I am an Army vet. I was layed off in March 2008. I have yet to find a job. My profession is in Logistics (supply) and weapons. I receive unemployment with gratitude. It's not much but; It helps. My wife is disabled with RA. (Rhuematoid Arthritis). She receives her SS after battleing the forces that be for 5 yrs. That helps too. I've exhausted my 401k to pay mortages and still see no end in sight. All of these so called "Help" programs really suck. I have been apply for jobs for so long that i've found many people are out there just like me. New to me was applying for every job "on-line". But; How do we know if we are being discrimnated against when apply on-line?? Age, Gender, Race etc. are still a factor or else the employer would not ask for these things. How can we know??
Thanx for enduring my 2 cents worth.
Tommie.

The Department of Labor (DOL) has engaged a spectrum of my emotions. I’ve had 14 years of tenure with a single employer and was fortunate to receive 6 months of severance. When I became eligible to receive my benefits, I applied a month early to avoid any delays. The DOL never assigned a representative to my account, so I had to follow-up and was delayed receipt of my benefits by a few weeks. I then opted to accept a 3-month part-time contract job with a signed contract and was paid on a 1099. I thought this would delight the DOL and it would temporarily return me to the work force, but when I went to reinstate my benefits, I encountered a tax audit. This came as a surprise since I asked the DOL about accepting contract work, but was told that I simply would need to reinstate my benefits. This “simple” procedure required the former employer and me to complete a 10-page questionnaire and then had to be audited by 2 tax departments to determine if this employer should pay my unemployment benefits. After 9 weeks with no benefits, frustration, calls, visits to the DOL, and being told that I didn’t warrant these benefits, my benefits have just been reinstated. Nine weeks later! I “stupidly” again asked the question about contract work and was told I should probably forewarn the next employer to expect an encounter with the DOL. Please tell me what sense does this makes? I’m trying to return to the work force through contract work with the hope that it’ll become full-time employment, but I can’t risk not receiving benefits if this shouldn’t come into fruition. What employer is going to want to encounter an audit with the DOL? The DOL defeats its own purpose and forces claimants to get caught in the system or get “creative” on how to make extra money. The maximum amount of unemployment barely puts gas in the car and groceries on the table. The system needs to be overhauled, so why would we want the government to manage our healthcare? It’s crazy and has made me crazy! I’m not ashamed to collect unemployment. I paid into the system and I need those benefits to keep me afloat until I can gain employment. It’s probably easier to get a Noble Peace Prize than unemployment benefits!

It makes me mad because i am recieving unemployment and I am trying to apply for food stamps for me and my child and the idiots will not give it to me. It's not like I am getting millions off unemployment its not even enough to cover my bills then i still have to scrap up money. But you have people sitting around that DO NOT WANT TO WORK and WILL NOT WORK IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY and they get it all. But when you work, work, work, you gets nothing. Whats going on? But i am not going to give up on it.

More than 20 yrs ago when we had depleted all our savings and still no job in sight, we applied for food stamps. At that time my 7 yr old van was paid for so our family was denied. When I contested, the first question I was asked was "Are you now living in your vehicle?" Had we lost our home and living in our car I suppose we would have qualified. At the same time if I had been driving a brand new lease car, we would have qualified! We were denied food stamps and had it not been for family pitching in I don't know how we would have survived.

My only issue with getting foodstamps is that you have to give up way too much personal info about yourself, I understand you must let them know your wages if any, but if you rent, especially on a month to month basis, they want to know who your landlord is, how much you pay in rent, and if they contact the landlord, which in most cases they do, you are put in jeopardy of losing your rental just for the fact that your landlord may think "if they can't pay for food maybe soon they won't pay me my rent." Also, if you have an auto titled in your name that has any value you can be denied, along with many other personal questions and requirements of proof that detour many from even completing the application.

We suffer, and the people and entities who created this castrophy just go on as is without a care. This entire system here is rigged, I'm actually debating about moving to my parents homeland in Scandinavia.

Hope you enjoyed my rant.

I am now a self employed Handyman/Contractor and I used to do Home Inspections. Actually I used to work 5-6 days a week. Now I don't have any work to speak of let alone the fact that I've had a stroke and two seizures and a continuing course of "Mini Seizures" according to the Docs. I applied for unemployment benefits as I had worked for two large Corporations before going self employed, (made good money). However I was not qualified for the benefits as my empoyment with the Corps was a few years ago. Can't work until I can drive, aside from the fact that there is no work. Much of my work came from second home/vacation owners and realtors. All gone. Used to be that the Enterprise had 3-4 pages of Homes For Sale three time a week. Now there is nothing going on in real estate. No adds, nothing. My brother is trying to sale his vacation home. He wants 399,000 and got an offer for 245,000.