Wow, maximum unemployment benefit in Tennessee? 275.00

[wartrace]

My employer is shutting down production of half our plant & shipping it to Mexico. (NAFTA rocks!) I may have enough seniority to move to the side that isn't moving to Mexico or I may be laid off depending on how they handle to layoffs. We will need twelve workers in my job classification when the dust settles and I am number six in seniority.

I just checked on what I would receive in benefits if I were to lose my job. Two hundred & seventy five dollars a week. I guess I could scrape by on that ONLY because I live in a paid off house with no other bills. My coworkers will NOT be able to scrape by. Most have mortgages & bought the maximum priced home their salary could support along with new cars & credit cards. Unemployment is running 7% here & the last time I looked at similar jobs the pay was considerably lower.

That's it, it is official. I am in a depression.

[Kalyke]

1. Yep.

I guess when they instituted that, they felt Tennessee was a low cost-of-living state. It is, to some degree, but no one can live on $275 a week unless they've been doing it for years and have adjusted their purchases to match.

If you already have a house and car payment, bought when you were working and priced by what you could afford then, then your SOL.

[marketcrazy1]

3. raise unemployment rates

to the level of a "living wage" as unemployment increases simply extending benefits will not be enough to keep people solvent. there would need to be stipulations to keep people from "gaming" the system by moving to counties with a higher living wage. this would need federal subsidies for states to handle the increase in payouts but I think this will be necessary going forward if we are to avoid a severe depression.

[NightWatcher]

2. Smile. I'm not even eligible for unemployment

I tried to open my own business (I was rushed into this three years ago) and I never made enough/paid enough unemployment insurance to qualify for anything now. I had to fold the business because overhead was not being scratched by my few clients. Now, I have nothing to look forward to and only a limited family support net to save me. I have eyed my big camping backpack and also pondered what supplies would fit and what would sustain me till I walked somewhere else. I'm not quite to that point, but I can see it coming.

Not throwing a pity party, but I just dont care about money anymore. I'm close to either a breakthrough or a breakdown.

[Kahuna]

4. NJ max is $560.00 which is lucky for me since I've been

unemployed since last month.

[old mark]

5. I took home that amount or less when i was working for the

Commowealth of PA.

Actually, you are fortunate - a lot of people work for less these days, especially young people just trying to raise a family.

mark

[wartrace]

8. I don't "feel" fortunate.

I too worked for less back in 1979. Yes, many young people work for the minimum wage as they do not have experience and/or education. It is a whole .30 cents more than the minimum wage woo-hoo!

I guess I should feel fortunate in that the shareholders of the corporation will see increased profits due to the cheaper labor costs in Mexico. I should feel great for the new employees hired in Mexico in what will be a GREAT new job for them. It is, all in all, a wonderful thing........:eyes:

[Romulox]

6. THIS is what the cheap labor types (including democrats) want us to "compete" with:

a drastically reduced standard of living.

[K Gardner]

7. Yes, its always been that low or lower in Tennessee. Quite unbelievable.