OK, the entitlements are going a little too far...: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Nov. 29, 2011 4:04 p.m. Otto Maddox Dork

Former Philadelphia schools superintendent Arlene Ackerman, who was given a nearly $1-million buyout earlier this year, has applied for unemployment.
Nov. 29, 2011 4:17 p.m. Lesley SuperDork

Seriously, berkeley her!
Nov. 29, 2011 4:27 p.m. fasted58 SuperDork

Sounds like she may be eligible, I wouldn't be surprised at all if she gets it. I've known people in the same department who took buyouts, half received unemployment the others didn't. Typical of Pa.
Nov. 29, 2011 4:32 p.m. alfadriver SuperDork

Morally, it is quite questionable.

But if you are legally employed, part of the money that is taken is unemployment insurance. Based on how you lose your job, you are eligible to recieve payments based on what you put in.

Since she's a former public employee, she's probably saying "berkeley you" to the people who stoped the employment. If you were pissed at the system, I bet many of you would, too.
Nov. 29, 2011 4:59 p.m. Lesley SuperDork

Really. After working almost twenty years in the newspaper industry, I had to wait a year before applying for unemployment (even though my severance fell far short of a year's wages). I was entitled to only a fraction of the thousands I contributed, and even that was continuously up for review due to the freelancing income I was trying to build. After only a few months of payments, my claim was put on hold while they reviewed it, since I was considered self-employed. This, they promised, would take up to 3 weeks. Seven months later, I received a thick envelope in the mail, several pages which I was to fill out and attend an interview to review my claim. I told them to stuff it. Had I waited for them to do their jobs and provide me with the money that I was entitled to, I'd probably have starved to death. Instead, I worked my butt off to find more work, while just barely scraping by. If my severance pay had been that generous, I doubt I'd have bothered jumping through the hoops required to collect unemployment.
Nov. 29, 2011 5:14 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

Lots of people whose jobs are seasonal collect unemployment regularly.

For example, people who work industrial maintenance in the nuclear industry typically work during shutdowns, which happen every few months. So their typical schedule is like 3 months working 70-90 hours per week (high salaries plus time and a half overtime pay), then they officially are laid off for about 3 months (during which time they collect unemployment), then they are re-hired when the power plants shut down for the next scheduled maintenance cycle. Rinse, wash, repeat.

It's a crazy schedule, but pretty lucrative on an annual basis (not to mention they end up getting 6 months per year off, while they earn unemployment, with a virtual guarantee of re-hiring).
Nov. 29, 2011 5:19 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

I don't think she's saying "berkeley you" to anybody. She's entitled to it.

Then there are guys like me who are self-employed. Generally, we are technically ineligible for unemployment, even if we really can't find any work at all. I've never collected a single day's worth of benefits in my entire life, although I've paid in from every nickel I've made. When times get tough for me, my family doesn't eat.

System sucks.
Nov. 29, 2011 5:22 p.m. aircooled SuperDork

SVreX wrote:

Lots of people whose jobs are seasonal collect unemployment regularly.

Movie industry people do the same thing when between movies. I think the union pays for the employer part of the costs.

Not sure there is any entitlement involved if you did not work for the government. All the cost should be paid by the employee and the former employer. I suspect there is some government overhead costs though.
Nov. 29, 2011 5:33 p.m. aussiesmg SuperDork

All road construction shut down up north for the winter, same deal.

SVreX, you and me brother
Nov. 29, 2011 8:32 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

I usually wind up on unemployment a couple of months a year.. usually after the new year till about april...

Hopefully what will change this year with the opening of the new casino here in Atlantic City
Nov. 30, 2011 5:49 a.m. Strizzo SuperDork

If you read the article, the severance agreement says they won't block her application for unemployment, so no reason why she can't get unemployment. Now just wait and see if she keeps collecting after finding another job though.
Nov. 30, 2011 8:15 a.m. integraguy SuperDork

Not quite as bad, but the School Superintendent in Memphis also had his contract bought out and after receiving nearly 3/4 of a MILLION dollars, because he was eligible, he retired at a nice yearly sum because he had a been a teacher and principal before becoming super.

He decided he wanted a new "career" and entered politics becoming Memphis's first black mayor. He was in office for nearly 16 years before getting bored with the job and quitting part way tho one of the terms of office. He now collects a double pension of nearly $200K/year from his two taxpayer paid jobs.
Nov. 30, 2011 8:20 a.m. 4cylndrfury SuperDork

We have determined your entire system sucks