Becoming Unemployed

Many of us have experienced the unpleasantness of becoming unemployed. It doesn't help when you become unemployed in one of the most expensive cities in the world, New York City. I am personally going through the same crisis, as well as over 200,000 other New Yorkers. The task becomes daunting and disheartening when you are forced to look for another job in a field you were not working in already. I have met a few people who were forced to take a retail job after being terminated. They took a great cut in pay and also had inconvenient hours. The situation becomes dire when you realize that to get to where you were; you have to start over again.

I am currently a full-time college student who has experience in the workforce and currently lost my job due to lack of work. While receiving unemployment benefits, it is still difficult to get by in New York. I am doing the job search quest again and I am finding it difficult to get a job. I am forced to rely on my benefits to get me by. I will probably have to go back to the retail business and work the inconvenient hours once I am done with school. I also had the privilege of interviewing a person who was in the same predicament. They have chosen to stay anonymous and I will refer to him as John Doe. His story I feel represents most people in our age range, 20-30's. He was working security making over $300 a week as a part-time security guard and going to school full-time. He had become unemployed had many bills to pay. He needed to pay for health insurance, credit cards, child support, and rent. However, he was not able to suffice with unemployment benefits either. He states "there are not many jobs that will accommodate my school schedule like security but the jobs are scarce." He then went to work for the retailer, Pier 1, who could only allow him less than 10 hours a week. This now disqualified him for unemployment benefits and is now only bringing in around $100 a week. He went with Pier 1 for health benefits to save him costs. He is now anticipating his graduation in hopes he can find a better paying job. "I would prefer to get a job pertaining to my field, but I know that it I may have to get what I can in the meantime" says John Doe.

Mr. John Doe I feel represents many full-time students and even other recently unemployed people. The struggles not only represent students, but it also shows how recently unemployed people have to start from scratch. To take on jobs with a huge cut in salary can make surviving that much more difficult. The economy is making it difficult for even people with a degree to obtain a stable job.

Unemployed in New York City

There is no doubt that unemployment is a chronic epidemic all over the United States. How it can affect certain groups is an entirely different story. New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live. The cost of living in New York City is considerably higher than almost any other city in the US. Shouldn't that mean more money in unemployment to offset New York City's cost of living? Every state has dealt with their unemployment benefits differently. According to the article entitled "For New York's Newly Jobless, $430 Doesn't go far", by Patrick McGeehan of the New York Times; New York has the nation's lowest unemployment weekly benefit out of the other states.

With New York's cost of living being so high, one would think that the rate of unemployment benefit should be higher. The average cost of rental studio apartment in New York City is nearly $2,000 a month. This does not include having to pay for health insurance premiums, or utilities and other necessities to live in the city. Another huge cost that is overlooked is the cost of taking Public Transportation. The article started by saying, "Lose your job in Boston, Pittsburgh, Seattle or Trenton and you could collect $544 or more per week in unemployment benefits. But get laid off in New York City, as almost 200,000 workers have in the past year, and the most you can collect is $430 a week." It is shocking to learn that New York has not raised its unemployment benefit allowance in the past ten years. Recently due to the economic stimulus package, New York was able to release $25 in addition to the benefit. However the total comes out to $430. This makes it extremely difficult to survive in New York City on unemployment alone. It has become apparent that apartment rental costs are rising as well as the costs of the Metrocard. These costs are unique to New York City and are making it more difficult to survive here.

Another point made in the article, is how challenging it can be to maintain a family off unemployment benefits. It points out that Massachusetts raised its benefit based on inflation to $650 a week. It is still challenging but compared to New York's benefit, it looks like a lot more help. New York does not adjust its benefit on inflation or family size.

The problem lies with the lawmakers of New York State. They have not come to an agreement yet on increasing benefits or even creating jobs for New York City's citizens. It is very interesting to learn that one of the world's most expensive cities gives its citizens the lowest unemployment benefit in all of the United States.