Good thing I'm a writer. Or 'writeaur' (Fr). Or bashrayber (Yid).
The amount of PAPERWORK and things you have to read is STAGGERING!!! AND IT ALL CAME TODAY!!!
Unemployment paperwork and requirements! Department of Rehabilitation paperwork! Plus all the paper fit to begin a small forest!
("Hey, lumberjacks! I have a LOT of trees around MY house that you could use for paper!!! C'mon by and cut 'em down!!!")
BTW, I've been checking daily regarding how many people are reading my posts. Whoa, 20 for the first one, considering how LONG that sucker was!!!
I notice at least 3-4 people are keeping up with this blog, and I think I know who they are.
I'll try to make this blog entertaining for my few fans. (My fans may be small in quantity, but you CAN'T BEAT the quality!)
OK, regarding unemployment benefits and my thoughts:
- Since the "Claim Beginning Date" is the SUNDAY prior of the week I filed the claim, the effective date includes the last week of work. I don't know if that week is considered the 'waiting week', must find out. If you're going to go to school (like I am, part-time), it behooves one to take mostly online or hybrid classes, because NOTHING can interfere with your availability to work. So night classes, weekend classes, and especially online classes are the way to go. Or maybe really REALLY early classes.
- REGARDING BENEFITS: I've been reading the information, and I realized that since they issue an EDD DEBIT card for my benefits, they are able to track my expenditures!!! So one must NOT use the debit card for travel or the Improv or superfluous things. It must be used for food, gas, perhaps online living payments of electricity, gas company, things that won't get one into trouble if they (and they will!) review my debit card charges!!! You can BET that certain items WILL be red-flagged, like the Improv, a hotel in Flagstaff during the week when theoretically I SHOULD be looking and available for work!!! And then if I put that all that week I was available for work, I've just committed FRAUD.
- Another thought regarding the debit card charges: if used for gas, I shouldn't charge it for long-travel gas unless I am traveling for a job interview. It would be obvious that I need to note the day before, after or of I pay for gas is the day I list that I looked for work!!!
- I need to make a budget list of our expenditures and what CAN be paid with the debit card.
- The benefit amounts are automatically added to the one debit card issued via Bank of America.
- STOP THE PRESSES, THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS NOT NECESSARILY PERTINENT TO MY SITUATION:
- I can set up a Direct Deposit from this card to my regular bank account.
- I must make 'all reasonable efforts to find work while claiming benefits'. I need to find out the parameters-all day everyday? Once a day?
- I'd really like to find work, I need my mind and talents occupied but I had such specialized talents that I'll need retraining in certain things. That's why I want to go back to school for certain things, like to be brought up to speed in accounting, computer information systems, updated MSOffice apps, paralegal, plus to get my certificate or AA. It'll be part time of course and take awhile, but I've got TIME to do it. Another thought about finding work is that I was used to a certain amount per hour and finding that will be kind of tough. I probably need to bring down my standards. THAT'S a self-esteem kick in the head, for sure.
- I'm hardly the 'professional' type aka appearance, so I guess I have to either a) get some new duds for work searching, or b) lose weight to fit into what I have currently.
I'm currently changing my LinkedIn profile to reflect my being 'unemployed'. I've searched the 'net (of course!) and found that the term 'unemployed' is such a NEGATIVE TERM, as well as 'work at home'. Since I'm usually such an upbeat, positive person, I found a new way of describing my sitch.
Scammers, believe it or not, will target those words and send TONS of 'get rich quick' schemes!!! So you are going to LOVE my current LinkedIn 'currently working at' and job description! I've copied it here for you, and will translate these high-falutin' terms as I go along!!
Currently I am employed as being committed to finding employment utilizing my Info Mgmt-Research-Emergency Solutions
- Legal, governmental and medical knowledge and analysis utilizing research with an emphasis on documentation required and regulatory compliance substantiation - I'm trying to fill out the EDD and DOR paperwork, determine exactly what I need to put on those forms, plus figure out what next to do about school;
- Monthly budget reconciliations on current periods/P&L, YTD and budget variances on a cash basis vs accrual - I'm figuring out what expenses we gotta cut out and what expenses we can use the EDD debit card on i.e. food (NO ALCOHOL!), gas, medical, dental, medication and vision copayments, utilities including Internet, land line and cell phone expenses, basic items like health, car maintenance, etc. RE: the P&L, I'm screwed if there's an L!!!.;
- Utilizing financial software to forecast current and end-of-year budget variances - I'm using one of my TurboTax features to do a future scenario based on creating a new tax return and doing a 'what if', using actual and projected income and expenses;
- Using positive budget information to establish position cash reserves - If we have anything left over, sock it away into a savings account;
- Utilizing and consolidating information technology hard-and-software for maximum benefit - going to clean the computer room, move the computer, maybe get a wireless printer with feeder capabilities and get rid of a TON of papers!
- Inventorying of current assets and determining current market value vs. basis by utilizing online pertinent information, and determining disposal of said assets with the intent of maximizing cash flow - get ready for a garage sale.
- Utilizing legitimate business travel for current profession and future employment, based on IRS Publications 529 'Miscellaneous Deductions' and IRS Publication 463, 'Travel, Entertainment, Gift and Car Expenses' - I'm figuring out what I can take off my taxes next year, and additionally showing 'good faith' regarding business travel for the EDD.
Here's my LinkedIn profile:
You know something else? I now have the time to read the excellent articles on LinkedIn!!!
Some of them are AWESOME and truly make me think!!!
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