Unemplyment Benefits

I can’t answer your question about running out of benefits, but I may be able to help you with a part-time job. I found the perfect work from home job a couple of months ago. I am still working full-time, but hope to be working exclusively from home some day. It has been a life saver because I’m able to get some extra money by putting in a couple hours a week. You can work at your own pace and make your family’s schedule BEFORE your work schedule. Let me know if you are interested and we can talk more. You can start now or wait until after the baby is here. Hang in there mama!

Kelly, you need to contact disability in your state because you qualify for disability insurance. I got 4 weeks before the birth of my son and 9 weeks after because he was a c-section. I got laid off the day before going on disability so I was unemployed at the time. But my work coordinated everything so you might have to do the work yourself. I just ended my benefits and I got the full 99 weeks. There are tons of extensions but they just don't want to tell you about them so you wont be tempted to stay on the dole and not find a job.

This is not meant to be "read" as being rude. Too many times, people believe certain jobs are "beneath" them (especially those people with a degree). Has your husband/boyfriend exhausted all efforts: fast food, gas stations/convience stores, retail, Walmart, dishwashers, mowing, landscaping/yard work, day laborer jobs. If you are both out of jobs and a baby on the way - ANY income is better than NO income. All money spends the same no matter how you earn it.

Dear Kelly,

Since you have two children and one on the way and are in a long term relationship, if your families or church are unable to help you, you and your boyfriend need to contact the local agencies to see if either of you are now eligible for food stamps, medical and financial assistance until one or both of you can get back to work.

These are scary times and many families are experiencing financial problems, living in their cars and in some cases are homeless. If you and your man love and respect each other that will help sustain you. You are not alone. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Blessings.....

My sister's hubby has been out of work since Nov 08... he is an iron worker & since not many buildings are going up - there isn't much work for him. He did get a few months of work this year, but the job ended about 2 weeks ago. I did notice that the Fed gov extended the extention date to May 29th and if you still have any teir of the EUC beefits you can collect till Nov 6th. But when his runs out they are going to have to just try to tighten their belts & live off the child support & diaper money she gets.

I know in Ohio our unemployment rate just increased to above 11% (which only shows the people collecting unemployment.

I'm due in July & our only income is my unemployment... so I'm not sure how mine will work. In Ohio you have to be able & avaliable to work - so during the time I'm unable due to the delivery I don't think I can collect. Which will be fun! I have to talk to my doctor & see how long I "can't" work. I was an office worker so I don't think it should be that long. Also, when mine runs out - I'm hoping to be able to find a job, but I just got approved for a TAR extention & funding to go to school for 18 mo. My employer of 12 yrs closed it's doors because it couldn't compete with the overseas manufacturing market... they filed a claim w/ the state & was approved for Trade Adjustment Assistance for anyone that worked there w/in a year of them closing. But my regular unemployment runs out the end of June... so I'm hoping that the goverment sets up another extention teir before then.

Have you gone to the local "welfare" depatment and gotten food stamps & medical? Or you local health dept for WIC (women, infant & children)? I know it won't pay bills, but it will help w/ food & cover the hospital bills. Also, sometimes they do offer a small amount of cash assistance too. Call your gas & electric company... they should have PPIP (Percent Per Income Payments) and the phone company should have something called Life Line (which is a discounted phone service for low income customers). If you own your home - call you lender & see if you qualify for the "Making Homes Affordable" - which lowers house payments or if you are renting, maybe you can find income based housing (ours here is section 8 through AMHA, but I'm sure it's a little different in MA). Sometimes you can also find cheaper insurance just by calling around & getting quotes (I saved over $500 a year just by switching insurance companies & my new insurance policies are better then the old ones.)

But I do feel your pain & stress!!! I keep being told not to stress about it, but it's hard not to... I don't want to loose everything I have worked so many years for, just because the company I worked for for so many years had to close and the economy sucks so badly!!

Try calling your unemployment info line & see if you have any extentions available & how you go about filing for it when the time comes. I wish you luck!!

they shouldn't run out after a year. Most people I know...their benefits carried them for almost two years. There have been so many extensions, he really needs to look into whether he has exhausted ALL extensions. Praying for you, I know this is a scary time. And in response to Leslie...if you make 3-600 in unemployment benefits (money that you contributed to while you were working) why would you give that up to make a fraction of that as a dishwasher or mower?

At this point in our Country they are extending benefits. Hubby has been out of work for 15 months and got an extention. They should extent you but explain your situation and ask for what other services you qualify for.

There are services around, you need to do a community search and see what is local also. Good Luck, we are in the unemployment boat too

WIC, Masshealth and extending his benefits as well as yours should help.

Good luck!

Kelly
I'm so sorry to hear about your situation! My husband was out of work for 7 months and we have four kids. We had to move in with family and it was such a tough time. He has a great job now and we are back on our feet. Definitely look into all of the services that you may qualify for. There are food stamps, WIC, which helps with breastfeeding support or the cost of formula. It also helps with the cost of certain foods. You may also qualify for Masshealth (at least your baby will). We were lucky to qualify for all of these services and we appreciated them while we needed them.
As for an extension...I'm not sure, but the only advice I can give you is to go directly to you local unemployment office and speak with them directly. Don't even try to get them on the phone...no pregnant woman should have to deal with that agravation...Lol!
Good luck and keep your chin up! Having a baby is such a special time. Don't waste your time worrying about things that you have no control over. Enjoy your baby and everything else will fall into place. And believe it or not, things tend to always work out for the best even though it may not seem like it at the time :-)