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Time running out on jobless benefits
Congress hasn’t passed extension
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.
From left, Lorie Swenson, Jeremy Grieshaber and Veronica Hunt shop at Apple Market on Mitchell Avenue on Tuesday evening. Swenson and Grieshaber have both been drawing unemployment for about a year. About half of Missourians receiving unemployment benefits will lose them at the end of July.
This week, Missouri’s jobless received news to give them hope, as the Missouri Department of Economic Development reported Monday that the state added 3,600 jobs in June.
But there is bad news for jobless Missourians who do not anticipate getting back to work anytime soon — almost half of those currently drawing unemployment benefits will no longer be able to do so by the end of July.
Last month, unemployment fell to 9.1 percent in the state — its lowest point since April 2009 — and as of the end of the first week of July, about 144,000 Missourians were drawing unemployment.
By the end of July, 77,000 of those drawing unemployment benefits will no longer be able to do so, according to the Missouri Department of Labor.
The loss of benefits comes as Congress — embattled by public backlash over growing spending and deficits – has been unable to agree on legislation to further extend benefits.
Employment in the construction and manufacturing sectors — among some of the worst hit since the recession began — saw gains in the state, the Missouri Department of Economic Development reported Monday.
Tom Bacon, a St. Joseph resident who worked as a welder for 23 years until February, was not among those fortunate workers.
Leaving the Missouri Career Center on Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Bacon said since he’s been unemployed, he’s had to move in with his mother. Child support payments are taken from his unemployment checks, which will stop coming at the end of August, he said.
“When I run out of unemployment, I’ve got to do something or I go to jail,” Mr. Bacon said.
Though what he would not do, he said, is look for work outside of his vocation. He said he is still optimistic he can find a welding job.
But Larry Henderson, who has been drawing unemployment for five months since he lost his managerial position in information technology at Heartland Regional Medical Center, said he might have to “take whatever comes” in terms of employment, despite the fact that his old job required a college degree.
The state has been borrowing money from the federal government since the state’s unemployment fund bottomed out in February 2009. So far, Missouri has borrowed $722 million to pay jobless benefits, according to the Missouri Department of Labor. The department reported that in May, Buchanan County residents seeking unemployment benefits fell to 530, the lowest point since May 2009, when 543 residents applied for assistance.
However, Janice Spearman, function leader at the Missouri Career Center — which helps residents with unemployment insurance claims and assists them in job searches and skills development — said the facility has seen a big jump in unemployed persons seeking their services. In June, there were 4,871 visits to the center, up from 3,843 in May.
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getrealstjoe says...
The guy in this picture looks to be pretty able-bodied. Why doesn't he have a job? Oops, forgot that would be to simple, it's easier to live off the government, add more tats to my arms and continue to drive down welfare road.
July 14, 2010 at 6:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
luvmykids says...
Sometimes you have to look for work outside of your norm. I am tired of people only wanting a certain type of work. There are some jobs open and not all of them are minimum wage. I will be the first one to say we do need more higher paying jobs around here although, you take what you can get for the moment. It is sure better than nothing. And it sure beats sitting and doing nothing. I really hope the states and government do not waste more money on extending benefits once again. People have received them long enough. Time for them to get a job.
July 14, 2010 at 6:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StJoesVeryOwn says...
said he might have to “take whatever comes”
No Kidding? The taxpayers are footing the bill for you to lie around the house for five months? Yes you need to take whatever you can find. If it is at minimum wage you can still collect unemployment but it will be reduced due to your wages. For those of you who say giving unlimited unemployment is what should be done and the repubs are just horrible; here is your proof. Our systems are broke and need revamped, if it is so easy to live off the actual tax payer and do nothing; then its no wonder we have a lazy society without any work eithic.
July 14, 2010 at 8:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
xanzzz says...
There are a percentage of people who will not make any sincere effort to find employment as long as they are getting money from the government.
Unemployment benefits for people who lose their jobs is a good thing as it allows them to better survive. Benefits for long term tend to be for the lazy and self absorbed. Everyone I have known that loss their job in this recession and was driven to find a job got one well before their benefits ran out. The only people I know that have not are the ones who clearly do not try hard enough or only interested in the perfect job and pay for them. To keep your benefits you do half to jump through some hoops so acting like you are trying and actually trying are two very different things.
July 14, 2010 at 8:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jd_mb says...
look i have friends who are in the late 40,s and mid 50,s who are unemployed and have a education and they are trying to get a job no matter what it may be.
but they have told me that there is age discrimination going on and there is also employers telling them when they apply for these jobs that they are over qualified and they will not hire them.now there is a new practice out there that the employers are doing if you are unemployed they will not let you apply.
so to lump all unemployed people into these catagories and say people are lazy and self asorbed and only willing to except the perfect job is just plain wrong.there are good people that are democrats and republicians that this has affected and some are simply getting discriminated against by employers.senators on both sides of the isle(republician,dems) want to pass this extention just have a different outlook on how to pay for it.
and stjoesveryown if a person is unemployed for only 5 months the tax payer did not pay one penny of these people's unemployment it was the unemployment tax that employers were required to pay.
July 14, 2010 at 8:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StJoesVeryOwn says...
Well since our state is borrowing from the fed to pay benefits (722 Mil accord to this art.) I assume it is still the same federal government whose only income is tax payer money or is there another I am unaware of? Not all are lazy and not all are abusing the system. Just like not all welfare are but there are a lot that are and sours the contributors to no end. Its hard to believe that people are being solely discriminated based on age. I know of two fifty year old men who are waxing/buffing floors in town who never did it before and who were unemployed previously. Its hard work and doesn't pay well but if they wanted a job it was there. You say their being discriminated against, do you have a proof? I know a good lawyer. Or could it be possible that they don't interview well? Didn't have a neat and organized resume? Weren't available all hours needed for employment? Wouldn't accept minimum wage? Aren't applying at every single place of employment in town or surrounding area? Or maybe as I said, they are enjoying sitting around and looking for a dream job. Could be a wide range of reasons.
July 14, 2010 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jd_mb says...
stjoesveryown not wanting to argue but believe it or not the things i listed above i have no reason not to believe these people. and if anyone looks at some of the articles on the internet these same things are being said by millions of unemployed people accross the country.
sure there are bad seeds in everything and they take fulll advantage of the situation but most do not.
not sure about the money the state has borrowed and if it was for the extensions or not.but if they had to borrow to pay these people first 6 months worth of unemployment makes one wonder where the money the employers were required to pay went.
as far as the job market turning around and the drop in the unemployment numbers sure it is going to go down when all of these people have lost their benefits and some simply have ran out and not found work and are not being counted.
i would venture to say the true unemployment rate within the country is around 17% or higher. to many jobs have simply be outsourced to other countries.
our country is in for a world of hurt for some years to come and the outlook is not all that great.
July 14, 2010 at 10:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
StJoesVeryOwn says...
I'm not trying to argue either, I am simply saying as you are(only the opposite), that there are older people getting jobs. And while there are some who are and some who are not getting jobs, neither of us know for sure what happens behind the closed door of their interviews. That was my point, so many times discrimination is the first thing thrown out when people don't have a clue. Many they were not the best canidate for that job and it is possible age was a factor although I for one would hesitate to jump to that conclusion.
Employers still pay into the fund, however in Feb 2009 the state fund was gone and as of now there are more payments being sent out than money brought in. Hence the reason for the loan. As far as guessing a national unemployment rate I wouldn't even try as it is simply an opinion. NAFTA is often blamed for the outsourcing and although I haven't read too much into it, I tend to agree with what I have read thus far.
July 14, 2010 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
liberal_lamont says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
July 14, 2010 at 12:11 p.m. ( permalink | )
StJoeMoe says...
Drawing unemployment for a year - yeah, time for them to be cut off - I want to know what other "benefits" they are recieving.
That one women appears to be more than well fed.
One thing they tell you at the unemployment office - do not apply for a job you do not want ie: one that pays less than you want to be paid. That is a loophole that might need to be closed.
Anyway, I'm about to be laid off, what is the max on unemployment? $325.00 a week? And you better stash some back for taxes off the top of that as well - it does not seem worth it.
$8.12 an hour to do nothing, based on a 40 hour work week, if you can not find a job for $8.12 an hour you are probably unemployable.
What do the unemployable do? How much are "we" paying them?
Errrrr......
Opps, maybe I'll make a short term career of milking the system when I am laid off, just to see how much one can make.
Interesting.......
July 14, 2010 at 2:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
weese says...
StJoeMoe, DO IT!! Make a documentary out of it. Sell the documentary and retire. Need help?
July 14, 2010 at 2:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
peoplerule says...
After a person puts in five years training for a career as a skilled tradesman, all he or she can do legally is sign the union books and wait for the call that a company wants to hire them for a project. Many have signed up in other cities in case something comes up elsewhere first.
I wonder how many out there on their retirement checks or with good jobs would give those checks and jobs up to go work in fast food or Wally World for minimum wage. The workers didn't run the economy into the ground and they cannot manufacture work out of thin air. The banks and all the wealthy with the Bush tax cuts need to stimulate the economy as the Republicans always promise the private sector will do.
We still need a second stimulus to rebuild the infrastructure of our country--that would be patriotic not socialist and it needs to include something like the CCC and WPA to hire and train the chronically unemployed. The investments the country made in the 30s bore fruit into the 50s and 60s in the lives of the participants. We still use many of the bridges, parks and buildings constructed under those programs.
July 14, 2010 at 3:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
deerslayer1967 says...
Oh good gravy, peoplerule, you think more spending is going to help things? The only thing that helped the 50s and 60s and saved us from the 30s was WWII, and the industry that we had after that made up for the debacles of the NRA (recovery act), CCC, and WPA. roosevelt was struggling with deficit spending until then. you can only pour water into a leaky bucket so fast. he was lucky the japs bombed us!
our deficit last year was 1.5 trillion dollars, now that's not the national debt which is 13 trillion dollars.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pi...
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
and you want to spend more?? do you even know what a trillion is...it's a thousand billion, or a thousand thousand million. you could fill your trailer and thousands more with $100 bills with that.
blame it on bush, his last deficit was $482 billion dollars, or 1/3 of obamas, but still wrong!!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washingt...
July 14, 2010 at 9:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )