Stupid, Pointless Rules and Regulations

[DrFaroohk]

"Ooooh, look at me, I'm in CHARGE OF SOMETHING! I have AUTHORITAH! I'm going to make a new rule! Since I'm in charge, here's the new rule! You have to shave you pubic hair now! WHOOPIE! This is great! People have to do what I say, and rather than put that power to a productive use I'm just going to test the limits of my imagination! From now on, no one is allowed to use the word 'if'. Just because I said so! YAY FOR POWER!"

So I'm actually pissed because my unemployment has been changed - in addition to the regular job search requirements (which I have been diligently fulfilling) now there's an extra rule: Jobs can't be searched for on the same day. I have to spread it out over two days now. Because apparently, there's a huge difference to filling out an application on Monday, and one on Tuesday, rather than just two applications on Monday.

Maybe its also because they want me to spend more gas! That's a great idea for people who are UNEMPLOYED! Make them do even MORE driving around for pointless reasons. Even better ways to spend their already limited supply of funds.

The only reasoning I could possibly imagine for this insanity are flimsy, longshot arguments. Like "Maybe you don't as good if you visit TWO jobs in one day. Maybe the extra stress of filling out TWO WHOLE APPLICATIONS IN ONE DAY will make you look dishevelled to your potential employers."

Or more likely "I need a raise, and the taxes we collect from the money you spend on gas will be more than enough."

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm doing mine on line. I haven't driven anywhere, but evidently that's okay. Maybe the laws are different in your state.

I don't even have to put the dates I did it, evidently. First time I filed, I had it all typed out, with all that info on it, but they didn't want that and made me fill it out in longhand (whatever.) and their sheet didn't even have a place for dates.

Needless to say, I've adopted a rather sloppy habit as far as that goes.

Will they let you do yours online, at least? You could save gas and time.

But anyways, thanks. This thread reminded me I have to go file. I do that online too, and almost forgot.

EDIT: There. Done. The ease of that feels somehow...I dunno...wrong. I mean, I'm not even wearing pants right now.

And I'm not drunk....but I could be.

Maybe I should be.

One thing that does annoy me is when they make you go down there, which they do sometimes. I told them I had to get my Mom to come keep my kid. They're like "But you're supposed to be available for work immediately!" I said "I am available immediately, but I have to get someone to keep my kid. I can't walk out the door with zero notice (like any employer is going to require that anyways, right?)." And they actually said "Child care cannot be an issue."

It's not an issue. I have someone to keep my child. I have multiple people to keep my child. However, I have to call one of them to come do that. I told the lady, "look...I'm unemployed. Does it make sense to you for me to have my child in full time daycare when I am unemployed and have no paycheck?"

She backed off after that, but listen, I have worked for the state and they don't hire the same sort of thinkers that, say, NASA does. I'm just saying.

[Pedersen]

Actually, a reason for this rule does exist, and is not completely pointless.

A group of people exists who view unemployment as, basically, a vacation. As a result, they spent one day every week filling out applications, and get 6 days where they goof off.

Apparently, in your state, that has become a big enough problem that they need to force people to spread out their job search over at least two days. Since they now have to spend two days out of the week on it, it is believed that a little more effort will go into the job search, resulting in a higher likelihood of getting a job.

It's not foolproof, but it does take away a bit more of the vacation time for those who are using it as a vacation.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, no doubt.

I'm sure you are aware of the new term "funemployment."

Business Weekly, I think.

[Nyoibo]

A group of people exists who view unemployment as, basically, a vacation. As a result, they spent one day every week filling out applications, and get 6 days where they goof off.

Hey! I resemble that remark.

I'm sure you are aware of the new term "funemployment."

My new word of the day.


I should elaborate that I am in the middle of study (almost finished my diploma ), however for a fair while that study was no recognised by Centrelink (Australias welfare office) because I have to take classes as they come, this severely impacts my ability to get a job so I took to looking up a couple of jobs on the day I had to lodge my form and writing down that I had applied for them just to get them off my back.

[DrFaroohk]

Actually, a reason for this rule does exist, and is not completely pointless.

A group of people exists who view unemployment as, basically, a vacation. As a result, they spent one day every week filling out applications, and get 6 days where they goof off.

Apparently, in your state, that has become a big enough problem that they need to force people to spread out their job search over at least two days. Since they now have to spend two days out of the week on it, it is believed that a little more effort will go into the job search, resulting in a higher likelihood of getting a job.

It's not foolproof, but it does take away a bit more of the vacation time for those who are using it as a vacation.

I had thought of that as well, but it still doesn't change a thing. Doing a job hunt over the course of a week instead of one day doesn't improve my odds of getting a job nor does it make my benefits less costly to those who pay them out.

There, it is still pointless.

And its not a vacation. I'm home with two kids all day. That is not a vacation. And even if it were for some people, well, it still makes no difference. Not one damn bit of difference. Not a single tiny smidgeon of difference.

Besides that, it's not a free handout. It's not for people who just felt like quitting there job, and its not for people who got fired for being stupid, like stealing or something. Its for people who got screwed out of a job in some way. Like if your boss ran your company into the ground and had to shut the business down. Or if the economy is so shitty they had to cut hours back and you're the first to go. Or when the district manager spends three hours conspiring with the human resources looking for some technicality where they can get rid of you.

Off topic, but just an update I feel like sharing - the job I lost because of a nepotism issue with my mother-in-law has now allowed the current assistant manager to hire her boyfriend and actually work with him. That's just great. I wish I was a minority, I'd be all over that shit. I'd be a rich man right now. Or a rich woman with small breasts.

[BroomJockey]

There, it is still pointless.

And its not a vacation. I'm home with two kids all day. That is not a vacation. And even if it were for some people, well, it still makes no difference. Not one damn bit of difference. Not a single tiny smidgeon of difference.

If you think that, you missed his point. They're not trying to make the system harder for you. That's an unfortunate side-effect. What they're doing is making the system less attractive to those who abuse it. No, stretching it out over two days doesn't increase your odds, but it gets the lazy fuck who's been on bennies for 5 years out an additional day a week, rather than sponging off, and it might actually get a few of them off the dole and on a payroll if it's enough hassle to stay on benefits..

This move by them isn't some calculated attack to ruin your life, it's not pointless, and it does make a difference. The attack, point, and difference just aren't aimed at people in your situation, so it feels that way.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm sure you're right. I go down to the office periodically, and some of these people I see I have to wonder if they show up dressed the way they are to job interviews.

It would explain a lot.

I don't have to do what the OP has to do, but I do have to show up at the office every now and again. And that's kind of inconvenient, but it's easier than what he's talking about. And I have to go very quickly when they summon me (usually within that week or so). When I go down there, I dress only slightly more relaxed than I would for a job interview (it's been very hot here, after all), even carrying my netbook in a briefcase, and they don't even give me any kind of a hard time at all. Because I'm not giving them the idea that I'm trifling or a deadbeat. I use job interview body language and mannerisms. Seems to be working out for me.


They don't want to think you are on "funemployment". So I imagine that yeah, that's why they want you out and about. To make you work at it a bit.

[DrFaroohk]

If you think that, you missed his point. They're not trying to make the system harder for you. That's an unfortunate side-effect. What they're doing is making the system less attractive to those who abuse it. No, stretching it out over two days doesn't increase your odds, but it gets the lazy fuck who's been on bennies for 5 years out an additional day a week, rather than sponging off, and it might actually get a few of them off the dole and on a payroll if it's enough hassle to stay on benefits..

Unemployment is not "the dole" or "welfare" or whatever. It's something I accumulated based on my time WORKING. I had a fixed amount based on the amount of work I've done in the past 11 years. Granted I didn't pay into it, but that's the price other businesses have to pay for screwing people. Its not foodstamps or rent subsidies or TANF or whatever the heck you want to call it. It's a completely different breed of cat. If someone does have unemployment for 5 years, its because they earned it, probably by working 20 hours a day for 20 years.

It still just sucks. Even if there was a real point to it, such as getting lazy people off their asses, well, they need to make an exception in my case. Because I'm not a lazy person sitting on my ass abusing the system. The amount of work I've put into job hunting proves that.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I have to agree with that, it's not like it's something for nothing. You do earn the money by working, and so if your company lays you of because (in my case, they are getting hit hard by the consequences of having a shitty customer service record, for instance) then I guess they need to pay out that money for laying me off.


I mean, I'm not angry about it and I swear there are no real hard feelings, but that's just business. It's just business that they laid me off and it's just business that they now have to pay out. Nobody's getting one over on anyone else.

And anytime I feel bad about that, I remember how they laid me off a month or two before I would have been vested. And don't you know they did that so I would not become eligible for pension. I'm sure that little attempt at thrift was carefully orchestrated. Just business.

So, whatever. Pay up.

[Pedersen]

Because I'm not a lazy person sitting on my ass abusing the system. The amount of work I've put into job hunting proves that.

Wait, something doesn't quite jive here:

Jobs can't be searched for on the same day. I have to spread it out over two days now.

You're working hard at job hunting, and complaining about having to do it more than one day a week? These two statements do not fit well with each other.

Unless I'm completely misunderstanding what you're saying, in which case, please enlighten me.

[BroomJockey]

Unemployment is not "the dole" or "welfare" or whatever.

Same. Difference. People still abuse it the same. And asking for exceptions for you, because you're a hard worker?

Here's a quote I've heard on CS: "Those who tell you what good customers they are, usually aren't." Or to elaborate, get over your persecution complex.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I should elaborate that I am in the middle of study (almost finished my diploma ),.

You're very lucky. In my state, they forbid you to take classes while you are drawing unemployment. Even if the class is only a day or two long, and even if taking that class will make you eligible to apply for jobs you are seeing posted.

How messed up is that? When my husband was employed some years ago, he actually had to sneak around and lie so that he could learn a computer language that would allow him to get a job. (there were tons of openings for this particular skill set) Which he did and promptly got hired.

Like I said, they don't hire great thinkers in my state to run the unemployment office.

[Boozy]

You're very lucky. In my state, they forbid you to take classes while you are drawing unemployment. Even if the class is only a day or two long, and even if taking that class will make you eligible to apply for jobs you are seeing posted.

That is utterly insane. Utterly and completely insane.

How's your state's economy?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Its in the crapper. Big shock there.