**I don't have a job.
**My work-at-home job contact is still sequestered overseas.
**Mr. Squirrel doesn't have a job.
**I've still not seen a penny of my unemployment benefits.
As glum as that sounds, there are a few foundational things that have not changed, but I am hoping WILL change...
I have made an appointment to get into another "unemployment workshop" through the local Job Service. [The workshop should be next Wednesday if the schedules haven't changed.] This "workshop" isn't really a workshop. It is a scheduled "phone appointment". Because of the overwhelming number of unemployed people clamoring to talk to these people, the phone lines are always busy and it takes forever to get responses to emails or snail-mail. This is the ONLY guaranteed way to talk to a human being. So, I'll play their game.
Basically, I have to get the ball rolling again because it seems to have come to a complete stop. I need to find out what more needs to be done to release my unemployment checks. I've already sent them the WorkComp documentation that I have (they signed as received on April 7th) and I still don't understand why or where things are hanging up.
The answer to this question will directly affect my second question: School. Because of Unemployment Handbook regulations, some schooling will disqualify me from benefits. Not only that, some schooling will require you to continue to look for full-time work WHILE you are going to school. I have to learn from them what schooling is or isn't qualifying before I can proceed with any confidence.
Side note: Earlier this week, I contacted Mr. & Mrs. Neighbor's daughter to talk about the fields of Medical Transcription /Billing /Coding. It was an excellent contact and I she gave me A LOT to think about - thus the new research on schooling. [She also very graciously offered to be available for any other questions I might have... as well as encouraging me to keep her informed on the choices I eventually make. Such a very compassionate lady!]
So, the second question will automatically swing around to the first question: If my eligibility is still "pending" am I pretty much out-of-luck as far as making any forward progress? Will I have to get a full time job BEFORE I can get the schooling FOR the full time job? In which case, I would be disqualified for the unemployment benefits in the first place because I would have a full time job.
The hoops you have to jump through are CRAZY.
Many thanks for continued prayers in this situation. Hopefully, someday soon, this blog will show some happy news and revert back to the purpose for which I had hoped: To be a fun place to chat about fun stuff.
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God bless & Godspeed.