so i’m finally laid off last month. Because this is all new experience, I have some questions for those went through this: 1. should I claim unemployment benefits? Will this have negative impression with prospective employers? Right now I have several months of severance package and won’t have financial pressure for a while (read at least a year, maybe 2). 2. have you used any career transition service providers? This is provided by my formal employer for free, but I don’t know how useful they are. Thanks a lot!
Why not take unemployment insurance? If you’re unemployed, most employers assume you are taking it. Problems could come up if you do part-time work and put it on your resume, since I think unemployment benefits are supposed to be reduced or eliminated if you have other income. But most employers won’t even ask (why should they? It’s your own business) Career transition can be helpful, particularly if you are feeling down because of the layoff, they can get you doing things that make you feel more optimistic, which is important. Resume writing is useful up to a point. A lot of career transition providers don’t necessarily understand the industry you’re coming from, though, so expect to have to teach them a lot about what your industry demands of you.
There’s no reason not to take it. You paid for the benefits while working for a reason.
packattack4 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There’s no reason not to take it. You paid for > the benefits while working for a reason. Not exactly. Your employer pays the unemployment tax. Unless it is different in other states.
goes to eleven Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > packattack4 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > There’s no reason not to take it. You paid for > > the benefits while working for a reason. > > > Not exactly. Your employer pays the unemployment > tax. Unless it is different in other states. Well its part of the compensation package. Like health care, etc.
Take the benefits!
I know someone that was laid off from IB at a BB, and he refuses to receive unemployment. He says that is for white and ghetto trash. Instead his parents pay the rent on his 1500+ a month place, and pay for him to pop bottles in the club. Funniest shit ever.
I’d take unemployment even if I had f-you money in the bank. Free money is free money. It’s not like the unemployment office makes you wear a sandwich board around that says “I’m a loser collecting unemployment checks”.
Congrats bro. Got a nice little severance package and unemployment. I would probably spend the first month getting laid as much as possible since you really not nothing to do all day anymore with unemployed chicks.
Definitely collect unemployment and file for it ASAP, because sometimes there’s a processing or waiting period before you can start collecting. Also, if your health insurance is about to run out as well, you have a certain number of weeks to elect COBRA - and unless you have other medical insurance, I think COBRA is worth it if you can afford it (anyone have thoughts on this?). I have seen some people go without healthcare insurance but I wouldn’t recommend it. Not trying to get into a political debate about the availability of healthcare insurance, just saying that it’s something you should have because you never know when stuff might happen.
its not like a company gets reimbursed for unemployment taxes if you don’t use the benefit. Furthermore- how would the next prospective employer know you were collecting?? I’ve never come across the question in any app/interview. They ask if you are employed… which either way you are not- collecting unemployment or not.
I would hazard to guess it’s not legal to ask if you are collecting unemployment in an interview. Just a guess though, I honestly don’t know. There is no shame in taking it though, others have said it, it’s free money. If Old Dirty Bas*erd collected welfare, why don’t you collect some unemployment?
I’d be surprised if someone asked you whether you were collecting unemployment. If you’re not working, you’re completely entitled to collect unemployment. By the way, what are people’s thoughts about healthcare insurance? If you were unemployed, would you ever NOT elect to have healthcare insurance if COBRA covered it? Why/why not? For me, I would recommend anyone to have healthcare insurance of some kind, but I guess the type of people most of us on this forum surround ourselves with are probably different from the typical blue-collar American, where procuring health insurance… What are your thoughts guys?
in MA healthcare insurance is a must have. For me its a must have even if the deducatable is $100 for a trip to the e-room. btw a friend of mind found private health insurance for about $200/month when he was unemployed.
Hey BiPolarBoyBoston, what part of mass are you from…boston I’m guessing???
Numi- I would probably get some bare bones disaster coverage, but nothing like what I have w/ my firm. The last job I left offered me cobra @ 1200 a month. That was more than half my take home at the time. I’d rather save the money, and I have the savings to cover mild issues. I grew up with no HC though- so maybe I know about how/where to get care at a reasonable cost if necessary. I’m glad that I no longer have to go to a garage dentist anymore though 
akanska Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Numi- I would probably get some bare bones > disaster coverage, but nothing like what I have w/ > my firm. The last job I left offered me cobra @ > 1200 a month. That was more than half my take > home at the time. I’d rather save the money, and > I have the savings to cover mild issues. I grew > up with no HC though- so maybe I know about > how/where to get care at a reasonable cost if > necessary. I’m glad that I no longer have to go > to a garage dentist anymore though Of all AFers I would think that you’d be the last person who wouldn’t have complete health coverage.
^^ why?
hafa123 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hey BiPolarBoyBoston, > what part of mass are you from…boston I’m > guessing??? yea BoSox, urself?
A perceived high risk aversion, but I guess it depends on the cost of the insurance, and I don’t have a good feeling of the current costs in the U.S. since I don’t live there. I got caught without insurance once and felt way stupid because I wanted to outsmart my chances of getting burned, but that’s just me.