No cash for some jobless - 34% of out-of-work Michiganders can't collect assistance

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

TOUGH RULES SLASH SAFETY NET
No cash for some jobless
34% of out-of-work Michiganders can't collect assistance
BY KATHERINE YUNG • FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER • JUNE 20, 2009


Despite billions of federal dollars being poured into Michigan's unemployment benefits program, the safety net for jobless workers doesn't stretch far or wide enough for a growing number of residents as the state jobless rate hits its highest mark in a quarter-century.

More than 232,000 jobless Michiganders -- 34% of the unemployed -- were not eligible for benefits due to the program's rules, many of which were established decades ago.

Another major problem: A growing number of unemployed residents are running out of the benefits, even though payments have been extended several times.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency estimates that between May and December, more than 99,000 Michiganders will have exhausted their 79-week benefits. They face a job market that's expected to get only worse as more auto plants close.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20090620/BUSINESS06/906200430/No+cash+for+some+jobless+residents

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

:argh:

[Indydem]

2. Why should 10-99 and self-employed workers get to cash in on a system they didn't pay into?

Unemployment is INSURANCE, not really an assitance program like food stamps or welfare. You pay into the system, you earn the right to claim from it.

The way I read this article, most of the people who are being denied are people who didn't pay in. Thats fine by me. It may be cold or calous, but millions of Americans who worked blue-collar, terrible jobs and paid into the system like they are supposed to are out of work and should be first in line to collect their earned benefits.

These self employed people took the profits off the top, not bothering to issue themselves a paycheck, meaning they were probably cheating the system somehow. I wish I could feel sorry for them, but I don't.

[glowing]

3. guess you like that me, me, me bootstrap mentality.

We have given billions to bankers.. I don't mind giving to people who need shelter, food, and a peace of mind.

[Indydem]

4. Wrong.

It was the "boostraps" mentality and arrogance that got these people into this mess in the first place.

They went out and started businesses. Good, great for the economy. Bravo! Yay!

Then, they decided not to issue themselves paychecks (which would have earned them entry into the unemplyment system.) "Yay! Good times are here, I'll just live off all the profits from my thriving little business! Why should I pay witholding, Social Security, Unemplyment insurance and that stuff? I'm SELF-EMPLOYED! I am master of the universe!"

Then, they didn't bother to save for a rainy day. "Why should I save any money, the economy is GREAT, I need two new cars and a boat. This is the best time ever"

Then, when the economy went south, they fired their employees, made their lives hell, and want to get a piece of the social safety net they didn't pay into? Fuck that.

[PassingFair]

5. This isn't a "rainy day"...

It's a farkin HURRICANE.

These people do NOT qualify for
unemployment, but there is no
"welfare" anymore, either.

How SHOULD they feed their children?

Are there no jails, are there no workhouses?

[Frosty cupcake]

6. Don't paint too broad a brush

I recently took a 1099 job making $8 an hour, 15 hours a week, at a marketing firm because that's all I was offered in over 10 months of looking. Then I was let go after two months of work because the owner's business tanked.

Trust me, I want a paycheck with a company that offers benefits.

[Strong Atheist]

28. Belated Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[juajen]

49. Welcome to DU, Frosty. I love that name.

Hope you enjoy us and stay awhile.

[Recursion]

9. Some of us are 1099's because companies won't hire us as W-2's

Believe me, if I could get a W-2 job I would, but in programming and systems administration they just don't exist anymore.

[catrose]

18. AMEN!

[merwin]

33. See post 25... I was a software developer

but am now doing w2 work for under half the pay (3 times less if you dont count the self-employment taxes). Contracting is not an easy gigz, especially when you are supporting a family.

[lildreamer316]

34. +1

This is never more true than in my industry.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. 1099's are issued in majority to contract laborers

Most didn't go out and "start a business" they are being screwed over by a system that favors businesses hiring contract laborers rather than employees they have to pay out benefits and taxes on. However, when your choices are contract laborer or no work at all, it's better to just buck up and take what you can get.

[earcandle]

14. Self employed people pay full FICA and Medicare taxes at .153%

So we will get Social Security benefits, but not unemployment
benefits. 
We have to use our wits to keep our businesses going or we are
lost in space.
Beats working for da man. 

[Stellabella]

21. It's actually 15.3%, a huge bite.

[Gormy Cuss]

15. Most self-employed people don't have employees.

They also can't buy the equivalent of UI to protect themselves. Many self-employed workers in today's economy aren't such because they wanted to start their own businesses --it's because more and more employers make opportunities for "independent contractors" to do jobs that used to be done by employees. Similarly, employers turn fulltime with benefits jobs into two or three parttime jobs to save money on UI premiums among other costs.
Our unemployment safety net needs to be updated to reflect the realities of today's marketplace. Parttime workers should be covered and the self-employed should have an equivalent option available for them should they choose to fund it.

[Psephos]

17. You obviously have never started or run a small business

or you wouldn't have posted this package of misinformation.

Most small businesses don't even have employees until they prove they can survive a few years. The failure rate is 90%.

The hours are absolutely crushing, the pay is spotty or sometimes nonexistent, and the paperwork required by all levels of government is mind-numbing.

Oh, and the self-employed pay DOUBLE the Social Security and Medicare taxes that W2 wage earners pay.

Your cartoonish assumptions are plain wrong and a disservice to the people who create the majority of new jobs in the US.

[varelse]

39. Why all the hatred for the small business owners?

Do you honestly hope to convince us that they don't pay taxes and don't generate federal, state and local tax revenue? Are you aware that they pay into unemployment insurance on behalf of their employees?

[Abq_Sarah]

64. Because of the way the laws are written

A lot of employees don't understand the cost of employment. As an example, for a small business in my state that doesn't offer medical insurance, the cost of employing each person is 8% of their gross pay (that excludes bookkeeping expenses). Each year, when I issue W2's. I attach a separate sheet that shows how much they actually earned vs what the fed claims they earned. They get to see exactly how much they actually paid in federal taxes, state and local taxes, social security, medicare, state and federal unemployment.

[Occulus]

53. My, what a warm and caring heart you have. n/t

[NeoConsSuck]

7. You pay into the system, you earn the right to claim from it.

Not always.

I've always held traditional full time day jobs, with unemployment insurance. I run a tiny Internet business at night, and only six months out of the year, barely making ends meet on that business, it is truly a labor of love. But that labor of love has cost me unemployment insurance once, and it might again in the near future.

I now also have a contracting gig, which for all intents and purposes, has ended. But I signed an open ended contract, so if they need me in the future, the contract is already in place. Just having that contract is grounds for denial of benefits.


It's not always cut and dry. And it has been my experience that if a state unemployment office can use any reason to deny benefits, they will.

[Frosty cupcake]

8. Too right

My husband worked for twenty-five years in his profession. Paid and paid into unemployment during that time. When the company he worked for closed over a year ago, he didn't qualify for unemployment because he could earn more than unemployment benefits paid ($276 a week in Florida)doing freelance. Now even freelance has dried up but since it's been so long he's now considered "self employed" by the state, even though he has tried and tried to get a job.

We are about to lose everything yet haven't collected a penny from the government.

[Doremus]

11. That's fvcked up.

I would definitely contact my congress critters about that. It's simply not right.

[WestSeattle2]

13. The system is designed for

full-time permanent W-2 employees. Those who run the program in most states, don't have the inclination or motivation to adapt it to conform to current societal forms of employment. It's an antiquated system, stuck in the 1950's. Your experience with it is illustrative of its failings.

[handmade34]

44. that is just not right...

I'm so sorry things like this happen.

[WestSeattle2]

12. You got that one right....I would love to see

stats on how many denial of benefits challenges are decided on in favor of employees. I've heard so many horror stories coming out about the State of Washington Employment Security Department, it's a real eye opener. Some are so blatantly biased in favor of employers, it's a joke, unless you're the unlucky person getting screwed. Indeed, any reason, even manufactured ones, will be used to deny benefits. And of course this action by government helps keep the "real" unemployment numbers down. I'm betting the real unemployment rate is in the %15-%20 range.

[quiller4]

16. I agree though I believe self-employed individuals shouold pay state and federal

unemployment taxes just as they paid self employment Social Security taxes. If they paid the UE tax, then they would be entitled to file a claim.

[Igel]

20. "Earned"?

The problem is that a lot of the unemployed have exhausted their "earned" benefits. Continuing your point that it's insurance, they've used up their limit and want to claim more.

Moreover, imagine if it's insurance that's been greatly enhanced by Federal tax dollars, so that the "claims" aren't for money paid in by the insured, but for money paid in by taxpayers in general.

Of course, those subcontracting and self-employed pay income taxes, so it's partly their money (to the extent that the money isn't simply part of the national debt).

At the same time, there's a bit of an outcry that some, mostly repub, governors rejected stimulus money. The reason? They didn't want to rewrite the unemployment insurance statutes so that those working part time or who are forced to quit their jobs for a few specific reasons could claim unemployment. Since the requirement was that the part-timers be eligible immediately, they'd be filing claims for insurance that they hadn't been paying into, and which, to use your word, they hadn't "earned".

Of course, it's a foolish word. The workers don't pay into it, the employer pays into it for his/her employees. If we count that as employee contributions, then we should also count what the employer pays for health insurance, FICA, etc., and impose income tax on that, too. Somehow I don't think that sounds like a great idea (however much taxing the employer contribution as employee income sounds like McCain and some dems' blather).

[galileoreloaded]

22. Your funny. Hope the hordes don't eat you first!!!!

I want to say Free Rep. is that way but I won't. You need to understand that the system that you rely on is failing, whether they paid in or not, people need to eat, their kids need to eat. Hope to god this is never you, cause I'll bet you come out swinging to get your needs met.

Fail.

[Coyote_Bandit]

27. Some of us

had "real" jobs and paid into the system only to be laid off and find ourselves unemployed. My unemployment check wasn't enough to pay my basic living expenses and was below the poverty level. So I demonstrated some iniative and did whatever I could to bring in a few bucks here and there. Now because of that I am considered self-employed. That's right. The desk in the corner of my spare bedroom represents job creation. Never mind that it doesn't generate enough income to pay the monthly utilities (and you can forget food or clothing or mortgage/rent or groceries or insurance or transportation or health care or anything else).

If I ever again find myself in the same position, perhaps I'll just work on a cash basis out of a shoe box. That way I can get the assistance that I paid for and avoid all the taxes on that "self-employment" income.

And, oh by the way, to qualify for food stamps one must have total assets of less than $2,000. Have any home equity? Too bad. You can starve.

Obviously, you are fortunate enough to never have been long term unemployed. If you had ever been there you would understand that there are many of us who do whatever we can to bring in a few bucks here and there along the way. And that makes us self-employed.

Profits off the top? Yeah, right. Whatever. I want some of whatever it is that you're smoking.....

[merwin]

31. Umm... self-employed people pay MORE in taxes than everyone else.

We pay both the employer and employee taxes. While it may sound like a good deal at face value, you end up paying a buttload of taxes (often over 30 percent after deductions), and we often end up unemployed unexpectedly.

In fact, my days being self-employed have ended because we had to file bankruptcy due to my main client getting sent to prison for stock fraud and not getting paid for two months work. That and being out of work after that was enough to bankrupt us and leave us with over 20,000 of tax debt because we had to use it to live.

On top of all of that; we also pay for 100 percent of medical insurance premiums on individual plans... which can run near 1000 per month for a decent family plan even with a 500 dollar deductible.

So I see nothing wrong with contractors getting unemployment benefits. Most of us do not use it to scam the system.

[pschoeb]

50. Employers pay Unemployment tax, not employees

This is not like Social Security where Employer and Employee both pay, and in the case of self-employed, the self employed pay the whole amount.

For Unemployment insurance only the Employer pays, so no workers have paid into the system. It's only Employers who get to rake more money off of contract workers by not having to pay this or Social Security, even though many of these jobs are full time under a single Employer.

[knitter4democracy]

19. We've got 20% real unemployment (at least), and it's getting worse.

I'm one of them. Stay-at-home mom in a divorce who now has to find a job to pay the lawyer bill and my health insurance. I'm screwed, and I know it. I don't qualify for any of that, either.

I've never seen my beautiful and amazing state in such dire straits. I thought it was bad when I was a kid in the late 70s and 80s, but this defies everything any of us ever thought.

But, hey, if they could let NOLA drown and still not get rebuilt properly, what's to stop them from letting an entire state die off? It's not like Obama's made us a priority.

[Faygo Kid]

24. It IS a "beautiful and amazing state." It's home, too.

I live in Maryland for work now (very fine state), but Michigan is and always will be home. I hope to retire there sometime next decade (TC area). But it's just heartbreaking to see what's happening to the good people of Michigan.

Best of luck to you in your personal situation.

[knitter4democracy]

63. Thank you. It really is home, isn't it.

I've tried living elsewhere, but I had to come home. Now, if I can just find a job . . .

[Ilovevermont]

23. When will we learn

to stop fighting one another? The basics of this situation are
not who and who didn't pay into unemployment or whether it is
more responsible to start a business or work for others. In a
nation that continues to bail out Wall Street and the banks,
while letting the car manufacturers who made good union jobs
go under; in a nation that spends more than 50 per cent of its
budget making war while denying help to those with next to
nothing; in a nation that applauds free trade (free to leave
with the jobs and free to exploit the earth and people in
other countries) - in this, our country, why are we not
joining together to stop this outrageous behavior? They will
take everything they can. They always have.
John Edwards got that one right.

[Strong Atheist]

29. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[llmart]

46. Best point yet on this thread......

is your line about how we can spend billions or was it trillions? on the war in Iraq and it continues while people in our country are suffering. That's just insane. What on earth did we or are we accomplishing with all the money spent on a fake war? Let's not forget who f***** up this country - Bush/Cheney.

[juajen]

51. I love Vermont, too. Gorgeous state. WELCOME TO DU!

[sarcasmo]

25. Kick to the top for those suffering in my home state, I knew the trouble would begin when the

Unemployment ran out.

[Lenomsky]

26. Market led economic disaster

Everyone should be obliged to pay regardless of income to the social fund (call it what you may but essentially that's what it is).
It's ridiculous that some can avoid while others on low income can either carry the burden or decide the here now is more important.

Everyone should be invested for the good of all.

Someone mentioned that self employed would rather 2 cars and a nice house well that's fine then they get nothing in return and sell their cars, house other possessions to weather the storm.

[Strong Atheist]

30. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[merwin]

35. even us self employed pay into the system.

we pay more than w2 employees since we pay both the employer and employee portions, usually ending up at more than 30 percent tax rate. Get your facts straight before you spout shit about contractors.

[closeupready]

37. That's like saying the withholding you take out from employee paychecks comes out of your pocket.

n/t

[merwin]

41. What i am saying is that the same taxes are paid.

And without the corporate benefits like reduced insurance premiums. So, the contractor who is making 10 dollars per hour actually makes less than the employee who makes 9 dollars per hour.

[Abq_Sarah]

65. It does and it doesn't

Because of the way the laws are written, if I have an employee who earns a net pay of $4,400 per month, I'm not supposed to tell them they actually earned $5,700 a month. By pretending businesses pay SS, Medicare and unemployment taxes out of the goodness of their hearts, it makes employees think they are earning less and paying less in taxes than they actually are.

[syberlion]

56. Still the many should over rule the few...

Regarding the "social fund" why is there still a cap on social security pay in? I have heard about removing that cap. Also, as long as corporations have super rights, those above and beyond individual rights, the system will continue to falter. Currently, corporations can just wait out most issues brought on by individuals because people have a limited life span, corporations don't. So, they can weather any anti-corporation uprising because the people will eventually be paid off, give up, or die. Since when did business become "too big to fail?" That phrase to me translates to monopolies which translates to a ton of money being funneled to keep things just the way they are.

In the past, I've worked as a temp for Dell as well as for other temporary agencies. I saw what was coming back in the late 90's. Once the unions were totally trashed, the American worker became a replaceable widget, a transient variable in an MBA's business math equation. Pre-80's you had business leaders that saw the American worker as part of a business investment, now you have these bean counters upset about benefits, worker's comp, and (gasp) families! (What do you mean I can't fire this guy for attending to his sick daughter?)

As to the subject line, there are a few corporations when compared to the masses of real people living and breathing in this country. What unemployment, under-employment, temporary and 1099 statutory non-employee (like your newspaper delivery person) does is disallows workers to gather together, talk about their experiences and unite for a common cause. When you have CEO's making 150% or more of the lowest level employee, you have a recipe for disaster. When companies became vehicles for stock profits, paper gains and losses which had nothing to do with what the companies actually create, most of this paper shell game being done in plain sight. It's just that pesky things keep getting in the corporation's way, actual people.

I believe the reason for destroying the American car companies is it is the only way to destroy the unions, the workers. Oh. there will be manufacturing, but only on the corporation's terms, if we allow this to happen. Oh, and just in case the workers decided to buy into and take over the manufacturing, they have to make sure the financial systems are so screwed up the money won't be there for the workers to borrow.

What makes us great as a nation is the ability to innovate. Someone in this thread talked about helping out people, feeding, clothing and housing real people, damn the rules. Being that we are a nation of laws, we can change the regulations, we can adopt people-friendly laws and tell the corporations to get to the back of the bus. There are more of us, real, live, breathing, thinking, freedom-loving individuals then there are of those dead, concrete-filled, monolithic corporations. Until we take the government of the corporation, for the corporation and re-instate the contract as written, "We the people..." we will continue to suffer at the hands of a few, the new aristocracy called CEO's.

Again, unemployment is good for corporations, it's a marketplace where people will work for less and fight the next person for the same job, no worries about workers joining together, they are too busy tearing each other apart for that Wally-world greeter's job.

As for the self-employed, why are things so hard for them, the small businesses? Competition. Why would a large, global, conglomerate want some up-start taking away market share? It upsets the balance of power, and the CEO's may have to actually work to update or (another gasp) innovate! They like things just the way they are, no competition and no reason to innovate.

Bottom line, things are worse off then ever and the corporate media isn't going to tell you about it. I remember when Carter was in office and all you heard on the news was recession, gas-lines, recession, food prices, hyper-inflation, and on and on... Um, things are worse, and have been for YEARS, only now that we have a Democratic white house are we beginning to hear about it.

I say help your fellow American out, being fractured and distrusting is what got us 8 years of Reagan, 4 years of King Bush and 8 years of Dictator Cheney with Jester Bush. Remember Lincoln's words, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I can't stand what these war criminals have done to my country, it is time to reunite this great country. Stop bickering about how cold the water is inside the boat, grab a pail and start scooping out the water so we all won't drown.

[Abq_Sarah]

66. Did you mean to say

When you have CEO's making 150 times more of the lowest level employee, you have a recipe for disaster.

150% of the lowest paid employee probably isn't as much as the highest paid employee.

[firedupdem]

32. My home state of Michigan is suffering horribly. My heart aches

for everyone there trying to make it. Something has to be done to stop the bleeding. :cry:

[Faygo Kid]

36. "Michigan will always be my home." I'm with you.

Hope you don't mind - checked your profile. Me, too. Even the Lions.

[firedupdem]

38. Not at all!

I even miss my Faygo pop! LOL

The downturn is the reason we are here in Nebraska. I'm hoping to go home in 2yrs so I hope things turn around. Michigan is a beautiful state and I cannot wait to get back there.

[navarth]

43. You guys are both welcome back any time.

Just to make you a bit homesick....

The weather has been f**ing AWESOME so far this year. Just beautiful. Today is the first day we've turned the air on, and that's only to deal with the humidity. Lots of good rain lately. The crops should do really well this year. My yard is green, green, GREEN. The lawns are looking great. The wearers of the Most Holy Winged Wheel almost repeated as Stanley Cup champs with 5 of their top players badly injured. (Not to take anything away from the most honorable Pens.)

I'm on unemployment now too, sorry to say. But I'm better off than most: cars both paid for, no debt, low house payments. We'll make it. We're Michiganders. Better yet we're DETROITERS which means we specialize in survival, creativity, and living high on nickels and dimes. If Barack can drink him some FDR juice, we should be creating some employment fixing our infrastructure.

I'm gonna go drink some Vernor's now, maybe enjoy some Stroh's ice cream.

[handmade34]

45. Ahhhh Vernors

I grew up in Michigan (Lansing area, now Father in Sunfield, Brother in Milton, Daughter in Okemos), left to live in Vermont for 20 years and bought a small farm last fall in Eaton Rapids. Can't afford to live there though. Glad the weather is being good to you. Have a Vernors for me!

[firedupdem]

48. +1

I'm happy that you are in a pretty good position economically there, even with the unemployment! I am also very jealous right now! :)

[gabby garcia]

52. I grew up with some of the Stroh's family -

grade school class trips to the ice cream plant and later skippin high school to hit the brewery with Charley and buds. Shame - things didn't turn out too well for him in the end.

Man I miss Detroit - 4th of July on Belle Isle and late night drinks and eats in Greektown and great blues on the riverfront. Haven't been back in years. sigh.

[blue_onyx]

61. MI does have a lot of potential

Our governor has been focused on green jobs and the film industry. There will be numerous film studios opening in the next year or so. Many of the companies that will make lithium batteries for plug-in hybrids are locating here. Michigan was ranked 10th for green jobs in 2007 and that was before we passed the RPS and before many of the green energy announcements. I think Michigan has a bright future....unfortunately we'll have to get through the next painful year or two.

Hope you're able to return :)

[christx30]

59. Michigan is bleeding

because taxes there are so ridiculously high that anyone that is able to, is leaving for states that have little or no state income taxes. And the political jerkwads in Lansing just keep piling it on. You might think the higher incomes will pay the higher taxes. But it's the lower income people that will suffer. They will end up having to pay more and more into the system and get little or nothing for it.
Things aren't great here either. For 12 years, I worked for a computer company until I was laid off in November. I was making $14 an hour, plus I had family health insurance. Now I'm making $9 doing DSL technical support. Now every month around the 20th I'm sweating to find an extra $150 to $200 to make the rent, to say nothing of gas and food for my wife and two kids. Looking for a second job to make up the gap. Made it up this month by doing a drug trial (flu mist). Probably going to make it up next month with selling blood plasma.
Livin' the dream.

[blue_onyx]

62. This BS again

MICHIGAN IS NOT A HIGH TAX STATE!!!

Our state is ranked 20th for tax burden. But don't let silly things like facts get in the way.

http://www.ppinys.org/reports/jtf/businesstax.htm

[southerncrone]

40. Kill the American auto industry, kill America.

It is unacceptable that the banking industry is "too big to fail", but not our automobile industry. The American economy was based on the auto industry for decades.

When Ronnie Raygun wanted everyone to become entrepreneurs & turn our economy into a "service economy", he never clued those who bought into his idea that they would be loosing more than just jobs.
Many of these new entrepreneurs, were ill-informed about the aspects of "being your own boss". Things like being responsible for your own insurance & the fact that you don't qualify for unemployment benefits.........one of the reasons business owners are given numerous tax deductions.

I'm sure "being your own boss" doesn't look so appealing now. This is why business owners should not put all their eggs in one basket. Diversification is the key. Granted when an entire industry goes down, it is likely to take many casualties with it. This akin to the sinking of the Titanic.

[toadzilla]

42. I can't collect because I crossed state lines..

im eligible in california according to the rules, but not eligible in Maryland where my "base period" of income was.

[newspeak]

47. I don't know what state your in

but you should be able to file in the state where you previously worked. I know someone who was employed in one state and moved to another--filed for benefits at his new location and was told that he had benefits left in the state where he once worked. Got benefits from his previous state. So, I think you should file where you lost your employment--I don't think it matters if you moved, since it was paid in that state.

[pengillian101]

54. 79-weeks is plenty long.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency estimates that between May and December, more than 99,000 Michiganders will have exhausted their 79-week benefits. They face a job market that's expected to get only worse as more auto plants close.


************

One and one-half years (79-week benefits} of not working and collecting benefits seems too long to me. I have been unemployed more than once and fired and layed off but it never took me 1-1/2 years to find work. I moved when I had to. Benefits used to be maxed out at 6 months.

Best to all folks looking for work.

Spelling update,,,

[closeupready]

55. I don't know how old you are, but these are extraordinarily bad times.

I need both hands to count the number of close friends who have been laid off. More than that if you count those who have had hours/pay cut.

[pengillian101]

57. I am just shy of 58 and I've experienced worse.

Female sexual harassment was not funny and it occurred more than you can imagine.

Just keeping an office job was extra-ordinary if one didn't play along. Really!

[No Elephants]

60. No, you have not experienced worse economic times for the nation.

[merwin]

58. My wife's been on unemployment since October.

Hasn't been able to find a single job in HR that wasn't swamped with applicants. When the job market is good and htere are plenty of open positions, then it's easy to bounce back. When you've got record unemployment, it's hard to find a job that pays more than minimum wage.

Move? Not feasable for a married couple unless both can find a new job. Chances of that happening in this market? Chances of an employer taking a chance on hiring someone not local? Probably als not going to happen either, unless you've got some serious skill that they desperately need. In which case you won't have too much trouble finding a job anyways.