I’m a plumber. I got hurt on the job for a plumbing company on Feb.,2009. I was working in Winslow, AZ at the time of my injury. In May of that year I was released by the doctor to go back to work. When I returned I was laid off being replaced by a temp. worker. After all the dedication and almost losing my life for this company, I was let go. I’m very experienced at what I do and have made a lot of money for this company in the 10 years I was employed with them. I’m still unemployed at this time and would appreciate any input to what has become of the situation with a man who just wants to do what he does best.

I got fired from my job and the employers made it look like I did everything wrong at work so I couldn’t get unemployment. I have had a hard time finding a job since then

I have been unemployed since Nov 09; from Patuxent Naval Base. Since then I have been on numerous interviews in the beginning. My last interview in person was August 2010; none since then. I have over 15 years of Program/Project Management Analyst Skills; but no Degree. I am finding out that the local companies are hiring the younger generation; and a lower pay. Tell me now; what do the over 50′ish or so do? Where do we find jobs?

It all started in 2007. My husband was first laid off in November 2007 when the crisis just started. I still had my job and loved it. My father died during that time so it was a godsend that he wasn’t working at the time. He returned to the workforce in March 2008 only to be laid off again in May 2009 on our anniversary. We had to be lean for months and I was under a lot of stress to cover all the bills plus I knew layoffs were approaching at my place of employment.

Then, I got laid off in January 2010. We could then not afford our home. We got lucky and sold our condo for a loss and have since moved in with family. We had to move to a different location to live with family where the unemployment rate is actually 12.8% in Texas. We don’t have the money the live in one of the larger cities.

My husband’s benefits will end on December 4th since Texas only gets Tier 3. My benefits will end in March 2011 should I not find a job.

Between the 2 of us, we made approximately $150,000 a year. Now, we are applying for $10 an hour jobs. I made more than that with my first job out of college. We have lost our 401Ks staying afloat.

I have investigated and I can’t believe that we will qualify for welfare benefits and food stamps when my husband’s benefits are exhausted.

I have an AS degree and a BS degree. I am 42 years old and living with my mother.

This is truly a depression and not a recession. Ten of my closest friends are without employment as well.

I don’t know what the answer is. I truly feel like I am reliving my grandparents’ depression where they lived with family. I can’t even afford blood pressure medicine or to get my fractured tooth fixed. I live on advil and aspirin.

It is depressing.

lost job of over 20 years, in sept.07, found another job at 2/3rds less pay after a few months off,then that company closed its doors dec. 2008.benefits went from over 400 a week to less than 200 a week because of the pay cut,only able to collect for about 50 something weeks. sucks. cut my arm, through the bicep on my cash job i’ve had all along with a chain saw, and that also sucks. now i have no income, 50 years old and only by the grace of YAHWEH i’m not homeless although i have less than one dollar being my entire monetary worth. of course the 401k and savings, along with home and family gone. 2 kids in college and i have sold everything i own to support them which i can no longer do. anybody from 45 years old and up are the casualties of this depression and will probably never have substantial employment if any ever again. what do we do,where do we go. do we wait until all is gone then sit on a park bench no place to go wishing death would relieve our condition. do we pick up arms and revolt, peaceful marches. my guess if we do nothing the next event will be the forced work camps and debtors prisons where we work for chinese wages producing garbage for wall mart. then wall mart can boast of selling american made products. (still made by slaves) anyway i’m screwed. also a vet-79-84.

My story is simple. I am a MFA holding artist and I am sure to be unemployed for a good portion of my life. Most artist struggle to get the labor recognized, let alone paid for by an employer.

I realize this every day that I may never really have security.

I am not sure whether to post this story or not, I’m not sure how it will be received.
I was laid off in March of 2003 from Cessna Aircraft. I learned in a hurry how to budget my finances. I worked part time jobs to supplement my unemployment. I was lucky and was hired by Learjet in August of 2004. I was thrilled. I felt I had finally found a job that I could retire from. Then in 2008 the economy went to crap. I was laid off from Learjet in April of 2009 just a few months short of my 5 year anniversary. It didn’t really hit me then. I decided I was not going to let it upset me. I had been through it before. I went through our finances and started making cuts. I started downsizing our extra circular activities. I truly believed I would only be laid off 6 months to a year. When my 1 year anniversary of being laid off passed I started to wonder if I would ever be called back. Then in May of 2010 my husband was laid off from Cessna. Once again, we believed it would be less than 6 months. I really didn’t start worrying until September when they negotiated a new contract with Cessna. Now with the new contract we see no hope in my husband returning to Cessna. My husband has flooded the area with his resume. He has our union brothers and sisters trying to help him. With the help of Union Plus we were helped with 3 months of our house payment. The hugest thing that I love about our union, is that I qualified for TAA/TRA training. After being out of school for 31 years, I am going back to college and am retraining for a new career. I am being helped with my unemployment and my school is being paid for. This would have never happened if it hadn’t been for our Directing Business Rep. Steve Rooney, District 70, Wichita, KS. I know a lot there are a lot of brother and sisters out there still looking for work and I pray everyday for this to all turn around. I beg of you, try to stay positive, keep your hopes up and most of all, don’t feel ashamed if you have to ask for help. The help is there, use it. I feel I am a very proud person, but I have learned that its ok to ask for help.