A bill for the 99ers is gaining momentum - H.R. 589

[helpme2010]

I have been researching help for those of us that have been unemployed for a long period of time, especially the 99ers. Here is a site that you can visit for updates on H.R. 589 which will offer the unemployed, including 99ers an additional 14 weeks of unemployment extensions. They are pursuing adding this bill to any bill that comes out as a form of compromise to get that other bill to go through. It has a lot of support in congress.

http://american99ersunion.com/

[discouraged]

Thank you for sharing this. I am not quite a 99er because of the two temp jobs I had but I am getting close. It is uplifting to see that people are finally paying attention.

[chicagoannie]

I do hope something is done for the 99ers. My ex is one of them. He is now taking classes (at age 50) full time and working about 16 hours a week, part time was all he could find. So of course he is not paying anywhere close to his child support obligation which has really caused our kids to do without a lot of necessities. The lack of CS (his UC ran out over a year ago) was a major factor in my BK filing. This recession/depression just keeps on giving....

[helpme2010]

I do hope something is done for the 99ers. My ex is one of them. He is now taking classes (at age 50) full time and working about 16 hours a week, part time was all he could find. So of course he is not paying anywhere close to his child support obligation which has really caused our kids to do without a lot of necessities. The lack of CS (his UC ran out over a year ago) was a major factor in my BK filing. This recession/depression just keeps on giving....

Ouch, I wish your ex luck finding a job and you the luck in getting the normal child support back. This is just another reason why unemployment extensions are so critical. They effect more than just the single unemployed person, but families as well.

[AngelinaCat]

Thank you for posting this. I also am a 99er, I think. Though I have no real idea *WhAt* status I am, because my little PT job has become confused by the 'Florida Unemployment Powers That Be', as an ongoing REGULAR claim, and not the extended, emergency 99 situation that it should be from my FT job that I was laid off from September 2007.

So my situation is in limbo. I have a telephonic hearing on March 31, though I requested/demanded an in-person face-to-face meeting with my five inches of paperwork.....

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[helpme2010]

Thank you for posting this. I also am a 99er, I think. Though I have no real idea *WhAt* status I am, because my little PT job has become confused by the 'Florida Unemployment Powers That Be', as an ongoing REGULAR claim, and not the extended, emergency 99 situation that it should be from my FT job that I was laid off from September 2007.

So my situation is in limbo. I have a telephonic hearing on March 31, though I requested/demanded an in-person face-to-face meeting with my five inches of paperwork.....

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Your situation is common as well, the underemployed. Those that have to take a lesser paying job or p/t job just to help survive. I wish you all the luck in the world. I am hoping they pass this bill or something similar. I honestly wish they wouldn't keep doing these short 14 week deals as it adds an insane amount of stress and heartache to us all. And contrary to what many of the republicans say, it does not motivate us to find a job when we know we are running out of benefits.

For those that think it does, explain why I didn't get a job when I thought my benefits were running out twice, when I had to declare bankruptcy and when my house went into foreclosure. Yeahhhhh I just figured oh those awesome benefits and living high on the hog, what a life, boy am I living the high life on unemployment!!!

[AngelinaCat]

Well, I am registered Dem so I can vote in our local elections here, like for the sheriff. But my sentiments lean more toward Rep and Libertarian, than anything else. And really, I don't like any of their policies.

All that said, I am 58 years old with a Master's Degree in my field, and I have been passed over twice for nice, local positions that I am more than qualified for. Instead, the new hires have been 30-something year olds from 'out-of-town.' Why are we local people NOT qualified? Especially as one of the positions was for County Archivist--which needs someone with local knowledge?????

I have repeatedly said that I will take a pay cut. I will work dirt cheap--just to work. Nope. It's not going to happen. I don't think it has to do with any particular political party. There has to be something with the labor laws, and/or maybe the county I am living in.

Now, there was a position a month ago in a city more than an hour's drive one way from me. I asked 'Hub if I should try, and he said 'NO', as I am driving an older car that is not really reliable, and the gasoline prices were skyrocketing.......

So I am gleaning stuff from various sources as I can, and am putting them on eBay.....

[helpme2010]

Well, I am registered Dem so I can vote in our local elections here, like for the sheriff. But my sentiments lean more toward Rep and Libertarian, than anything else. And really, I don't like any of their policies.

All that said, I am 58 years old with a Master's Degree in my field, and I have been passed over twice for nice, local positions that I am more than qualified for. Instead, the new hires have been 30-something year olds from 'out-of-town.' Why are we local people NOT qualified? Especially as one of the positions was for County Archivist--which needs someone with local knowledge?????

I have repeatedly said that I will take a pay cut. I will work dirt cheap--just to work. Nope. It's not going to happen. I don't think it has to do with any particular political party. There has to be something with the labor laws, and/or maybe the county I am living in.

Now, there was a position a month ago in a city more than an hour's drive one way from me. I asked 'Hub if I should try, and he said 'NO', as I am driving an older car that is not really reliable, and the gasoline prices were skyrocketing.......

So I am gleaning stuff from various sources as I can, and am putting them on eBay.....

Hang in there. I'm sure there is some bias by some employers regarding your age, which is a shame and if the company I believe has over 15 employees or is government related, that is illegal to discriminate against you. But of course the incredibly difficult process of trying to prove what your gut instinct tells you is likely the cause is a battle. But there will also be other employers that will welcome your experience and wisdom.

I was always willing to give up something such a healthcare, or work additional hours and take on tasks from other departments just to keep my job. I don't need sick leave or would be willing to let go of vacation pay even if that means keeping the job. But I have never been offered an option like that, simply just given a pink slip and kicked out the door (not even 2 weeks notice, just given the boot in the middle of the day with an HR and other employee watching me as I have to clean my desk out. Even having my computer locked out so I can't even log out of my files, then walked out in front of everyone. Zero class every time.

[helpme2010]

I just want to see some threads on this board relating to help for the unemployed. e.g. like this bill I posted up. Because there are many people on this board like me that filed bankruptcy because of unemployment. If I had a job, I wouldn't have needed to file bk.

[tobee43]

Well, I am registered Dem

..

NO WAY!!!!!!!!! lol!!!!!!!!!!!!


we are living parallel lives.......we are starting ebay up again...along with another hopefully business...(that one is taking time since there are legal issues)....however, hopefully ebay will buy some food and gas for us.

[tobee43]

I just want to see some threads on this board relating to help for the unemployed. e.g. like this bill I posted up. Because there are many people on this board like me that filed bankruptcy because of unemployment. If I had a job, I wouldn't have needed to file bk.

me too.........we begin tier 4 next week.......we are very scared!!!!!!!

[helpme2010]

me too.........we begin tier 4 next week.......we are very scared!!!!!!!

Tobee, good luck on the tier 4. Do you qualify? And good luck on the ebay. My gf and I do use ebay and craigslist to sell extra items around the house. It does help bring in a little extra money for emergency bills. Each month I look at things I swore I would never sell, then say to myself, I don't really have to have this item anymore, so up it goes. Craigslist brings so many flakes that reply, some reply back and forth, ask a thousand questions, set up a time to come over, then flake out. It's so annoying.

I am hoping with the unemployment extensions that the dems finally grow some and force the republicans to include this bill with a bill they want passed. The GOP refused to allow any dems bills to get passed until the dems included tax cuts for them, so the dems can stand strong and refuse to pass anything until the unemployment extensions are included.

I really don't see why the battle has to be there. So much legislation is passed, new wars are entered into, financial aid is passed to so many countries, so many pet projects are passed, so much special interest legislation is passed, so many tax breaks given to corporations, so lets just stop playing games and extend this for people that are unemployed by no fault of their own (you know that thing called the recession).

[tobee43]

Tobee, good luck on the tier 4. Do you qualify? And good luck on the ebay. My gf and I do use ebay and craigslist to sell extra items around the house. It does help bring in a little extra money for emergency bills. Each month I look at things I swore I would never sell, then say to myself, I don't really have to have this item anymore, so up it goes. Craigslist brings so many flakes that reply, some reply back and forth, ask a thousand questions, set up a time to come over, then flake out. It's so annoying.

I am hoping with the unemployment extensions that the dems finally grow some and force the republicans to include this bill with a bill they want passed. The GOP refused to allow any dems bills to get passed until the dems included tax cuts for them, so the dems can stand strong and refuse to pass anything until the unemployment extensions are included.

I really don't see why the battle has to be there. So much legislation is passed, new wars are entered into, financial aid is passed to so many countries, so many pet projects are passed, so much special interest legislation is passed, so many tax breaks given to corporations, so lets just stop playing games and extend this for people that are unemployed by no fault of their own (you know that thing called the recession).

yes....the person at the unemployment office said we did....we will see...

well, i use to do BIG things on ebay...this absolutely CRAZY but you know what sells...BRAS...LOL!! new ones that is...ok...now...go to ross'es....to the clearance rack...you get the for $2.oo sell them for $10...free shipping...i can't believe how many men...LOL...or woman buy them via ebay??????

on the serious end of this....IF they don't do anything....many people will just have to go on welfare.........or on the streets. as you and i know, we barely hear anything anymore on the news because they just lie about jobs...there are NONE...SHOW ME WHERE they are if you say there is.......

[helpme2010]

yes....the person at the unemployment office said we did....we will see...

well, i use to do BIG things on ebay...this absolutely CRAZY but you know what sells...BRAS...LOL!! new ones that is...ok...now...go to ross'es....to the clearance rack...you get the for $2.oo sell them for $10...free shipping...i can't believe how many men...LOL...or woman buy them via ebay??????

on the serious end of this....IF they don't do anything....many people will just have to go on welfare.........or on the streets. as you and i know, we barely hear anything anymore on the news because they just lie about jobs...there are NONE...SHOW ME WHERE they are if you say there is.......

Go get that ebay action!!! That is cool.

I am hoping the news will start talking about this next month (I am guessing that is when extensions will expire for a lot of people - they do with me and I seem to be on the same time line as a mass group of people).

MSNBC is the one station that seems to discuss unemployment and 99ers a lot. Right now with the wars, they have scaled down quite a bit on the discussion, but I do hear them bring it up frequently and interview lawmakers that are looking out for the unemployed and trying to push legislation through.

I want to hear a lot more media coverage about this subject as we are talking about tens of millions of our citizens. Sometimes we fail to grasp what a million really is, let alone tens of millions. Imagine trying to count that high and then after weeks realizing that every number you counted in your head and lost track of was a real human being (and family members) suffering. It's scary how big that number really is.

[WhatMoney]

Oregon 99er's get a six week extension in benefits

By unanimous vote, the Oregon House passed Senate Bill 637, which would allow the state to draw additional federal unemployment money through the end of the year. There are currently 11,876 people participating in the federal extended benefits program, according to the Oregon Employment Department. With the legislation, officials estimate about 50,000 out-of-work Oregonians would qualify by the end of the year.

Under a plan approved by Congress in December, the federal government will pick up all the costs.

The House also endorsed Senate Bill 638, which offers an additional six weeks of state benefits to Oregonians who have been out of work for more than 99 weeks and have exhausted all other benefits, including the federal extensions.

Our governor signed the bills into law today.

http://keepamericaatwork.com/?p=65393

BTW, if are unemployed stay away - we don't have any jobs here unless you have at least a Masters degree from a major school in semiconductor engineering, physics, or materials science - in which case Intel may have a job for you if you also have experience, and of course are under 30.

It also is cold and rainy all the time - We have not had a 60 degree high day yet this year, and none in the future forecast for at least two weeks. But we do have nice rainbows: