Being Unemployed

I am collecting unemployment benefits for the first, and I hope, the last time of my life. How I arrived here is a long and confusing story. I will not tell it here. The fact is I am one of the statistics we hear about regularly on the news. It is an almost unbelievable journey.


I read recently that losing a job is ranked #3 on the list of major stress indicators. It is preceded only by the death of a child and divorce. Wow! As if we didn’t all feel bad enough already! When you lose a job you deal with the following issues: rejection, loss of income, loss of benefits, (all of a sudden, you have no insurance or money to pay for your medication), loss of identity, loss of a social support (you might not like all your co-workers but they have been a big part of your life everyday), loss of structure (suddenly all your days are like Saturdays- no time clock to punch), the list goes on and on.

And if this isn’t enough to make you postal, you are now dealing with the inanity of the Unemployment Department bureaucracy! In our state, when we sign up for UE benefits we must also sign up on a job skills matching website. The webpage has a number of categories to click on. Each click brings up a list of skills. You check each skill that you have. Now, while I don’t have a long work history, I do have a lifetime of learned skills. I breezed through the lists and was left feeling pretty good about what I have to offer.

That is until I had my required meeting with my UE job coach. She efficiently brought up my skill list on her computer and asked me about each one. This is what I found out:

The fact that I have served in my church for over 30 yrs. In positions such as PR, daily teacher, leader of several organizations, have organized weddings, funerals, church functions of all kinds, have given regular care to shut ins, new moms, etc. (the list is endless) does not count one iota because I was never paid for it. She pressed a button and wiped it out.

The fact that I helped run my husband’s trucking company including keeping the books and paying bills- click- erased. Again ,it did not count because I was not paid.

I have remodeled countless homes. I even built one with my ex. All the measuring, sawing, hammering, painting, papering, decorating, landscaping, etc. she made it disappear with that now dreaded click!

Here is the clincher- the fact that I raised 9 children including the fact that I homeschooled them for a number of years does NOT in any way, shape, or form, qualify me to work in the childcare business!!

In essence, my entire life just doesn’t count for anything. She clicked it away with her mouse.

I am qualified, however, to work in a cleaning position based on the fact that I had my own cleaning business for 3 yrs. Here’s where it really gets me- they have not asked for any proof of this fact. I could have made it up for all they know!

Too bad I didn’t know this- I could be interviewing for my dream job if only I had said, well, of course, I was paid. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?