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I finally got laid! Laid off!

#41
obimark said:
Agree- but the key is "suitable employment"- YOu don't go from making $110K a year like I was and supporting a wife and two kids to working part-time stock clerk at Home Depot for $5.15/ hr (which is what the great back-ass state known as Georgia calls minimum wage)
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The last time I was out of work, North Carolina allowed me a "reasonable" amount of time to replace my job with one of similar pay and benefits. However, after I had reached their "reasonable" time limit, I was forced to take the next job offered or lose unemployment benefits. OP, if your state is anything like NC, playing in a band is working, even if it is one night per week. I'm not trying to tell you how to run your life, but if I were attempting to follow your plan, I wouldn't be posting my plans on a public forum. Just my $0.02.
 
#42
lfmn16 said:
Yes, many people have written this same thing, even though no one is disputing it. We are also required by law to buy auto insurance if we own and drive cars. My ONLY point is that if someone is collecting unemployment they should follow the rules associated with collecting it. In my state, you need to continue to seek a job. If you are reading anything else into my posts, you are incorrect.
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I don't the believe OP is going to game the system. His severance pay gives him time to seek employment while considering whether he could make a decent living as a musician. I read his post as a person who was venting, dreaming, relieving stress and trying to cope with a rude awakening. I know first hand the range of emotions that flow when you discover you were "downsized". There is a feeling of betrayal of trust and "F me", "what the F am I going do now" and who wants to hire someone my age and pay me what I was making". The OPs employer is paying a severance through next year or until he lands a job (that part sucks). That means he cannot draw unemployment (at least in my state) while he is getting severance pay. I don't think he implied he wasn't going to continue to seek employment. He did say it provides him and opportunity to seek his dream with less stress up until next summer.

"Save Some Time to Dream."
 
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#43
Stealth Fighter said:
The last time I was out of work, North Carolina allowed me a "reasonable" amount of time to replace my job with one of similar pay and benefits. However, after I had reached their "reasonable" time limit, I was forced to take the next job offered or lose unemployment benefits. OP, if your state is anything like NC, playing in a band is working, even if it is one night per week. I'm not trying to tell you how to run your life, but if I were attempting to follow your plan, I wouldn't be posting my plans on a public forum. Just my $0.02.
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The last time I checked most guys playing music were living in the underground economy; which supports your post about being careful what you post. It is like the employee who takes a sick day and posts the photos from the beach, mountains, amusement park, golf course or similar locations showing they faked a being sick. He should be careful that his former employer doesn't count that as employment.
 
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#44
obimark said:
Don't sweat it. It took me 5 months to find a new job when I got laid off two years ago. One thing to remember- It isn't you, it's the stupid economy that was screwed up by our government laws. I am a licensed Architect and that is in demand about as much as a licensed crawdad hunter.
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i wish to hire you to hunt licensed crawdads
 
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#45
Federal minimum wage is higher than that. Georgia (and all states) must comply with federal law. That just means that they are going with the federal standard.

Again, as long as OP is truly trying to make a career in music, and not using the time to just play music during that period. I don't know what the standard is in the state, but I don't want him getting bit on the butt and having to refund what he got paid by the state. They can (and will) do that. Many states have blown thru their budgets for paying out unemployment, so they are getting tighter.
 
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#46
Go for it man, give it your best shot. You'll never know if you can do it if you don't try. There's an old saying (though somewhat questionable) "Opportunity only knocks once". If you listen real hard, I think you'll hear that knocking sound right now! People can always find excuses and reasons not to reach for their dream. Don't be one of those.
 
#47
SirMjac28 said:
I hope things work out but I wish you young people would learn to stop oversharing everything you have a great idea keep it to yourself it's no one's business and you never know who's watching or listening I wish you good luck.
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Aaaaah! Secret plot by the nobody to find out if the bass player from that band that only did the one gig has a day job! #ihaveakidincollege #paranoid
 
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#48
obimark said:
I actually flipped the script and used all my construction and design experience to become the owner's Project Manager, rather than working for the owner's Project Manager- BEST Decision I have made in a long time. I found out I was working twice as hard for less money.
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Working 60 hours a week as a Project Manager for 7 of the last 10 years is what drove this decision in the first place. I'm just now finding out that my professional "transmission" has some gears lower than high.
 
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#52
obimark said:
Sure it does- just ask any of the millions of "illegals" who do it every day. It's called "cash" employment... also you are assuming "full-time" musician pays much of anything...
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From the original post it seemed like he wants to do the music thing as a legitimate job meaning paying taxes and reporting income. Anything less than that is just fraud and should not be condoned here.

Playing full time doesn't pay much but I know a few people who do it. Most of them supplement their gigging income with lessons but it is definitely doable even in a small city like Louisville. Caveat being everyone I know who does this plays jazz and/or classical. Don't know what OP plays.
 
#53
buldog5151bass said:
Federal minimum wage is higher than that. Georgia (and all states) must comply with federal law. That just means that they are going with the federal standard.

Again, as long as OP is truly trying to make a career in music, and not using the time to just play music during that period. I don't know what the standard is in the state, but I don't want him getting bit on the butt and having to refund what he got paid by the state. They can (and will) do that. Many states have blown thru their budgets for paying out unemployment, so they are getting tighter.
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Actually, no they don't have to- look it up, they and about 5-6 other southern states do not comply with the minimum wage standard. see link - They only pay it if you are working a "federal" job in Georgia- not all the rest of the typical min. wage job such as Home Depot- and the Fed jobs pay more than that anyhow. http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#Georgia

So the sad reality is- in Georgia- even if you would rather just do any job- you actually make more on UnEmployment than Min. Wage- thus the problems set in. It's simple pay a 'living" wage for work- or don't even offer the job.
 
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#54
Remyd said:
Aaaaah! Secret plot by the nobody to find out if the bass player from that band that only did the one gig has a day job! #ihaveakidincollege #paranoid
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"Put another way, from October 22, 2014 to July 22, 2015 it will be better for me financially if I don't have a 40-hours-a-week-complain-about-TPS-reports type of job. I'll even still get the same pay rate I worked 15 years to gain. That's not counting any gig money or side deals or instrument sale profit or anything else I might do during that timeframe."

Unemployment officials love hearing and reading these types of statements they naturally assume everyone is out to cheat the system and all it takes is a " Your claim is under further review" letter for you to understand where I'm coming from and if you were my son the first thing I would tell you is " keep your mouth shut and just do it " maybe the world has changed too much for me to understand it I wish you all the best.
 
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#56
obimark said:
Sure it does- just ask any of the millions of "illegals" who do it every day. It's called "cash" employment... also you are assuming "full-time" musician pays much of anything...
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Maybe we could keep politics out of this. Besides, most the people I actually know who cheat on their taxes (by not reporting music income) are actual United States Citizens.
 
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#57
ole Jason said:
So you want to collect unemployment from your previous job and work as a full time musician on top of it? It doesn't really work that way.
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Sure it does. That's actually exactly how it works.

Made a mid-career professional's wage before. Unless one hits the big time, there's almost no chance at that as a musician. It's possible in "the music business" though. I WANT to keep everything above board. There's no benefit in being deceptive when the numbers already work out.
 
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#59
Remyd said:
Kidding, right? I don't mind reporting my $75, but if that is equivalent to full-time employment I will eat my hat.
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No one said $75 is equivalent to full time employment, that is a ridiculous statement. You need to report ALL income when you are collecting unemployment, and your benefits are reduced accordingly. You can't earn income AND collect full unemployment, it doesn't work that way. Not if you are honest anyway.
 
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#60
Remyd said:
Sure it does. That's actually exactly how it works.

Made a mid-career professional's wage before. Unless one hits the big time, there's almost no chance at that as a musician. It's possible in "the music business" though. I WANT to keep everything above board. There's no benefit in being deceptive when the numbers already work out.
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Your post read as though you expected to earn enough through music for it to be your full time job. Your music earnings would be deducted from your unemployment payments. Can't double dip.
 
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