For those currently unemployed - help thread

[The Heretic]

$10,200 unemployment tax break: Here's when married couples should file separate returns

There are some cases when married couples should consider filing a separate return to claim a new tax break on $10,200 of unemployment benefits.

www.cnbc.com

 

[The Heretic]

This is just so typical of OED - I have to wonder who is making these decisions because they seem oblivious to how many people have their claims expiring right now. First they say everybody needs to call in, then a couple weeks into that, they say "oh no, you don't need to call". It would be obvious to anybody that there would be thousands of people with expiring claims calling. From the FB group, it appears that their people who handle the calls don't know either - some say call, some say don't.

Oregon Employment Department

CLARIFICATION: This does NOT affect everyone who has filed a new claim after their claim expired. We have identified the affected claims and are working to resolve this issue quickly.

If you filed a new claim after your claim expired and are seeing a delay in payments, don't worry. We may need to manually adjust your claim before we can continue paying. This MAY take up to six weeks to complete.We are starting with the oldest of the newly filed claims first, which are claims filed for the week of March 14.

You do NOT need to call us if you are in this situation. We know that any delay in receiving benefits is a hardship and we are working as quickly as we can to get everyone paid.

 

[teflon6string]

I just got done scolding a bike store service manager for lackadaisical customer service, useless phone messaging, bad signage and shoddy workmanship. It's not something I take a lot of pleasure in doing because I'd much rather have a satisfactory experience and leave there happy. But he asked for the feedback and I kept it constructive.

When I suggested that insufficient staffing might be at least part of the problem, he shared with me that he has "jobs open and waiting for applicants." But he only hears crickets chirping.

I hear the same from Mrs. Teflon, who interviews job applicants where she works (professional setting). She sees stacks of slipshod resumes, and the interviewees she does schedule sometimes show up late, in jeans and polo shirts. She can usually pull a qualified applicant from 5-10 and offer someone a job - only to never hear back from them. I guess the kids call this "ghosting."

While collecting Unemployment Insurance is contingent upon applying for work (I believe 3 applications/week is the magic number), it would seem that actually accepting the offer and showing up to work 30-40 hours/week is asking too much for some. The rationale? Even if a young person can earn $600 weekly, isn't $500 for DOING NOTHING the more attractive option? We know local business owners with jobs waiting, but all report the same apparent lack of interest.

It seems that many kids with this post-American entitled mindset are so uninterested in working that you could give them a job sleeping, and they'd wake up to quit.

 

[The Heretic]

When I am employed, my income from my work is 3X+ $ what UI pays weekly, plus I get health insurance and a 401K.

Add on to that, the fact that most creditors will not accept UI as stable income, since it is temporary (in normal times, the max is 6 months), and many employers don't want to hire unemployed candidates, they prefer those still employed.

For Oregon, OED requires 2 job contacts (applying for, inquiring about a position via resume/email/online, mail, phone, an interview, etc.) and three "activities" (searching job boards, etc). It used to be just applying for 3 jobs/etc.

If you are away from you home locale (especially out of state) for 3 days or more, and it is not related to a "job search", then the claim for that week is denied. Their site does not allow logging in to make a claim from outside the state from what I understand and I would be they keep data on that.

You must tell OED if you are offered a job and you do not accept.

If you quit a job or are terminated, you must tell the OED (if you work part time and/or are paid less than your weekly benefit amount, you can still claim the week). They do check on this - even when I was self-employed Jan-Feb for 5 weeks, they checked with my client on the east coast to make sure I didn't just quit, that the client actually did not have anymore work for me.

For regular benefits, you must be willing to accept a job that pays your customary earnings, and is within acceptable commuting distance.

You must certify that you are physically able and willing to work - you can't get UI for being sick/injured.

And so on.

From the FB group I am on for UI help/support, I see what I assume is most of these people actually wanting to go back to work. Some cannot because they can't get childcare, can't send their kids to school, they are "at risk" (I am, but I can and do easily work from home). Some of them have gone back to work only to have their workplaces shut down again. Many can only work part time due to greatly reduced hours.

I personally cannot do most of the jobs that people post here; I simply am not physically able to - it has been that way for me for a decade or two and it sucks (washing my car yesterday I had to take breaks after 15 minutes).

So yeah, there are people who prefer being on UI to working. There are some people who can't work because of the situation with schools and childcare. There are people who can't find jobs - I have a family member who can't (office work only due to health condition). I have family members who have had their businesses shut down or severely curtailed.

 

[The Heretic]

 

[RicInOR]

After getting just five applicants for forty minimum wage jobs that require a national certification, city does the unthinkable and raises wages

 

[Flopsweat]

After getting just five applicants for forty minimum wage jobs that require a national certification, city does the unthinkable and raises wages

When you can make that much on unemployment and play video games all day, who's going to apply?

 

[Hayharnel]

Almost everywhere I go is hiring. Not hard to find a job!

 

[The Heretic]

 

[The Heretic]

For some people with expired claims, we estimate it may take up to six weeks for us to manually move them back to the program they were on when their claim expired. *People in this situation do NOT need to call us to have their benefits paid. We know that any delay in receiving benefits is a hardship, and we are working as quickly as we can to get people paid, starting with the oldest of the newly filed claims first.

*A person's claim may be moved back to their prior claim to avoid a dramatic decrease in their weekly benefit amount (WBA). This includes situations where a person does not qualify for a new claim, or when their new WBA decreased $25 or more from their previous WBA.

 

[The Heretic]

I work in Seattle area, my employer has refused to enforce social distancing at work. I dont work with health care just retail store. We have 3 to 5 employees in a very small area. I told them I don't feel comfortable working so close to the other employees. So last week I took 1 week of vacation to think about the situation. I have asked what can they do about it and they have no solution. After yesterday's new conference with the Governor where he spoke in great detail about work place distancing. Told them if they dont fix it, I will need to be layed off or fired as I will not return to work under these circumstances. I also told them I may have to report their procedures to the State of Washington if something is not done soon. So here I sit at home enjoying my time off. It's been interesting, hope it all works out.

Document everything you tell them, what you said, when you said it, to whom you said it and their responses. Time, date, place and people, including anybody who was present. Do it now while you remember it. Since your employer is not following the rules, it is likely they may not be upfront with the employment dept. about the circumstances of your leaving employment. It really helps if you have that documentation and can supply it to the employment dept. when the employer disputes your UI claim.

 

[The Heretic]

Ok, so the UI benefits are coming again.

My claim expired 4.3.21. I entered my last week on the first claim, waited until that week was paid (suggested by the UI FB group to wait so that OED didn't mix it up), then filed a new claim.

I did not have regular employment after 4.3.2020, but I did have self employment for 5 weeks in 2021 (usually you do not get UI benefits for self-employment unless you pay the state the fee/tax, which is usually about 1% and voluntary - most people don't, I never have). I entered my previous employer info and the fact that I was self-employed this year.

I then kept entering weekly job search certs.

The OED site showed my claim expired, then went thru a sequence of weird statuses (including saying my claim was invalid), but I kept entering the weeks. Eventually the status went from invalid to not invalid, then a few days later the benefit amount went to $0 (IIRC) then about the time I got the checks I also got a letter denying my new claim as I had worked only 491 hours in 2020, not 500. Then a few days later came the checks and a new letter saying my claim was valid. Then about 5 days later another letter with an explanation of benefits.

The process is, if you didn't work enough in 2020 then they deny the new claim and put you back on your old claim, and extend your old claim with PEUC, and you get the same benefit amount plus the federal $300.

If you did work enough to get benefits from your new claim, then if your new benefit amount is $25 less than your old benefit amount, they pay you your old benefit amount plus the federal $300.

The extension of PEUC is 29 weeks, for a total of 53 weeks and expires after 9.4.2021

 

[The Heretic]

Return to Work Resources

Our WorkSource Oregon staff can provide one-on-one help with your job search. Report on your weekly unemployment claim that you are: Able to work, Available to work, AND Actively seeking work. Starting July 31, 2021 Have a Welcome Conversation with a WorkSource Oregon staff member. Report on your…

unemployment.oregon.gov

 

[RicInOR]

"National Exotic Dancer Shortage" Forces New Orleans Strip Club To Offer Signing Bonuses

Many places are looking.

Beaverton School District has a number of open positions.

Applicants/Jobs - Beaverton School District

Applicants/Jobs - Beaverton School District

www.beaverton.k12.or.us

 

[The Heretic]

When you can make that much on unemployment and play video games all day, who's going to apply?

Applying for jobs is now required. I have been applying for jobs for over a year.

Return to Work Resources

Our WorkSource Oregon staff can provide one-on-one help with your job search. Report on your weekly unemployment claim that you are: Able to work, Available to work, AND Actively seeking work. Starting July 31, 2021 Have a Welcome Conversation with a WorkSource Oregon staff member. Report on your…

unemployment.oregon.gov

 

[The Heretic]

Employment | Highway Products Inc.

Advance your career with one of the most badass companies in Southern Oregon. Check Open Positions Due to high demand for our products, we are looking for talented individuals to join our team. Opportunities exist in multiple fields:Sales / Marketing / Engineering / Welding / Assembly /...

www.highwayproducts.com

 

[The Heretic]

You can't get unemployment if you quit without a good reason (e.g., unsafe workplace), and yet, a lot of people are quitting.

American workers are quitting at the highest rate in decades

Workers are quitting, and teenagers are working

qz.com

 

[The Heretic]

Where Jobless Benefits Were Cut, Jobs Are Still Hard to Fill (Published 2021)

Missouri scrapped federal pay to the unemployed, saying it kept people out of the labor market. But so far, workers still seem to be choosy.

www.nytimes.com

 

[The Heretic]

FYI - OED is doing "quarterly reviews" and a lot of people are seeing their weekly benefits delayed. OED says benefits may be delayed up to 5 weeks. Also, check your snail mail and email; OED is now requiring people on UI to sign up for "iMatch" and if you don't they may stop your benefits.

 

[Lasers]

If you've been waiting, now's a good time to job hunt. When the bene's get cut off there's going to be a lot more applicants.

We've hired 10 people in the last 30 days