"...More than 232,000 jobless Michiganders -- 34% of the unemployed -- were not eligible for benefits due to the program's rules, many of which were established decades ago. Another major problem: A growing number of unemployed residents are running out of the benefits, even though payments have been extended several times...."
In America, we do have unemployment benefits. But an Americans chances of collecting on it is often impossible.
There are a number of rules that go along with collecting on unemployment compensation. Like a person can't be fired, the person's employer has to agree with he or she collecting on it (there can't be disputes about the reason for the loss of a job), generally the person has to be a full time worker, etc.,
Also, you can only collect unemployment benefits for 6 months (unless there is a federal extension) and the amount is a much smaller percentage of your former wage.
Unemployment compensation can be of tremendous support to a family for the short term.
I know it is a type of socialism and in America that is a bad word, unless it is socialism for the rich. Still for many Americans that have lost their job, this socialist program is not within their reach.
Thus, being unemployed in America is most often a brutal experience.
Grant Lawrence
