What's the longest you'd ever been unemployed/laid off?

[carbon_dated]

I know there's a lot of silly topics on here. Just thought I'd throw in another. Right now I've been laid off nearly 7 months but am going back to work at end of month.

[Burg_Grad_77]

I am 51 years old and I have worked since I was 11 when I was pumping gas and washing Dolly Madison trucks at my fathers Sohio Service Station every Saturday and I have only been laid off and unemployed for a stretch of 3 months the first time and 2 months the second time. There are always jobs available if you really want to work. It may not be the best paying job or one you want to stay in for very long, but it's still work. My father instilled a work ethic in me that I still have to this day and I will always try to find some kind of work until something better comes along.

[noreply66]

the first time was in 1978 for about 7 months and the last time was in 1994 for 5 months. During those times I did odds and ends so I always had money coming in.

[Runner]

I began working in September of 1978 at a local supermarket. Then changed jobs in the spring of 81. I was laid off from that job for 4 months from Nov 81 to March 82 due to it being a seasonal job as a landscaper. I did some normal winter work such as plowing snow so I never went without money. Switched jobs again in May of 82 to work for our county highway department, where I stayed until I retired in May of 2007.

[orange-n-brown 365]

never been laid off chose to be unemployed.. I really miss working but I really can't have a job with the doctor visits and hospital visits we do..and now I have a new job as a Grandma I watch him 4 days a week so his mommy can bring in the bacon to their home...

[caglewis]

Given the current unemployment rate I find the answers to this thread's question amazing!!
If the current unemployment rate of >10% in this area is all because those hated Democrats [President, Governor, et al] are in charge - as all you conservatives say - then why aren't there many more responses and tales of tribulation about being out of work on here???
I worked - unpaid - [it was called "chores"] on my family's farm for all my growing-up years in the '50's. In the '60's I worked - unpaid - as a wife and mother. Neither were considered "real" JOBS..
Then I got fired as a Wife but got to keep my job as child care supporter/provider.
So I went back to school, graduated, and got a "paid" job as RN in a public hospital - of course primarily funded by "wasteful" government spending via medicare-medicaid supported patients.
I "quit" that job unexpectedly after 23 yrs due to a ruptured cerebral aneurism/brain surgery/stroke; and subsequently retired on "disability"; and remain so today - so I'm old and not looking for work.
BUT - I have a nephew who is an AD engineer who has been out of a job [laid off from a job he loved] for many months and cannot find anything in his field locally [the Dayton area] so is forced either to move or commute long distances to be considered for any job at all.
I understand the horrendous economic difficulties of the current job market. And NOT having a job [or struggling to find one] is not indicitive of either the character or capability of that person.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

I am almost shocked at some of the responses on here.

[Burg_Grad_77]

There are plenty of jobs available as long as you really "want" to work. They may not be the best jobs in the world or pay the greatest salaries, but at least you are working and getting some kind of income until something better comes. Do you think an employer would rather see on your resume that you had been working for the past few years, not matter what the job was, or that you have have huge gaps on there from not working at all?

[Boonedawg]

7 months off every year since 94. Work is for suckers. :122245

[Burg_Grad_77]

7 months off every year since 94. Work is for suckers. :122245

But yours is seasonal work and like I've said before, no matter what our differences are on here I have a lot of respect for what you do for a living. Definitely one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet.

[moose]

7 months off every year since 94. Work is for suckers. :122245

Same thing for me since 1974. I love teaching.

[kantuckyII]

Cagle: "quit" that job unexpectedly after 23 yrs due to a ruptured cerebral aneurism/brain surgery/stroke; and subsequently retired on "disability

Hmmmmm I did not know this. My wife has a similar problem. I say it's simliar in that it's so deep in her brain that they can't operate. nor can they give her a 100% accurate assessment of what it is actually. They've told her to just go about her life and try not to worry about it but..it could very well be a ticking time bomb. The first episode occurred about ten years ago. Her dad and her uncle had a similar problem but they never got a second chance as their first episode was fatal.

[rockyraccoon]

Cut grass from about 10 years old til 14, then worked thru high school. Took two years off for college, but did summer work and worked weekends while at college. 2 months out of college landed my current job and have been with it for 27 years. So that's a total of 39 years non-stop.

So I can't figure out why I am not rich.

[caglewis]

There are plenty of jobs available as long as you really "want" to work. They may not be the best jobs in the world or pay the greatest salaries, but at least you are working and getting some kind of income until something better comes. Do you think an employer would rather see on your resume that you had been working for the past few years, not matter what the job was, or that you have have huge gaps on there from not working at all?

But if working even 1 hour at anything disqualifies you from elegibility for unemployment benefits why would you do it? What benefit is there to depriving/hurting your family for the sake of "pride"?
NO there aren't "plenty of jobs available" out there for people seeking long-term "career-type" employment or with families to support and insure their medical care.
That kind of part-time no-benefits job used to be for kids still covered by their parents' insurance so they didn't need their own. No more - 30-yr-olds with families to support are now seeking those same jobs as primary that used to be considered as supplimentary for teen and 20-yr-old students.

[thecoach]

never been laid off *knocks on a piece of wood*