This is NOT in any 'Breaking News' reports and I'm wondering WHY!

[Diggindeeper]

I was laid off from work, my last day of work was Dec. 31, 2010. I signed up for my Unemployment benefits on Jan. 10, 2011, after I got my last payday on Jan. 7, 2011. I find it hard to believe that I have not YET received even ONE check for being unemployed.

I have called and called and faithfully did my 'weekly certifying' and they tell me it is 'PENDING'! On Monday, I went to the local center and sat there as they called to see if they could find out more information. (Next Monday will make 6 weeks without any unemployment check!) They told her that yes, I am up-to-date on my weekly certifications, yes, I am entitled to benefits, and yet, hopefully they can 'catch up' within the next week. Or two! They said just this Monday (Feb. 14) they had mailed out the checks for those who had signed up on January 4, 2011. They claim they are THAT far behind in mailing benefit checks!

The lady told me, "Its not just you who is waiting. People all over the state are having to wait for them to 'catch up' because there are SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK."

Is this just in Tennessee? Or all the unemployment benefits all over the United States?

HOW COME THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED BY ANY NEWS BROADCASTER THAT I CAN FIND? The good Lord has been good to me. He has provided. I'm still lacking money to go around, but not as bad as a lot of people are right now.What if I did not have a husband? What if I had 3 or 4 children to feed? What if I was the sole provider for a family? How are those people making it, if they have to wait 6 weeks to draw their unemployment benefits?

This is the 3rd year in a row that I have been laid off at this time of year, and before this time I ALWAYS had my first check within 2 weeks! (I even called them where I worked and they checked everything and said it was all done exactly as they've always done it and never had this problem before. But as it turned out, I'm not the only one waiting for my unemployment benefits to start. Many others are also on the waiting list!)

Is this being deliberately kept from the news reports? Or what? Could it be the higher-ups are afraid of an uprising here, in the states, by all those who are entitled to UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS like we are seeing in all the middle eastern countries??

[BroRog]

I was laid off from work, my last day of work was Dec. 31, 2010. I signed up for my Unemployment benefits on Jan. 10, 2011, after I got my last payday on Jan. 7, 2011. I find it hard to believe that I have not YET received even ONE check for being unemployed.

I have called and called and faithfully did my 'weekly certifying' and they tell me it is 'PENDING'! On Monday, I went to the local center and sat there as they called to see if they could find out more information. (Next Monday will make 6 weeks without any unemployment check!) They told her that yes, I am up-to-date on my weekly certifications, yes, I am entitled to benefits, and yet, hopefully they can 'catch up' within the next week. Or two! They said just this Monday (Feb. 14) they had mailed out the checks for those who had signed up on January 4, 2011. They claim they are THAT far behind in mailing benefit checks!

The lady told me, "Its not just you who is waiting. People all over the state are having to wait for them to 'catch up' because there are SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK."

Is this just in Tennessee? Or all the unemployment benefits all over the United States?

HOW COME THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED BY ANY NEWS BROADCASTER THAT I CAN FIND? The good Lord has been good to me. He has provided. I'm still lacking money to go around, but not as bad as a lot of people are right now.What if I did not have a husband? What if I had 3 or 4 children to feed? What if I was the sole provider for a family? How are those people making it, if they have to wait 6 weeks to draw their unemployment benefits?

This is the 3rd year in a row that I have been laid off at this time of year, and before this time I ALWAYS had my first check within 2 weeks! (I even called them where I worked and they checked everything and said it was all done exactly as they've always done it and never had this problem before. But as it turned out, I'm not the only one waiting for my unemployment benefits to start. Many others are also on the waiting list!)

Is this being deliberately kept from the news reports? Or what? Could it be the higher-ups are afraid of an uprising here, in the states, by all those who are entitled to UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS like we are seeing in all the middle eastern countries??

Two things: 1) I think you will find that the unemployment rate is much higher than reported, and 2) even the government has laid people off. I don't know this for a fact, but if I were to speculate, I'd say that your checks are coming slower because government offices are not staffed to handle the load. I'm not sure why a two month delay in benefits isn't being reported, but if I were to speculate about that, I would guess that everyone already knows that the government is very slow when it comes to dishing out benefits. I have heard in the news that veterans of Iran and Afghanistan have been waiting months for medical benefits and some soldiers have committed suicide while waiting to see a doctor.

[Reynolds357]

I was laid off from work, my last day of work was Dec. 31, 2010. I signed up for my Unemployment benefits on Jan. 10, 2011, after I got my last payday on Jan. 7, 2011. I find it hard to believe that I have not YET received even ONE check for being unemployed.

I have called and called and faithfully did my 'weekly certifying' and they tell me it is 'PENDING'! On Monday, I went to the local center and sat there as they called to see if they could find out more information. (Next Monday will make 6 weeks without any unemployment check!) They told her that yes, I am up-to-date on my weekly certifications, yes, I am entitled to benefits, and yet, hopefully they can 'catch up' within the next week. Or two! They said just this Monday (Feb. 14) they had mailed out the checks for those who had signed up on January 4, 2011. They claim they are THAT far behind in mailing benefit checks!

The lady told me, "Its not just you who is waiting. People all over the state are having to wait for them to 'catch up' because there are SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK."

Is this just in Tennessee? Or all the unemployment benefits all over the United States?

HOW COME THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED BY ANY NEWS BROADCASTER THAT I CAN FIND? The good Lord has been good to me. He has provided. I'm still lacking money to go around, but not as bad as a lot of people are right now.What if I did not have a husband? What if I had 3 or 4 children to feed? What if I was the sole provider for a family? How are those people making it, if they have to wait 6 weeks to draw their unemployment benefits?

This is the 3rd year in a row that I have been laid off at this time of year, and before this time I ALWAYS had my first check within 2 weeks! (I even called them where I worked and they checked everything and said it was all done exactly as they've always done it and never had this problem before. But as it turned out, I'm not the only one waiting for my unemployment benefits to start. Many others are also on the waiting list!)

Is this being deliberately kept from the news reports? Or what? Could it be the higher-ups are afraid of an uprising here, in the states, by all those who are entitled to UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS like we are seeing in all the middle eastern countries??

It is just pretty much a known fact. The States have depleted their workers comp trusts and do not have the money to pay the funds and do not want to borrow the money from the Fed govt. due to the steep penalties the fed is imposing.

[moonglow]

Well I did find this news story: Man waits for unemployment check as Michigan claims overwhelm systemhttp://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...ewmode=default

Published: Thursday, January 06, 2011

By JERRY WOLFFE
Of The Oakland Press

A West Bloomfield man almost gave up hope of receiving his unemployment check after calling a state agency seven days in a row without any luck.

Thomas Topper, 74, who receives $213 in jobless benefits every two weeks, said he did not receive his last check when it was due in December. read the rest at the link.

Sounds like Dec and January are bad months and why the delays.

God bless

[teddyv]

I was laid off from work, my last day of work was Dec. 31, 2010. I signed up for my Unemployment benefits on Jan. 10, 2011, after I got my last payday on Jan. 7, 2011. I find it hard to believe that I have not YET received even ONE check for being unemployed.

I have called and called and faithfully did my 'weekly certifying' and they tell me it is 'PENDING'! On Monday, I went to the local center and sat there as they called to see if they could find out more information. (Next Monday will make 6 weeks without any unemployment check!) They told her that yes, I am up-to-date on my weekly certifications, yes, I am entitled to benefits, and yet, hopefully they can 'catch up' within the next week. Or two! They said just this Monday (Feb. 14) they had mailed out the checks for those who had signed up on January 4, 2011. They claim they are THAT far behind in mailing benefit checks!

The lady told me, "Its not just you who is waiting. People all over the state are having to wait for them to 'catch up' because there are SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK."

Is this just in Tennessee? Or all the unemployment benefits all over the United States?

HOW COME THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED BY ANY NEWS BROADCASTER THAT I CAN FIND? The good Lord has been good to me. He has provided. I'm still lacking money to go around, but not as bad as a lot of people are right now.What if I did not have a husband? What if I had 3 or 4 children to feed? What if I was the sole provider for a family? How are those people making it, if they have to wait 6 weeks to draw their unemployment benefits?

This is the 3rd year in a row that I have been laid off at this time of year, and before this time I ALWAYS had my first check within 2 weeks! (I even called them where I worked and they checked everything and said it was all done exactly as they've always done it and never had this problem before. But as it turned out, I'm not the only one waiting for my unemployment benefits to start. Many others are also on the waiting list!)

Is this being deliberately kept from the news reports? Or what? Could it be the higher-ups are afraid of an uprising here, in the states, by all those who are entitled to UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS like we are seeing in all the middle eastern countries??

You could call up you local newspaper or tv station.

[Vhayes]

This is, from what I can understand, normal - and HAS been for years.

I know for a fact that workers who have been injured on the job can spend up to a year with NO compensation.

It's hard when a person who has been counting on their paycheck no longer brings one home. Imagine if you had four children you were trying to feed.

Yes, this is normal and has been. And yes, when people are living from paycheck to paycheck, things like this put them into the ranks of the homeless.

[steelerbabe]

I can only speak of my husband's experience. The first time he filed for unemployment it took close to two months to collect. It was retro active but those two months with nothing coming in but my part time work killed us. My son graduated high school during that period There were more then a few nights that Ken and I did not eat to try and stretch what food we had for our kids. We got behind in bills and such. You ask why this isn't on the news and I think it is because no one really cares if it doesn't effect them personally. The attitiude seems to be, sucks to be you.

[Dani H]

I wonder what would happen if I delayed paying into the unemployment benefit fund for 2 months to a year ...

Owait, I don't have that option.

[Vhayes]

I wonder what would happen if I delayed paying into the unemployment benefit fund for 2 months to a year ...

Owait, I don't have that option.

That's right. You don't. And neither does your employer (unless you are self employed and then it's a big, fat double whammy).

Joe Beercan is just flat out flattened because no one cares about him. The Gov says, "Hang in there - it's on the way" and Neighbor Fred says, "Suck it up. Quitcher whinin'".

And so it goes.

[Diggindeeper]

I have concluded that our own press 'buries' news they don't want us to know. How is that any different than what they are pleading for in the Middle East? One 'FREEDOM' they are are crying out is 'freedom of the press'.

But, even here in the USA, the press or the government or somebody is NOT informing the people of things they need to know. Instead they tell us how what our children should eat and how we need all those new 200 mile an hour rails built....and things that we DON'T need.

[Vhayes]

This isn't news. This is the type of thing that has been going on in the workforce for years and years. At least since the 1980's.

It's news to you - but ask anyone who has ever had to collect either unemployment or workers compensation and they will tell you - this is normal.

When you have enough people fed up with being run around, then you have what is happening in Egypt. But that won't happen here until it gets much worse. There are too many people with jobs who really do not care or want to hear about those who do not have the jobs.

[Diggindeeper]

Sad to say, I think you are right, Vhayes. I read the comments in the link that Moonglow posted. It REALLY made me sad to read them. They were all SO terribly heartless and cruel and not one bit concerned. But you see, it isn't THEM that has not received their checks since Christmas!

That's what happened in Hitler's Germany. I read somewhere that later a pastor wrote,

First They came... by - Pastor Martin Niemoller

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

[Vhayes]

You know, Diggin', I sometimes wonder if God doesn't allow us to go through great trials as nations to teach us to care for one another again.

[Dani H]

The government is never going to be the solution to what ails us. They're just human beings. They're placed by God in authority to punish the evildoers according to Scripture. They're not here for us to be our God or our mommy or daddy. Only God is God.

So when these human beings misappropriate God's resources and use their authority for personal gain, then they too will have to answer to Him.

We have the priviledge to look at what they're doing, and if we don't like it ... vote them out. If my unemployment money is being used, not to help people during these distressing times, but budgeted to say, increase a government leader's salary and provide them with nice, cushiony benefits they didn't earn because that's not why they got the job they now have ... well, then it's time to look at the budget, see who voted for what, see what is going where, and those who voted to enrich themselves with money that isn't theirs ... vote them out.

[moonglow]

Sad to say, I think you are right, Vhayes. I read the comments in the link that Moonglow posted. It REALLY made me sad to read them. They were all SO terribly heartless and cruel and not one bit concerned. But you see, it isn't THEM that has not received their checks since Christmas!

That's what happened in Hitler's Germany. I read somewhere that later a pastor wrote,

First They came... by - Pastor Martin Niemoller

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

I hadn't noticed there were comments to this story until you said something so I checked them out. I have to say I am astounded to see most think this is 'free money' coming from other taxpayers and don't realize this man paid into this himself..its his money if needed. Not other taxpayers, (he is a taxpayer too anyway) and its not free. I can't believe people are so uneducated about this. And questioning why he is working at his age? Have they not been listening to the news the last few years when thousands upon thousands lost their retirement funds and can't live on social security alone (which they also paid into when they worked)...they have no choice but to work regardless of their age.

But yes it seems like no matter how heart wretching the stories are people anymore say the most cruel hateful things imaginable. It seems to be a trend on the net and getting worse all the time. Talk about some cold, cold hearts.

God bless