Unemployment Checks--They're Just That Easy! (long)

[HawaiianShirts]

A story about a sucky non-customer, non-employee that I found disturbingly fascinating to watch.

So I went to a burger place for lunch the other day. Having just finished with a job interview, I was on my way to work, and I was really hungry. I stopped at a local place. It's not a big chain, so it is a little more expensive than some places. Fantastic gut-bomb burgers and fries, though.

Anyway, it was relatively slow. When I went in, there was one couple eating and one guy waiting for his order. I approached the counter and gave my order to the owner/manager. About halfway through it, he had to disappear to help take care of a minor crisis of a spill at the drive-thru window. While I'm waiting, Anxious Scruffy Guy comes in.

Anxious Scruffy Guy was interesting. Tattered jeans and a flannel shirt over a used-to-be-white T-shirt. Scraggly hair, graying beard that couldn't decide which direction it wanted to grow. And he just couldn't keep himself still! He was constantly running his hands across his scalp, jingling the change in his pocket, tapping his fingers on whatever surface happened to be nearby, tapping the toe of his boot on the floor, looking around with a facial expression somewhere between paranoia and impatience.

Anxious Scruffy Guy waited around for about a minute, twitching and fidgeting the whole time. Suddenly he gasped aloud as if he'd struck gold and lunged for a pen sitting on the order counter. His prize in hand, he grabbed one of those tray-liner placemat things, flipped it over to the blank side, and started scribbling.

I was standing right next to him, so I saw what he wrote. In huge handwriting, he had scrawled across the paper his name, a phone number that I knew belonged to the local university (recognized the prefix), the date, and the words "grill flipper."

When the owner of the burger shop finally came back, he didn't even try to hide the eye-roll he made upon seeing Anxious Scruffy Guy. Then they spoke.

ASG: Hey, man! You still hirin'?
Owner: Not you, I'm not.
ASG: Oh. Well, you wanna sign this then? (He pulls out a very crumpled piece of paper, then shoves it and the placemat toward Owner.) Here's my application, too.
Owner: *sigh* Fine. (He signs the crumpled paper.) But this is the last time, ASG.
ASG: Sweet. Thanks, man! (He takes the crumpled paper and stuffs it in his pocket.) I'll be back next week.

Owner then finished taking my order and, while counting my change, cursed under his breath and said to me, "Next time, I swear, I don't care how long he stands here begging, I'm not signing it! Here's your change. Order number 72."

I know what it was. ASG was just trying to prove to the unemployment office that he was actively applying for work so he could keep getting his checks. I'd chalk that up to "lamest application ever" if I had any inclination whatsoever that ASG was even remotely serious about getting the job. I wonder how long it will take for the unemployment office to see just how many times he's tried to apply with the same business.

[One-Fang]

I'm thinking there are two ways to get rid of this problem.

1 - Refuse to sign. He'll find another pigeon eventually.

2 - Offer to hire. He will decline and will go find someone who will sign his danged form without suggesting he actually WORK for a living.

[ReverendBSB]

We had that happen at the hardware store I used to work at. Guys would come in and ask if we were hiring, then want us to sign the paper. None of the would actually take the time to fill out an app, or get an interview. So we would never sign.

[SubwayGirl]

There are usually two type of people that want something like that signed. The ones who are really looking for a job and the ones who are just going through the motions. The ones that are really looking for a job come in looking presentable and ask for an application, fill it out and then come up to talk to me. The ones that are just going through the motions are the ones that look like they just rolled out of bed and just shove that paper at you.

My employees think that I am heartless when I do this, but when I have someone come in and want something like that signed I tell them I will only sign if they fill out an application properly and go through an interview. I have never had anyone take me up on this.

[Sableonblonde]

My employees think that I am heartless when I do this, but when I have someone come in and want something like that signed I tell them I will only sign if they fill out an application properly and go through an interview.

Why would that make you heartless? That is ridiculous that people get credited with having applied for a job when they haven't even actually applied at all.

I received unemployment checks for about six months or so back when I was around 22 or so. I didn't have to go out and apply for jobs in order to keep the checks coming, only fill out a form every two weeks saying I was 1) able to work and 2) unable to find a job (of course I was not looking for a job). It was so awesome to me at the time, I think I stayed out until 2am every night and slept until noon. That kind of thing really makes you soft. Nowadays I could not imagine NOT working. It is good to have something to do, to get you out of the house, especially for people like me who are not self-starters. When I have a day off, oh man, I do nothing, but I'm getting a little better the older I get. I almost fear winning the lottery, because I think I would probably never leave my computer.

[Kiwi]

I once had someone come for an interview

she sat down and handed me something to sign to say she had turned up

it was a card for the local welfare office, she needed two of these a week signed to keep her benefit

she then procedded to tell me that she had absolutly zero interest in the job, she wanted to stay on the state provided benefit until she retired in 10 years so she could look after her granddaughter
when I called her case manager she said "all she has to do is turn up"

honestly I dont understand how some people sleep at night

[blas]

That's interesting. My bf's friend's current gf has been on unemployment for only a few weeks (she was a victim of a business doing permanent layoffs).

She said that she is only allowed to be on it for so long (I can't remember how long exactly, but it isn't even a year!) but every week she has to apply to at least two places, she has to fill out an actual application and they need to sign something when she turns them in, and she needs to keep track of where she's applied to because the State just might call and ask if she really has applied there.

[simpleyme]

I get people calling all the time "looking " for work
or they come in and ask if we are hiring I say no then they demand I give them a card with my name and phone number



I would give it to someone who appeared to be really looking for a job (hell I might actually give that person a job ), but just pretending they can get bent because unlike them I am at work and my job is not to help them keep on the public dole

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Some people sure work hard at not working.

[Stormraven]

Currently unemployed and looking for work. I have to wonder at just when that little requirement pops up. I've been unemployed a few times before, and in all cases, I never had to document my job search, even though I spent the entire allowed time on unemployment. (Had a couple of really bad patches).

[wordboy]

The times that I've been unemployed, I've been able to claim my weeks without having to prove that I was looking for work. I just answered a couple of questions (did you look for work; did you refuse work if it was offered; did you earn wages). This last time, just about a year ago, I was able to do it online.

[cawaker]

yeah in california you fill out a form every couple of weeks. No need to prove it unless the mark some box on the form. but even then they just ask where and when.

And it is only limited to 6 months. and you have to wait at least another 6 months usually to re-apply.

[smileyeagle1021]

Ah yes, the local places... though really of the local chains Astro is the best... hmmm, a bacon cheeseburger sounds really good right now...

*cough* back on topic, seriously, writing down his name and number counts as applying for a job... silly me, when I've been unemployed I've actually been actively looking for a job... hell if I even have hints that my job might be going bye bye I start looking at whats available.

[Becks]

The times that I've been unemployed, I've been able to claim my weeks without having to prove that I was looking for work. I just answered a couple of questions (did you look for work; did you refuse work if it was offered; did you earn wages).

Same here. I always wrote down where I applied, the date I put in my application and the address and phone number on a sheet of paper, just in case I was ever questioned.

I never was.

[ano]

nice....so while the legitimately employed are working their asses off to pay their bills and taxes (which includes footing the bill on unemployment benefits); the unemployed taking those checks are just riding the system.

(this doesn't apply to those who are actively seeking work to get a job, but to those who continue receiving benefits so they don't have to work).

I don't want to work, will someone please cough up more taxes so I can get benefits too?

people taking advantage like that makes me angry!