These are the people who remain unemployed but have exhausted all of their state extended and Federal emergency unemployment compensation benefits -- currently, a total of 99 weeks' worth of support. They haven't quite made the splash the Bonus Marchers did with their encampment on the Capitol grounds, but they have garnered some media attention and support in Congress -- where, on Feb. 9, Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee of California and Bobby Scott of Virginia introduced legislation to provide an additional 14 weeks of Federal benefits to those who have exhausted all benefits but have not yet found work.
One of the most prominent faces of this latest effort to extend Federal unemployment benefits is Gregg Rosen, founder of the umbrella organization the American 99ers Union. On the surface, Rosen is an unlikely spokesperson for the long-term unemployed: He still lives in a very nice house in a comfortable Bucks County suburb of Philadelphia and shows none of the signs of desperation or destitution many expect of people in his situation. And yet he is there: His six-figure job as a marketing executive for a cell phone service provider evaporated in January 2008, and not long after that, so did his nest egg, thanks to Bernie Madoff.
With his media presence, however, Rosen makes an important point: Long-term unemployment cuts across all socioeconomic strata. It has hit the affluent and the poor, both younger and (especially) older workers, and it is no respecter of education: Rosen is himself a college graduate. He argues - correctly - that the unemployed spend their benefits as soon as they get them, providing a boost to the economy.
But not all agree that an additional tier of Federal unemployment compensation -- the extension is also known as "Tier 5," reflecting its place in the chain of existing Federal emergency unemployment extensions -- is the best way to help the long-term unemployed. Some economists argue that spending the money on training programs for the unemployed would produce more long-term benefits, as would tax cuts for businesses.
Unfortunately, neither of these address the immediate needs of the long-term unemployed, including the need to make it through just this day. And that's why, even in the face of likely defeat, the 99ers press on with their campaign for additional unemployment benefits.
Which doesn't mean that they don't press on with their search for work at the same time. They use resources like BusinessWorkForce.com to simplify and speed up their search for work; so should you.
What do you think about the plight of the 99ers? Do you agree or disagree that extending unemployment benefits is the best strategy to help them? Are you one yourself, and if so, do you have a story to share? Post your thoughts in the comments.
By Sandy Smith
Sandy Smith has been blogging for BusinessWorkForce.com since 2010. In addition to launching award-winning newspapers and newsletters at the University of Pennsylvania and Widener University, Sandy is a veteran writer whose articles and essays have appeared in several local and regional media outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, and PGN, and on several Web sites. He is also an active participant on several discussion boards, including PhiladelphiaSpeaks.com, where he posts as “MarketStEl.” He has been supporting himself through a combination of freelance and part-time work and unemployment compensation since early 2009 and is himself an active job-seeker. Read more of his posts on BusinessWorkForceBlog.com and follow him to Nexxt for more job opportunities.
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