online website for information they should have something for you on there.

Also if you lost your job due to foreign competition in relation to any free trade act. I may have more information for you

so from what I understand you're telling me, it appears that once my 20 week extension runs out, I still have a 13 week extension followed by a 9 week extension here in Illinois...

my state is one with the high unemployment rate... so it appears that I am covered until next June approximately...

my job sitch was just a layoff due to drastic drop in customers and money coming in and not thru any foreign competition...

thanks for the info, picks... if anyone else has any further input, please feel free to contribute any and all info to this thread or you can PM me, as well, if you so desire...

[JamesRitcheyIII]

I'd recommend, as embarrassing as it is, getting EBT/Food Stamps as well--if you haven't already. A couple extra hundred bucks a month can stretch out yer survival considerably. You're already qualified--since your benefits are likely in no way proportional to what you were making at your job.

As a half-crazy, starving artist, I know all about what you're going through...

[IvCNuB4]

Isn't this information on their web-site (http://www.ides.state.il.us/individual/certify/extension/default.asp) ?

[Weetomuncher]

I don't want to take the thread way off topic but it is incredible to think that people in the US get limited periods of unemployment benefits while most of Europe just pays you until you get back to work, even years on.

I've had pretty long periods of unemployment at times and I couldn't picture having no money at all coming in as even the basic unemployment rate is ridiculous (£64 per week) and I don't see how they expect people here to live on that never mind nothing at all.

No wonder a lot of people are driven to theft and crime.

[Lester C.]

My dad on unemployment and he has a case worker. He never sees her as everything done automatically over the phone twice a week, as I'm sure you know, but you do have a case worker. He or she would be able to advise you much better than anyone here. Good luck man.

[FeminineMystique]

I don't want to take the thread way off topic but it is incredible to think that people in the US get limited periods of unemployment benefits while most of Europe just pays you until you get back to work, even years on.

I've had pretty long periods of unemployment at times and I couldn't picture having no money at all coming in as even the basic unemployment rate is ridiculous (£64 per week) and I don't see how they expect people here to live on that never mind nothing at all.

No wonder a lot of people are driven to theft and crime.

It really makes no sense to me. What do they expect people who still haven't found work to do to support themselves? Or does the thought of people losing their homes not bother the people who decide this kind of thing?

[Flamebird]

It really makes no sense to me. What do they expect people who still haven't found work to do to support themselves? Or does the thought of people losing their homes not bother the people who decide this kind of thing?

Doesn't bother most of them, at all.

They have jobs.

Cushy government jobs that it is almost impossible for them to lose.
Empathy is a rare and precious thing in a state employee.

[Lester C.]

I don't want to take the thread way off topic but it is incredible to think that people in the US get limited periods of unemployment benefits while most of Europe just pays you until you get back to work, even years on.

I've had pretty long periods of unemployment at times and I couldn't picture having no money at all coming in as even the basic unemployment rate is ridiculous (£64 per week) and I don't see how they expect people here to live on that never mind nothing at all.

No wonder a lot of people are driven to theft and crime.

America is way to inefficient for that kind of thing to work. Look at health care. We pay more per person than you guys do and yet we get a hell of a lot less coverage. The system is broken.

[Perry Holley]

Don't know about Illinois, but in Georgia the first extension is pretty much a gimme. The 2nd extension, OTOH, is much more difficult to get approved.

[mikekerr3]

Doesn't bother most of them, at all.

They have jobs.

Cushy government jobs that it is almost impossible for them to lose.
Empathy is a rare and precious thing in a state employee.

The people who make those decisions are easy to fire, every few years we have these things called elections:biggrin:

[Flamebird]

The people who make those decisions are easy to fire, every few years we have these things called elections:biggrin:

Not talking about the politicians; talking about the rank and file state employees.

We don't vote for em and we can't fire them; only pay their salaries.

[Weetomuncher]

Here in the UK, a lot of people get sent to courses and voluntary positions with a slight (£15) weekly increase in their benefits for a 6 month period after 6 months unemployment. Some 'jobs' are also available but they only pay about half the regular level of pay although there is state funding to help with expenses.

6 months often isn't enough time to get the qualifications available but there is at least some help offered to long term applicants. I had to go to an IT course and a call centre course and work at a counselling centre during a period of unemployment. Sometimes you can be sent to a couple of places within a short period (as I was) because the courses may only last a few weeks rather than the 6 months of the placements. The problem with this system is that you often end up with little help if you don't find a job immediately after finishing a course or placement.

I also had a lot of trouble finding work due to undiagnosed anxiety and depression which had been affecting me since I was in school. I went to numerous job interviews and basically broke down completely but I didn't really have a valid reason for this happening at the time (or so I thought) and couldn't understand why I never seemed to get anywhere despite being fairly well qualified.

[fireSTRIKE!]

I'd recommend, as embarrassing as it is, getting EBT/Food Stamps as well--if you haven't already. A couple extra hundred bucks a month can stretch out yer survival considerably. You're already qualified--since your benefits are likely in no way proportional to what you were making at your job.

As a half-crazy, starving artist, I know all about what you're going through...

wanna hear something really outrageous?... I applied for Link card (food stamps)... they said I was eligible and they sent me a Link card... you know what they said I qualified for?...

$16.00 a month... yes, you heard right... and do you know why?... because I get unemployment benefits totalling $413 every 2 weeks... they said if I want to get about $150-200 a month, then I should drop my unemployment benefits... is that crazy or what?... I'm STILL trying to figure out the sense and logic of that bit of brilliant government thinking... I make too much income with my unemployment to get a Link card with much more money in it...

fucking insane... 35 years of consistent employment in the work force and they basically shit on my request for public aid...

[fireSTRIKE!]

Isn't this information on their web-site (http://www.ides.state.il.us/individual/certify/extension/default.asp) ?

thank you for this info... I couldn't locate this before... your help and assist with this is appreciated, man... thank you so much...

[mikekerr3]

Not talking about the politicians; talking about the rank and file state employees.

We don't vote for em and we can't fire them; only pay their salaries.

But they are not the one who make decisions on what happens when benifits expire.

[7thangel]

http://washingtonindependent.com/63677/gop-blocks-extension-of-unemployment-insurance-again

[Corrina]

I don't want to take the thread way off topic but it is incredible to think that people in the US get limited periods of unemployment benefits while most of Europe just pays you until you get back to work, even years on.

I've had pretty long periods of unemployment at times and I couldn't picture having no money at all coming in as even the basic unemployment rate is ridiculous (£64 per week) and I don't see how they expect people here to live on that never mind nothing at all.

No wonder a lot of people are driven to theft and crime.

If we always pay people for not working, then there will be slackers who will never look for work.

That's the theory. It might not be all wrong, in many cases.

[schwamp]

and I'm not going down to the office itself, as it's crowded, you have to take a number and wait in one of three different lines and eventually end up with a rude state employee who talks down to you and acts as if you are the stupid one and who has an attitude like you are imposing on her time... the bullshit you have to go thru and the time you have to put up with just to have a question answered just isn't worth it...


Seriously, I'm not trying to be shitty here. You have no income and no job = plenty of time. GO to the office. It may be worth it. 13 weeks of support is worth it. You are better off knowing what is going to be available to you. Go there. It's worth it.

[schwamp]

If we always pay people for not working, then there will be slackers who will never look for work.

That's the theory. It might not be all wrong, in many cases.

Actually, that's sad but true. Not to paint with too broad a brush, but welfare is a great example. We are not talking about living a comfortable lifestyle, but people who can learn to get by on support for little or no effort can find a way to live with it. Why try harder? I'm getting by ...

[fireSTRIKE!]

http://washingtonindependent.com/63677/gop-blocks-extension-of-unemployment-insurance-again

typical GOP bullshit...

[fireSTRIKE!]

Seriously, I'm not trying to be shitty here. You have no income and no job = plenty of time. GO to the office. It may be worth it. 13 weeks of support is worth it. You are better off knowing what is going to be available to you. Go there. It's worth it.

you ARE right, of course... I only said those things earlier as I've been in those wait situations at the unemployment office and state employees really ARE some of the most condescending bastards that I have ever encountered...

it's just that with their mentality and attitude, it takes great restraint of my part to refrain from straight out calling them fucking idiots to their faces...

I just feel that it's so wrong for people like me, a person who has been in the work force for 35 years gainfully employed and consistently and continuously working and that I have to fight for what I should righteously recieve when I need assistance in a time of crisis, as opposed to individuals who lie, scam and out-and-out cheat to get resources that they are undeserving of and have no business recieving...

[schwamp]

you ARE right, of course... I only said those things earlier as I've been in those wait situations at the unemployment office and state employees really ARE some of the most condescending bastards that I have ever encountered...

it's just that with their mentality and attitude, it takes great restraint of my part to refrain from straight out calling them fucking idiots to their faces...

I just feel that it's so wrong for people like me, a person who has been in the work force for 35 years gainfully employed and consistently and continuously working and that I have to fight for what I should righteously recieve when I need assistance in a time of crisis, as opposed to individuals who lie, scam and out-and-out cheat to get resources that they are undeserving of and have no business recieving...

I've got no love for the EDD myself here in Cali. My wife paid into the system for over 25 years only to be shown the door when she needed the benefits. I don't envy your position, but desperate times, as they say..... Could be worse. Could be there was no extension, which will be the case if you don't go for it. Good luck.

[fireSTRIKE!]

I've got no love for the EDD myself here in Cali. My wife paid into the system for over 25 years only to be shown the door when she needed the benefits. I don't envy your position, but desperate times, as they say..... Could be worse. Could be there was no extension, which will be the case if you don't go for it. Good luck.

as of the moment, my 20 week extension will end January 3rd... and it now appears that there will not be the added 13 week extension that I was under the impression that lawmakers had passed... so it looks like unless a further extension is passed before year's end, I'm gonna be hitting some even harder times and I will have to look at other options, if there ARE any other options that will seem feasible for me...

[o1pickleboy]

wanna hear something really outrageous?... I applied for Link card (food stamps)... they said I was eligible and they sent me a Link card... you know what they said I qualified for?...

$16.00 a month... yes, you heard right... and do you know why?... because I get unemployment benefits totalling $413 every 2 weeks... they said if I want to get about $150-200 a month, then I should drop my unemployment benefits... is that crazy or what?... I'm STILL trying to figure out the sense and logic of that bit of brilliant government thinking... I make too much income with my unemployment to get a Link card with much more money in it...

fucking insane... 35 years of consistent employment in the work force and they basically shit on my request for public aid...

really I get 662 every two weeks in benies and I qualify for 110 a month if I want it. I am surprise there is that much of a difference between our states.

My advice if you have wheels and a few extra bucks drive out of chi town to a office in one of your smaller cities. The supercenters are ones with the assholes working for them.