Should unemployment benefits be cut?

Interesting to note:

1. Since the tax cut extension was tied to a 1 year unemployment extension, that provisions that they would not be allowed to change the terms would not have been forseen.

2. It is not known how many of the "so-called" 99ers have found employment.

Sadly, this is our problem.

They could know if they really wanted to know.

I totally agree, they don't want to know and they have mechanisms in place that each state could use to contact those that stopped collecting at the cut off points. They don't reach out. That's why we need to keep screaming and writing and calling and faxing and tweeting.

I don't think on a state level that they have the man power to follow up. At least I know my state doesn't. I assume by reaching out you mean calling or contacting all of these people but that sounds like a logistical nightmare. The system was never set up to handle volume like this. It's also not as simple as looking at how many people have been hired. A friend of mine just picked up a second part time job and the government has no way of knowing if they hired someone who was already employed or a 99er.

It's not that hard lendme. They run programs every month. Additions/Deletions. They can send out one mailing starting with January 2009. They have all the records. Each person that drops off each month can be contacted with a survey type letter. They are completely computerized now, most are using debit cards or direct deposit making it so much easier to track. They can also ask that each person who did collect but has exhausted contact them and build a file on how many are employed and how many are not, how many are p/t vs f/t. I really believe it's not being done because they don't want the figures out in the media as to how many there really are. They can't make the numbers look good if we are all still counted. And, by unemployment rules, you are not counted as re-employed if you do not have full time employment and a wage within a certain percentage of what you earned prior to layoff. Such as if you were laid off making $55,000 were two years unemployed and have now only found work for 15-20 hrs per week at 8.50/hr, you are considered under-employed, not re-employed.

Well, it could be done through a survey but that still wouldn't be accurate. From dealing with similar ways of contacting people on other issues in the past, I think that a lot of people won't respond anyway. There should be some way to track the 99er's, I agree.

If they REALLY wanted to know they would find a way. How about keeping the unemployment system open for those who have exhausted and change the questions to, are you still out of work etc, or something along those lines?

Were talking one line added to the question page we have to answer every week.
Im sure its a bit more complicated than that, but not so much it cant be done. This is ofcourse "IF" they TRULY wanted to know.

Actually that's a good idea. That would get people to comply by requiring that they still register to get benefits if they are extended again. They have system like this in England. The difference there of course is that you still collect as long as you are out of work.

Not even near the time for cutting benefits. There are to many unemployed and no jobs in site. I had a full time position that I was to start a week ago today but the budget was cut so now I have to wait until July so they can make up the money needed to start me. So there are no jobs guaranteed.

Oh I think they government haw a fairly accurate idea of how many are unemployed, it is just advantageous for them to play dumb about it.

lizalphonso wrote:Oh I think they government haw a fairly accurate idea of how many are unemployed, it is just advantageous for them to play dumb about it.

I agree. In my state it is now 9.6% but I think it is much higher. I also think our elected officials should take a pay cut. They are paid too much for what they do.

I have to agree, they don't want the numbers published. Everything is computerized. They can run a patch pulling all 99 received weeks on claims for the past two and a half years. From that, they can run SS# check, of those that were claiming, no SS activity, they can then contact or as stated, ask those to keep doing a non-process claim. Log on, complete job searches or whatever you state requires you to do and enter. They then have a data base of all still looking for work, not receiving benefits. We could then be contacted through their careerlink servicers if any jobs become available, any job fairs etc. Truly, they don't want the numbers published, think of global economy, the dollar value, the housing market, and the Almighty Stock Market. That's why these two days are so important. I am contacting the news stations faithful to the cause of the 99ers as well. At some point, they will want to really start investigating this story, get the true numbers and run with it.

I believe that the DOL will have the unemployment rate under 8% by the time President Obama is nominated for re-election.

rainer123 wrote:I believe that the DOL will have the unemployment rate under 8% by the time President Obama is nominated for re-election.

Sure because it will not include those that have fallen off the ranks - the exhaustees.

It just makes me mad that they are lying and painting such a pretty picture for the rest of America and the world.

Citizens should have an extension to their unemployment benefits until they find jobs. England and Germany extends the benefits, so why shouldn't we have it here.

They want the numbers down so Obama has a shot at re-election if they are still high he's done. Like Reagan and the Repubs did, Obama and the Dems are doing now

tristen303 wrote:They want the numbers down so Obama has a shot at re-election if they are still high he's done. Like Reagan and the Repubs did, Obama and the Dems are doing now

All the dirty tricks that are only playing games with over 15 millions lives. I hope God will punish them, money can't buy God in the end.