I am a 99er with no income and therefore no health insurance, I am a diabetic and can barely afford any of my medications let alone food and personal needs. What can we do about this and why can't teir5 get approved?????????????

I have a degree and lost my Job as a Retail Manager in January 2008. I seem to be considered "over qualified" for the positions applied for (I am applying for all positions advertised, retail or not).



I have no trouble getting interviews but so far no offers. At no time in my life prior to this recession have I had trouble finding work.

I have been out of work and looking for work since June of 2008 with no luck. Living in Michigan used to be great - but our economy has destroyed the living for many people. I am a "99er" and ran out of unemployment in May. If you are going to extend benefits - you can't forget those of us who remain unemployed due to economic conditions.

I have been unemployed three years.

I am Jennifer Nodine. Here is my story.



My husband and I have both worked since we were teenagers. We are not lazy or accustomed to accepting financial help. In fact, when I lost my job in the mortgage business in '07, I did not collect unemployment because my husband had found a good job and we felt we did not need the "handout" at the time. Besides, his company had just offered him a sweet package to pick up and move our family to NC so he could complete a 2 year project for them. Our family was to receive free housing and he would keep his salary, overtime and company truck. So my husband, myself and our two young daughters moved. Within 6 months of us moving here, that same company went under, laid him off and left my family stranded hundreds of miles away from our support system and professional contacts. We had walked away from our mortgage so we had no home to go back to. Gone was the salary, the company vehicle, the housing allowance, and the tools that belonged to him disappeared as other workers stole what they could get their hands on at the job site as their jobs disappeared. That was two years ago. We thought we would be on our feet by now, but it has taken a lot of time to re-invent ourselves, especially when you have to do it on a shoestring. Let's face it, unemployment insurance is not a get rich quick scheme.



So now I am asking loudly, because we need to be heard: those that lost their jobs the earliest are suffering the most. We are hard working Americans who have been pushed into hardship through no fault of our own. We are not happy to be collecting benefits. This stigma needs to be eradicated! Right now, the only things keeping us out of a homeless shelter are a lot of luck, my industriousness, and the unemployment benefits we have just now lost. We fear the worst: we will become homeless and will need to be seperated after 12 years of marriage. This is not a joke, it is a very real possiblity that we are facing right NOW. We went from upper middle class to applying for food stamps overnight. And we have no where to go from here except to live in a cardboard box.



I would also like to point out that the early payback of bailout funds by Bank of America and Citicorp, plus the profit from interest totaled almost $70 billion. That doesn't even count any other bailout funds that have been repayed. The quoted cost of hr 4213 is $60 billion. Do I need to state the obvious?





Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Nodine

If you are willing please let us know how long you have been unemployed and tell your story. Please let us know if you DON'T want your story published in an open letter to the President and Congress.

I'm a 58-year-old who has worked since I was 18 years old. I was laid off from my last employer in Austin through no fault of my own. I lost my apartment and my vehicle. I am living in an old farm house eight miles from Flatonia where I search for jobs on a daily basis. In fact, as of today, I have applied for over 500 jobs since being laid off in November 2008. I have only had 8 interviews. I am told I am over-qualified or there we so many applicants that another was chosen as they more specifically met the requirements for the position. I have lost 42 pounds through these stressful times and my health is failing. But I perservere. Please continue our benefits so I can continue my job searching -- which requires internet access, ink cartridges, paper, envelopes, stamps, gasoline for travel. I WANT TO WORK! I am doing my job. I ask that you respect me by doing your job. God Bless America!

I have been unemployed since November 2008. You are welcome to send my story.

I have been unemployed for 22 months. I spent 32 years in the financial industry and now no one needs my exerience. My wife was out of work for 2 years but finally found work. We now live on her salary on $24,000 a year which is less than half her salary a few years ago. That is below poverty level and we have exhausted my retirement which was greatly diminished in the stock market.

Pls extend Tier v benefits. I have been actively looking for a job - even at half my previous salary. I lost my job a year ago because the company was sold off in pieces to a Canadian company and closed locally. Last time I was unemployed was 12 years ago, I found a job immediaitely. These are different times. Long term unemployed need continued help. And I believe that many companies have taken advantage of this situation to lay off more than necessary - less people doing more work = larger profits. Also = less jobs, more unemployed!

Please help!!! I am a married man age 42. I have been working since I have been 18. In october of 2008 I lost my job to cutbacks. I have been trying to find employment that will help my family stay afloat but to no avail!!!!! My wife is a 3 time kidney transplant and is awaiting her 4th. I am or at least was the bread winner. Now I am not even the breadcrumbs winner. Until i can find a job my family desperately needs a tier 5 extension. My family can only help us for so long. Please elected officials help us in need.

I have been unemployed since January of 09, I was a legal assistant laid off due to the economy; I am in my late forties and have not even been able to find temporary work. I search everyday. I am in foreclosure and without a tier 5 I will soon be homeless on the streets of Chicago. I have been working since I was 16, paying into the system, and now the system will leave me homeless if a tier 5 is not passed; on the streets of Chicago I will be raped or murdered within a week. Please help pass tier 5 so single women will not die on the streets.

Unemployed for 1 year and 7 months

PLEASE include the 99ers in unemployment extension. I'm one of them. I'm trying to go to school too. I need this extension to be able to survive and gas money. I was laid off in November 2008 and have been going to nursing school since to try to better my chances for a job. I have 2 more months of school and I will graduate. I hope and pray at that time I will be able to find a job.