Unemployment Benefits...

For the 7.2% rate of unemployed peopled here in Austin, unemployment benefits will end soon after December 31st. Employers just got notices that they will have to pay almost triple the amount in taxes for each employee. Employers will now have to pay a minimum of $64.80 per employee starting in 2010, compared to the $23.40 in 2009.

In the event of this, thousands of unemployed people will lose their unemployed benefits and will not be able to apply for more, that's if Congress does not pass the bill to extend unemployed benefits. The bill has just been presented to the House, but it may be too late for some people. The hours the unemployed people are putting into applying for jobs both in person and online may just all be a waste of time.

In my opinion, I think this whole thing is awful. I understand that we are in a recession, but raising taxes will only worsen everything. Employers will refrain from hiring more people to avoid such high taxes which will not help our unemployment rate. Since the recession, I’ve know a few people who have gotten laid off and it is not like they are sitting on the butts, watching TV and eating bonbons on the couch collecting unemployment, they are actually out and about looking for work. My dad was actually laid off a couple of years ago, and it is stressful situation for someone to go through. After working for a company for 20+ years, it is hard to look for something new and start over.

Yes, there are some people who do nothing and collect unemployment just because they can, but there are some deserving people who need the benefits in between jobs just to survive.