Almost a week in.... (updated)

To being unemployed, that is.  Okay, Furloughed.  Only difference I see is they are sucking my vacation hours dry to pay for bennies, instead of paying it to me.  Otherwise, no worky - no payee... and that's unemployed in my book.  I can play this benefits game for 8 weeks, and then I either fork over $500+ a month, or lose the bennies all together.

Unemployment.... Yeah, I applied.  In fact, I was pretty much done applying before the tel-conference in which I was furloughed was over.   The state system is utterly overwhelmed, which to us citizens means even awfuller response than the usual miserable response.  I was told to expect a 'PIN' number by snail mail within 7 days, or maybe 14 days, or maybe eventually someday.  That PIN number will allow me to A)  File a bi-weekly claim, and B) Check on-line (if the system is working that day) to see the status of my claim.

Yeah.... so at it's very tip toppiest best possible function, unemployment may kick in a few months from now.  Maybe.  But I doubt it.  I know people who filed nearly a month ago and have nothing to show for it.  The only response they get when trying to check is to be hung up on.   We were told the 'weeks waiting' before UC bennies start to count has been waived, but everyone I know who got unemployment says that's a lie.  We were told the Feebs funding law says there's an extra $600 a (Month? Week?) in the checks just for the current situation.  Yup, you guessed it.... another lie.  No one I  know is getting that either.

(Update:   Now I'm hearing from folks who say they ARE getting the real deal, but it took time.  That would be understandable.)

You know what?  Odds are good, IF my employer can get our school re-opened in a timely manner (Read lawyers and lawsuit), then I'll likely be back at work before even a shred of help from .Gov happens.

That was and is what I expected, and why I've been saving pennies for months.  This play has been on the table since mid-January, with odds increasing daily right up til it became certainty.  On the day that idjit DeBlahsio was telling New Yorkers to go out on the town, I was ordering in more food supplies and checking the sofa for spare change.

As far as being unemployed goes... damn.  I can recall the last time I was in that situation, but it was 20 years ago and I was in a weird position waiting on a job offer that was months away. Nobody in their right mind was going to hire a tech for a few months, and I was honest about waiting on that offer.

In any case, even with a zero income household, we are okay for a bit.  If either of us eventually receives UC, we can stretch that okay quite a bit more a bit.  If we both eventually get UC, then we will be fine till things break.  Well, probably fine, and that's enough these days, isn't it?

If my school opens back up and I get back to work, we are good, and that's my bestus hope at this point.

For today, which I thinks is Blursday the twenty11th, or something like that, we are 'specting rain and lots of it.  Til that hits, it's window open and enjoy the cool breeze.  When the gust front rolls over we'll batten down a bit.  Tie the chickens to a tree maybe.  Play some squirrel skeet perhaps.  I've a new O/U that's wanting fired.

Right now, I best go collect eggs while I can, and make sure the sump pump is clear and operational.  I hear it will be pretty sporty later, so.... 

Update:   Of course, as soon as I post my negative Nelly pessimistic rant, a letter arrives with step one from PA-UC.  I can now do a bi-weekly claim on Monday.  No, that doesn't mean I have the benefit, tell me how much it might be, or when I might get it.  It's a first step though.