Woman gets laid off, gets paid $2 in unemployment check...

I read this post by someone on their situation and how they were hit by the economic crisis ... it's quite sad how the government expects people to live off of $2 unemployment checks ....

I got laid off from my job at the end of August, and have been diligently looking for work since. In the meantime I have been collecting unemployment benefits for the first time in my life.

Then, I was a poll worker for the election.

The next week, I was called by the same employer that laid me off months ago, because the spotlight operator for a concert had backed out on them and they needed a last minute replacement so I went. A one time "gig".

I told unemployment all this of course.

Today, I got an unemployment check for $2. That's right, two dollars is all I got this time, because I worked. Even if it was only short lived.

I'm trying to look at it on the bright side though, at least I helped hundreds of people vote during a historic election, and I got a free concert., and one more of these and I can get me a venti drink at Starbucks, one of the many places I've applied that hasn't called me back.

Source

[edit on 8-12-2008 by baseball101]

As far as the story provided, it really is based in fact.

If you aren't available all the days in a work week that you claim for unemployment you don't get a check for the days in which you aren't available for work, so if you are doing volunteer work you still have to be available for a job if you are offered one.

So this explains why this woman wouldn't get paid while she was volunteering, and then if you make other money during the week in which you have claimed by working for the concert you will only get paid the difference in the amount you have coming from the unemployment.

It is important that you understand the rules on this while you are using it or your budget can really get in a crunch.

Seems the title is a bit misleading, since the $2 check would be the result of their wages for the "one time gig" being deducted from their "normal" unemployment check ... one time. As long as they still have weeks remaining in their eligibility for benefits, and don't receive reportable wages during that time , they should be back to receiving their typical benefit.

Not to detract from the situation or crisis faced with, just drawing attention to the hyped headline of the article.

$.02

reply to post by baseball101


Er why should she get her unemployment check on top of her wage?

Her next check should be a "normal" check...

Greedy and ignorant from the sounds of it.

this is an example of how NOT to collect unemployment. Sometimes honesty is not the best policy.

Originally posted by interestedalways
If you aren't available all the days in a work week that you claim for unemployment you don't get a check for the days in which you aren't available for work, so if you are doing volunteer work you still have to be available for a job if you are offered one.

So this explains why this woman wouldn't get paid while she was volunteering, and then if you make other money during the week in which you have claimed by working for the concert you will only get paid the difference in the amount you have coming from the unemployment.

It is important that you understand the rules on this while you are using it or your budget can really get in a crunch.

Oh I get it they only pay you to look for work, not to actually do any.