Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Help for the Unemployed Last week brought us yet more depressing economic news - the unemployment rate jumped to 8.1%. With so many Americans facing layoffs and job loss, I want you know that there's help available. Government assistance programs are no replacement for a regular paycheck (believe me, I know) but assistance programs can help until you find a new job. Unemployment compensation (also known as, unemployment insurance) may be available to help you get by while you're looking for work. Apply for unemployment compensation by contacting the Labor Department in your state. If you need more than just unemployment, look into more benefits, like food stamps, or student financial aid to help you get back on your feet again. Once you've got your support in place, it's time to look for a new job. You might be thinking that it's time to change careers to get into a field where there's a high demand for workers. There are thousands of One-Stop Career Centers around the country that can help job seekers with training referrals, career counseling, job listings, and more. If you like to do your job hunt online, you can also find many job and education resources both in the federal government and the private sector at USA.gov. - Joanne [Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog] 3:23:26 PM

© Copyright 2009 Jocelyn Shaw. Last update: 4/1/2009; 2:34:01 PM. Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien