OT soon to be unemployed

manna, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2003

I'm so sorry, Angela!

Did you guys work there long enough to qualify for unemployment? Will you be looking for another job?

Lots of the hospitals around here hire RT students ONLY to do desk work in the Rad dept - filing films, etc.

Good luck, keep us posted!

angelac1978 · Sep 5, 2003

yea we've worked there long enough to qualify for unemployment, although I'm not sure how that works. They will be offering some of us reassignments but that could be at any postal facility in like a 500mile radius! I'm not sure if we refuse the reassignment if we can still qualify for the unemployment. If so, that would be great, I could just draw unemployment for awhile and go to school. If not, I'm going to have a hard time finding another job that pays as well as this one did, being government and all.

A

Noney · Sep 5, 2003

I hate to be a downer, but I'm not sure you draw unemployment and go to school at he same time. It could be different in Kentucky or things might have changed. It's something to look into.

At least you have some notice. Good luck! I hope everything works out for you.

Noney

angelac1978 · Sep 5, 2003

actually, I do know about this for sure. As long as I am not going to school full time, I can draw unemployment. And since I have all the pre-reqs out of the way, my rad classes aren't enough to be full-time. Thanks though.

A

ps, some people may not get this 6 month notice. Some people with really high error rates or low typing speeds (who should have gone a long time ago, IMO) may be let go tonight, I guess we will find out.

Noney · Sep 5, 2003

Hey that's great! (about qualifying for unemployment. I hope you are one of the ones the gets to keep their job until the end.

Noney

angelac1978 · Sep 5, 2003

thanks Noney, I hope so too. Knowing my luck though, they will try to reassign us to Chattanooga or Akron or something and then I don't know what we'll do.

A

colleen10 · Sep 5, 2003

Hi Angelac,

I have been laid off twice in my short lifetime. Both times from the same company. The first time I was quickly transferred into another dept. and the second I was unemployed for 7 months before I found another job.

You are right, if you are a part-time student you can collect un-employment and attend school. Also, un-employment has been "extended" a number of times and is now longer than the usual 6 months that is given.

If you are really worried about finding another job before you run out of un-employment you can find a part-time job. Between your un-employment and money made from the part-time job you will still collect the same amount of money but your length of un-employment benefits will be extended.

For example, if your weekly un-employment benefit is $300.00 you could not work at all and collect that each week for say 6 months. Or, you could work Part-time and put in say $150.00 a week of money from the part-time job and receive $150.00 a week in un-employment benefits but you could do this for say 12 months.

A lot of people that were laid off from my company did this and were very glad they did because I have known very talented, hard working people that have been un-employed for over a year now.

As for being forced to accept a transfer, I believe that is based on distance/mileage from where you currently work. ie. you may have to take a transfer/not receive un-employment if they want to transfer you to a place within say 15 miles of where you currently work.

Good Luck and hang in there. I know it is stressful but try to think of this as a good opportunity, maybe this will give you the opportunity to work in a hospital or clinic and get more experience.

angelac1978 · Sep 5, 2003

thanks colleen. I didn't know you could work and draw unemployment at the same time. I may do that, it would be great if I could get a job as a radiology assistant, I could probably get tuition reimbursement too. My husband has pretty much decided to take a transfer if they offer it to him. He only has one class to go and he doesn't think it will be that hard to get into a local university and take it. I'm in a different situation because I don't think I can transfer radiology programs. If all else fails, I could move in with my parents while I finish school.

A

colleen10 · Sep 5, 2003

Hi Angela,

Glad I could be helpful. As long as you only work part time and don't make over your weekly unemployment allowance you can do it.

I wish I would have done it when i was unemployed. The good think is it still keeps you busy and gives you time to find a job and accept one that you want, don't just take a job because you are running out.

SirJohnny · Sep 5, 2003

Angelac1978:

- Get your butt over to the unemployment office NOW!!! Find out what you need to do to get unemployment.

- The last day of work (THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!), you need to hike over to the unemployment office and fill out a bunch of forms.

- The first week of unemployment is NOT PAID. This is a "Free Week".

- Your application will take about 6 to 8 weeks to process. So, let's say you file on March 1st. On May 1st you are unemployed for 8 weeks. However, you will get a check for only 7 weeks. After that, you get a check every week.

- Standard benefits are 6 months. But the Feds had a 3 month extension last year.

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- I am in the software industry. At a certain level of salary - you "max out" and cannot get a higher $$ amount in unemployment benefits.

- My monthly benefits (after taxes) in Colorado - were $1600/month. In PA - You will be closer to $1800/month. Again, this amount varies according to your wage base.

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- It's a pain in the butt - as you have to call/visit the unemployment office every week and state that you did not have any income and that you looked for work/etc. Takes about 30 min each week to go through the process.

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- If you can get 9 months unemployment - that might be enough $$ and time to get some additional course work out of the way. Also, you may want to see if company will be throwing some severance pay your way. Note: Severance pay does not affect unemployment benefits. At least it did not in my case.

Hope this helps,

John Coxey

SirJohnny · Sep 5, 2003

Angelac1978:

- The reason I say to get over to unemployment office.

- Your benefits cannot start until you are laid off. However, the benefit start date is calculated from the day you submit the application (after your lay off). It's a game they play.

John Coxey