I've lost my job! How can I afford the rent?

So, your company has just announced layoffs and given you the ax, and now you have no idea what to do. Don't panic, because you're not alone. If you've been laid off through no fault of your own, you're probably entitled to unemployment compensation. Each state (and the District of Columbia) has its own unemployment compensation program, and the rules are slightly different in each, but they all have roughly the same features. In general:

• To qualify, you have to have worked at your previous place of employment for a certain period of time (usually, at least a year for full benefits).
• You have to have lost that job through no fault of your own. You're generally not eligible if you were fired for cause or voluntarily quit.
• You're entitled to unemployment for 26 weeks (six months). With the poor economy, the government is offering an emergency extension of benefits. I'll discuss that in a future post.
• While you're collecting unemployment, you must be actively looking for a job, and must be able to demonstrate that you are doing so.

Remember that it will take time for the unemployment office to process your application, and most states withhold your first week of unemployment benefits, so be sure to apply right away. Links to state unemployment offices can be found here.

Welcome to the Voice of the Five Million

According to a recent Labor Department report, 5.1 million jobs have been lost since December of 2007. Unfortunately, mine was one of these jobs. I'm setting up this blog as an informational resource focusing on unemployment news and information for those people who are in the same boat as I am. So, if you're unemployed, afraid you might be unemployed, or looking for more information on employment issues, this is the place to go.