I have worked since I was 14 years old. At 40 I went to graduate school at night and worked during the day obtaining my law degree. Because of that degree, I was able to get a job at an insurance company where I worked for over eight years. I worked my way up from claims examiner to management. In mid 2008 my management position was eliminated and I was put back to being a claims examiner. In February 2009, I was laid off. I was 52 years old.

Despite or because I have 20 years of experience, I have been unable to find an insurance position. I also have two law degrees, having obtained a LLM in Insurance Law while working for the insurance company.

Because of these, I have been able to obtain a part time Associate position but I am unable to make enough to support my self, my college aged daughter and my three grandchildren.

I am the guardian for my two oldest grandchildren as my son, their father passed away. My youngest grandson is my daughter’s child, but she is a full time college student without any means of support at all. Everyone lives with me.

I have used up all my savings and my 401 (k) and after two years I am having trouble making my mortgage and paying my daily bills. I have too much to get help and too little to make it without help.

All I want to do is to be able to work full time and make enough to take care of my family. I never thought I’d come to this.

I worked for Carthage College and they don’t have a human resources department, so employees are treated like crap and forced to quit so they don’t have to pay unemployment. I sold my truck to pay bills, have 5 bucks in all my accounts and can’t find a job not only in grounds (because wisconsin sucks) but most companies want you to work nights, weekends and holidays. I am a great worker but I’m not going to lose my relationship on top of everything else just to get a paycheck.

We all have a story to tell but what’s the point in telling it, no one really cares about another’s woes. So ‘ll spare you the details. I returned to school and still cannot find work because they want experience. I need a job so that we do not become homeless, I am still raising 3 teenagers. Please help!!!!

I need work!
I am a 53 year old woman and want to know with no health insurance, how do I get help? I am not behind on any bill yet. How do I get help to keep from getting behind? The point is! Help people like me that do not want to get behind get help before it happen. I work a part time job and collecting a small amount of additional unemployment and soon will be working a total of 24 hours and will no longer be collecting partial unemployment. I own 2 houses and pay out more than is come in. I have had help with the second home but will soon lose that help. I am tired of struggling. I have been struggling ever since I lost my full time job back in 2008. I took continue education classes to get the part-time job that I am currently working. Lucked up and landed a full time position and worked it for 10 month along with my part-time job. As you can see I am a hard worker and do not want anything for free, but I really need help. Is there any program or any grant I can apply for?

I Have Been working since I was 12 Years old. Somethimes, I even found myself working two jobs. It become very depressing in my situation. No one to talk to, or lean on when times get rough. I so you to have a job, and keeping things together. Now money is tight, rent is due. Not wanting to turn back to my old ways of making money, because of not wanting to break the law. So I continue to keep the faith in God, that things will improve.

I am a fully certified, Highly Qualified Teacher for English/Language arts and Middle grades integrated curriculum.. I taught 16-17 yr old 11th graders who read at the 5th or 6th grade level. I had a 72% success rate for these students passing the 10th grade FCAT in reading and/or math. About 80% went on to graduate HS.
I was fired. The program was shut down.

I was told I did not complete a reading course that was required. I was informed of this in May and told I had until June 30th to comply. There were no courses being offered, anywhere. I was also told at the beginning of the year that I had 2 years to complete the 5 courses. I had 2 and completed 1 more IN ADDITION to all other required courses.

I was fired. That was in June 2010. The school violated my contract by placing me in a ‘special needs’ situation without training. Without any curriculum to follow. I was told to ‘just teach them’. So, I did.

My union would not back me up on the contract violation.

I am still looking for work. I have applied to about 125 positions. I have had 4 interviews. No job offers. Now, my husband has been ‘laid off’ since June 2010. 100 applications later and 0 interviews.

So much for being a teacher. So much for wanting to be a teacher. So much for all the BS about needing good teachers.

Born and raised in Chicago, started pounding nails when I was 8 years old, graduated H.S. became a union carpenter Local 181, worked my way up the ladder, carpenter, carpenter foreman, superintendent, Senior Construction Manager, recession hit lost my job in January 2011 and have yet to find work here in AZ,would like to settle down here in AZ or back home in Chicago, willing to go where the work is, with some relocation help

I’m not unemployed because of the economy. The jobs are there, but I’m not in a field that is very typical for black women. In my field, the jobs are there, but when people call me for interviews, they back-pedal as soon as they hear my voice over the phone. I speak perfect English, but there is a distinct ethnicity in my voice, as there would be with anyone of any ethnicity. So when the name, my resume, or my zip code doesn’t give me away, the voice usually does. They cut the conversation short as soon as I answer the phone, and before I get a chance to say anything else or show what I can do or even meet them in person.

I have not been able to find a full time job for over four years and have accumulated more debt and am in danger of losing my home. In the last four years, since the economic meltdown of 2008, I have only been employed for a year and a half at a part time job. Unemployment insurance does not pay the bills.
I have applied for hundreds of jobs and gone for interviews. I have watched youngsters getting hired over and over again. I am 60 years old and have 42 years of work experience and no one cares if I work or not. Or if I am able to pay my bills. I fear landing on the street at 60 years of age. I do not receive Social Security which would not cover all my bills anyway. I am not married so I have no spouse to help out.
I lost my full time job in 2007. My company went bankrupt. Their money policies resulted in personnel cutbacks and fewer hours. I lost money from the economic meltdown in 2008 and never recouped any of it. My son is also struggling and could lose his home. I recently became a grandmother and worry constantly about his future. i suffer from cataracts, arthritis in the ankles, and a severely weakened left side. I have suffered from sciatica for 25 years and had a TIA when I was fifty. I continued to work as much s I could. I have been denied by Social Security Disability also even though I am in pain everyday.
No one can convince me that this nation or its economy cares. There is great suffering everywhere.

Laid off from Sac County Ca 2006. Moved to Va to be elderly mom in law. Several applications several interviews. I get the feeling I’m too old for jobs or they don’t like the fact I have relocated for wife’s job.