unemployment blues

[Medsport, LPN]

I got let go from my main job in a jail about a month ago, but have a nursing home job as back-up. I usually only worked twice a month, but have been picking up some. I also started unemployment and the part-time job is making that difficult. I figured out (in my case) if you work 1 or 2 days in a week, they give you a 20% exemption. But if I work 3 days it goes over the benefit amount and I don't make unemployment and the NH pay is below what the unemployment amount by about $50. Of course if I work 4 days, then I would make more from the NH. Problem is it's rare to get that many days. I worked 3 days a couple weeks ago, so I had to restart my claim and now there is a wait because I guess they have to send the paperwork to the employer and get it back. It says "pay held" in the main menu, but I called them and they said it was "pending" which has me worried as I don't need the money right now, but will in a week or two and can't afford no pay for a week. I only worked one day last week so I should get a fair amount. Now this week I declined to pick up a day because it would give me 3 days (I was picking up 2), but now I see there is another day available, but I have to decline that one (which I could have worked had I known there would have been 4 this week). To make matters worse, I knew there was a almost full-time position (32 hours) at the nursing home on third and told them I was interested. Well she called and left a message this AM that she decided to go with an applicant with more LTC experience. Seems like kind of a kick in the face as I've been there for a year and a half and they know I need the money. I wonder if refusing to work a couple shifts made them mad or something? To be fair I guess I mostly only worked one day every other weekend on 2nd, but never got trained on third either. I picked up a few shifts on third and had to do the best I could and thought I did ok with only asking the other nurse questions when I had to. I guess I did'nt really want to work 3rd anyway and don't like the drive. I would like to find something closer on 2nd shift, but have yet to get an interview and I've applied about everywhere in town. Not sure what to do now? I'm starting to apply to places in a bigger city about an hour away which I know is too far to drive and I don't really want to move, but may have no choice. Now I'm wondering if I'll even get an interview anywhere and thinking maybe they are giving me a bad reference even though my review was decent there?

[DemeLVN2009, LVN]

I think it is against the law to say anything derogatory about you when you worked for your last employer, don't use them if you feel that they might say something bad about you.

[NursingStudent5548]

I feel you...except consider you lucky considering you do have a job....it gets you out of the house for a while...

Now I just moved from a smaller town to a bigger city and I have to say in this economy the job market is much worse in cities right now...

There is numerous jobs for RN's in Manhattan, KS right now though...

Good luck, I have my fingers crossed...

I can't help but be disgusted with the big businesses that have caused such a crisis and are so quick to hold their hand out...yet never considered those with their hands out for help because of their aweful business practices!!

I don't understand how the big american auto company's Ford and GM can close thousands of dealerships, collect millions in stimulus money... and then do stupid things to further their finacial dillema (taking cars back if someone loses their job) it sounds all nice to us the consumers but think about it from a business perspective... They are going to take back a car at a now extremely reduced market value (like they can afford to eat those expenses). Oh and hand out bonuses!!!

It makes me wonder if they are hoping to seem more desperate to collect more money....or if the US is trying to diminish the value of the dollar so much as to encourage more exporting and discourage imports (like china)!!

Either way it means the average Joe suffers while they profit!!

[Medsport, LPN]

I think it is against the law to say anything derogatory about you when you worked for your last employer, don't use them if you feel that they might say something bad about you.

I know what your saying, but I saw that one of the applications I filled out had reference forms that asked yes or no questions like were you dependable, hard working, would you hire them again, ect. I can't remember the exact wording though. I don't think I did anything "bad" at this job except for one patient would never take meds from me (I don't think that was really my fault) and I did have several tardies partly due to the fact this was my third job for about a year, but I think they excused me for that because I had to work over at the other job a lot. Now as far as the jail job I got let go from, I don't know...the reason they gave me was "budget cuts" as the company was in a crunch financially, but I was on probation at the time for things I had done during the year like a couple narc errors and leaving the keys in the narc cabinet once (which every nurse did at one time or another but not everyone got told on). I don't think it was really fair they saved everything up for my review to put together as a whole, but oh well. I did like the DON there, but not sure about the administrator.

Anyway, I did get a call (message) about a job today too I think. But they already called a few weeks ago and said the position was filled. I tried calling back and left a message with somebody to have her call me back and she never did. I don't know if it was a mess up or not, but I think I'll try calling again tomorrow. I think it is a very small assisted living facility, but it is here in town and none of the other nursing homes are hiring right now.

[NursingStudent5548]

Your reply brings up numerous other issues.... What is a person to do if an old employer is giving them bad reviews?

Problem #1 leave them and accept bad reviews, you have no clue you may be getting!! If you were to ask a potential employer to show you or share what the previous employers said...you would probably get a response with reasons why they can't

If you ask me the reason they can't is because its like an employer vow of honor... Can get "honest" reviews despite the illegal aspects of it!!

#2 If you don't put them down then many eyebrows will be raised about why you were unemployed....

I hate the economy and the government is really the only ones in control and to blame!! It seems like and was just last year that there was an extreme shortage of RN's now its so hard to find a job its sick!!

[Medsport, LPN]

I forgot to mention I'm "just" an LPN. I was thinking of going back to get my RN while working at the jail, but thats out of the question for now. It seems like at least nursing homes and even hospitals would hire us as they don't have to pay us as much as RN's, but it seems like hospitals (at least local) are going to almost all RN's and the nursing home wants to have all RN's on third shift. Why, I don't know? They do basically the same thing in the nursing home as an LPN, but make more...