Are you pissed off? I'm pissed off. Vent Thread.

[videodrone]

Thanks guys.

It sucks that I've been there for six years and now I'm done. But at least I've managed to squirrel away some money and got a decent severance package so I'm not totally screwed. But with the way things are going in that place, it won't be long before the business goes belly up. I'd rather it now than later. In the meantime I'm going to pretend that I'm on a really long vacation and maybe regain some of my lost sanity.

drone

[Aaron]

Good luck on the sanity thing. I have been slowly loosing mine, and I don't think its every gona come back...

But that does blow about the job. But its good you have the money, and the package! Enjoy the time off.

[rokken like dokken]

Thanks guys.

It sucks that I've been there for six years and now I'm done. But at least I've managed to squirrel away some money and got a decent severance package so I'm not totally screwed. But with the way things are going in that place, it won't be long before the business goes belly up. I'd rather it now than later. In the meantime I'm going to pretend that I'm on a really long vacation and maybe regain some of my lost sanity.

drone

Yeah, unemployment's not always so bad - I kind of miss it occasionally. 

[r00]

Sorry to hear about your job, drone.  8(  That sucks leaving a place like that after being there for so long.  It's good you have some money squirreled away, so enjoy the time off.  Grab one of those long ass games you have been meaning to finish for forever and rip through it in a week. ;-)

[videodrone]

That's not a bad idea, r00! I have a huge backlog of unfinished games that maybe will be completed with all this free time I'm going to have now. ;p

drone

[r00]

have fun!  Last time I was laid off, I ripped through GTA IV in a week!

[Aaron]

Will you be able to get unemployment?


Here in Oregon, that shit is hella easy to get... One of my coworkers has called in sick a lot. So much so, they can fire her for it. but won't cuz then they would have to pay unemployment. (and some how its cheaper not to fire her...) Cuz if you just call in sick a lot here you get it.  Which is crazy to me at lest...

[r00]

yeah file for unemployment now so you can get the whole process started.  Being a government process, it can be slow and you want to start getting that money as soon as it is available to you. 

[Goose]

Drone, that sucks.  I hope you're able to get back on your feet quick, and I know that can be particularly difficult in the hostile economy that's around at the moment.

I know this is going to sound silly, but seriously consider spending some time at your nearest Occupy protest.  That's what the protests are all about anyways, the inability to find work or create a living due to the lobsided structure of the current economy.

Will you be able to get unemployment?


Here in Oregon, that shit is hella easy to get... One of my coworkers has called in sick a lot. So much so, they can fire her for it. but won't cuz then they would have to pay unemployment. (and some how its cheaper not to fire her...) Cuz if you just call in sick a lot here you get it.  Which is crazy to me at lest...

Ok, this is one thing I've heard alluded to before, but never got a full explanation for.  In the States, is it actually the responsibility of the unemployed person's last workplace to actually pay for their unemployment benefits?  If so, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  How the hell does that actually work, logistically speaking?

As well, for all you unemployed people, Saskatchewan is the only area in all of North America that's actually seen actual economic growth in the last two years.  While the global economy tanked, this province actually made money.  We've got a large number of jobs opening up, mainly in the mining industry, as China and India are currently going nuts for our potash.  Worth considering. 

[r00]

I know this is going to sound silly, but seriously consider spending some time at your nearest Occupy protest.  That's what the protests are all about anyways, the inability to find work or create a living due to the lobsided structure of the current economy.

I was listening to recent Howard Stern segments where he sent his guys out to interview OWS protesters.  Tears were coming out of my eyes I was laughing so hard.  It is amazing how many people have no idea what they are actually protesting and are just there for the scene.

Ok, this is one thing I've heard alluded to before, but never got a full explanation for.  In the States, is it actually the responsibility of the unemployed person's last workplace to actually pay for their unemployment benefits?  If so, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  How the hell does that actually work, logistically speaking?

I believe an employer has to pay the state an unemployment insurance premium based on how many employees they have and what skill levels they are, etc.  If too many people are claiming unemployment from the same company, that company's premium goes up.  That's why douchebag companies like my employer will fire people with supposed "cause" so that they can contest anyone that files for unemployment benefits.

However, the actual unemployment pay is the same regardless of who you worked for.  The check itself comes from the state.  It's still piddly, but it's something.  I think after taxes in this state, the max is something like $389/week.

[Goose]

I was listening to recent Howard Stern segments where he sent his guys out to interview OWS protesters.  Tears were coming out of my eyes I was laughing so hard.  It is amazing how many people have no idea what they are actually protesting and are just there for the scene.

While true, there are a lot of people there who also know why they're all there, and I'm usually surprised that some local news reporters can just randomly walk into the crowd and easily find someone extremely well-read and articulate on the issues at hand.  As for the idiots, you can easily justify them as a symptom of the problems.  Public schools failed them, politicians failed them, the economy failed them, the financial system failed them, the housing markets failed them, and now they're too bloody stupid to know why all they've got left is a bowl of patchouli in a drum circle on the street.

That being said, all the "Occupy" protests in Canada are a bloody joke.  All of the things that Occupy Wall Street are fighting against largely don't exist up here.  Its why our unemployment rates haven't skyrocketed, why our dollar is now worth the same (if not more) than an American one, and why all the major losses in people's investment portfolios have been foreign in nature.  Canada's top 1% generally make about 30x more than the average Canadian, compared to the 450x more America's top 1% make over their average workers (and, worldwide, Canada's about average in that respect).  I've heard about so many people in the south having their 401K's absolutely decimated and wiped out by the economic collapse, its truly heartbreaking.  Me personally, my RRSP (Canadian equivalent to a 401K as far as I can tell) lost some of the interest it made in the last year.  That's about it.  Same goes for damn near anyone else I know who wasn't completely stupid with their RRSP investments.  Its because while America was deregulating and snorting coke with bankers, Canada kept their shit together.  Our government and banks actually made a big deal of ditching US sub-prime-mortgage-based investments back in 2006 and 2007.

I fully support everything the American Occupy protests are standing for.  The Canadian ones are just bloody stupid.

I believe an employer has to pay the state an unemployment insurance premium based on how many employees they have and what skill levels they are, etc.  If too many people are claiming unemployment from the same company, that company's premium goes up.  That's why douchebag companies like my employer will fire people with supposed "cause" so that they can contest anyone that files for unemployment benefits.

However, the actual unemployment pay is the same regardless of who you worked for.  The check itself comes from the state.  It's still piddly, but it's something.  I think after taxes in this state, the max is something like $389/week.

Ok, so do employees also pay a premium off of their paycheck for unemployment purposes?  If they do, is that just the business passing the costs on to the employees? 

Up here, Employment Insurance premiums are, by law, paid by both the business owner and the employee, up to a certain maximum that's actually relatively low, based on your income.  The amount paid is identical for both the business and the employee.  If you make $40,000/year or more, you're probably paying the maximum premium.  However, the business pays nothing extra if they lay off or fire the worker, ever.  The amount you're allowed to receive is based on your income over the past year, up to a maximum that I'm pretty sure is also about $380-ish per week.  But after a year, you're done.  No more EI for you.  If you haven't found a new job, its welfare time.

As well, our maternity, paternity, and disability leave is also handled through EI, so individual businesses never have to deal with it.  Businesses can opt to buy other insurance for their employees to supplement/extend it, as can individuals, but most don't because its too expensive for the amount of benefit given.

[videodrone]

Will you be able to get unemployment?

Oh yes, definitely. I'm filing that shit ASAP because my severance will only take me to maybe December and from what I've gathered it takes at least a month before I'll start seeing an unemployment check, so I certainly don't want any extended period of time when I have no money coming in. That would be bad.

Overall I'm really not that worried about it. Yes, it's going to be tough, but nothing I can't handle.

drone

[r00]

You have the right attitude.  8)  Chances are you will end up at a new place and wonder why the fuck you stayed at the old place for so long.  8-p 

[videodrone]

Oh I'm sure! Maybe I'll get some cushy hospital job with set hours and a better pay than what I was getting before. ;p

drone

[luna]

ugh i forgot to pick up a refill for the feliway diffuser yesterday at work...now the cats will be fighting until wednesday