This is now being called the Great Recession. When asked, those who lived through the Great Depression what they called it, they replied they just called it hard times. We are slightly better off than those people were because they did not have unemployment insurance, food stamps, or any of the social programs we now have today. They had nothing at all. Many Republicans would have us go back to those “good old days.” Fortunately, for us, for now, have a majority in our government who feel otherwise.
Here are some of the stories that have come out of a Facebook support group that this writer created when he became unemployed. The group is called The Unemployed Workers’ Support Network and is for those who are unemployed and looking for work.
It is a place where organizations/employers that have positions to fill can post their jobs. It is a place where unemployed persons can offer moral support to one another, post jobs, share ideas, and network for both friendship and for help in the grueling and sometimes arduous effort of re-joining the ranks of the employed.
Here are some of the stories. Some people’s names have been changed to protect their privacy. These very personal stories range from those who are older, to those who are fresh out of college and those who were in the prime of their careers.
Joe is 50 and was born and raised in western Penna., and grew up in the same house his whole life until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the early 1980s. In the Navy, Joe was trained to send and receive messages via teletypewriter and computer. After graduation, he had the rate of Cryptologic Technician Communications.
Joe served under the Commander Middle East Forces (COMIDEASTFOR) onboard the USS La Salle (AGF-3) in the Persian Gulf. Tom also attended Muir Technical College (now defunct) in San Diego, Calif. to learn computer programming.
Joe said, “That was a waste of time and money. The school was supposed to find me a job. Well they did but it wasn't doing computer programming.” Joe eventually found gainful employment and had been working in the computer field as an Information Technology professional for many years. Then this recession hit and his employer, as many have, decided to cut costs and hired a third-party company to do technical support where the pay scale is much less. All of tech support and customer service departments were laid off. Joe had been working at temporary jobs but even those jobs have become fewer and fewer.
On June 11, 2010, Joe was evicted. He has been sleeping on the front porch of a Baptist church. He goes to the local library every day where he hunts for work. Joe said, “My biggest problem is being able to be presentable for an interview, then having a place to stay while I get enough money to afford my own place again.” Joe asks, “I'm still unemployed. Does anyone have a job for me?”
One man named Richard confided that when he called his mother and shared some of his problems with her that her response was that she was on social security and a fixed income and could not help him. He was so taken aback because he neither asked for nor expected any help from her. He told her that he had just hoped for a sympathetic ear.
A woman whom we will call Mary whose position was also downsized last year and believes that her age was a huge factor. Mary said, “Older workers (over 50) are becoming the most frequent new member of the unemployed and it is almost impossible to prove that it is age discrimination.”
Dave recently lost his job in what seemed like a recession-proof position. He posts a message on Facebook that reads, “I need a job now.” He advertises that he can cook, drive, tend bar, work security, answer phones, and customer service management. He said he is willing to do anything and asks for help. Dave said that he is broke; he has a negative balance in his checking account. His next step is to start selling his possessions.
Steve’s unemployment was delayed for 8 weeks. It had gotten lost in the system. Finally, after calling repeatedly, an Unemployment Insurance Representative caught the mistake and moved his claim forward. For two months he had no idea what was going to happen, he was almost evicted and was truly frightened. Sadly, the Unemployment Offices around the country have been so inundated with claimants that they are overwhelmed. They hire new people who are quickly trained and who are expected to know the job fully. This, said one Unemployment Office worker, is part of the problem. Years ago, there were not tiers and extensions. The Unemployment agents do care and they do want to help but with rules changing frequently, it is difficult for people to keep up.
Donald has worked hard for his college degree and still cannot find work. Donald shared that he has been placing countless applications and résumés daily with no results. Many have been sending out their curriculum vitæ, to cities, all over the country in hopes to find gainful employment, somewhere, anywhere.
Sonya relayed, “It is rough out there and we have to stick together through this.” She has been submitting applications everywhere. She tried applying for everything from house cleaner services, to pumping gas, to computers, which is where her background and education is.
Sonya wrote, “In the beginning of July, CNN Money posted an article that said 'If you are not working, we won't hire you.’"
She also blogs wherein she said she is “ready to stand at the street corner with a sign saying ‘I need a job.’” When she is called in for an interview, she researches the organization, with a view toward showing the person conducting the interview that she is sincerely interested. She, like the others, does her absolute best on the interview and still no job offer!
Sonya has spoken with recruiters and employment agencies who do not work very hard to place people who have been unemployed for a year or more. Moreover employers are reluctant to hire people with education and experience because they think as soon as the recession is over, they will quit.
Sonya now tweets and blogs for the 99ers Tier V, (those who have exhausted their 99 weeks of Unemployment Insurance) and she said she is “doing everything that she can to draw attention to our plight.”
The Rochester Unemployment-Examiner, a facebook/online newspaper, writes, "Hopefully someone with some compassion steps forward and courageously offers 99er legislation. If Congress can save corporations from certain death, they should be able to help American citizens avoid a financial death."
