One Man's "Handout" is Another Man's "Lifeline".
There are two things I want to establish with my burgeoning community of international readers - open dialogue and unapologetic authenticity. First, when you read something I write that you disagree with, feel free to comment and argue your position. I’m a “Master Debater”; some may say in more ways than one!
Debate helps me re-analyze my positions for things I may not have initially considered and assists me in determining if my reasoning holds up to scrutiny. I’m not an overlord and I am not always right. I can learn new things from loyal readers too. Respectful disagreement is always welcome. One has to be comfortable with the uncomfortable to learn and grow, which is FAR easier said than done.
You can also count on me to provide credible facts, statistics, and sources. I often link to other writers' content for reference purposes and to give them due credit for their thoughts, which I opine on. After nearly 2 decades of working in the flawed, “Employment Industrial Complex”, I am happy to “drop a dime” on shady recruiting practices, provide anecdotal insights based on my insider background, and offer the readership solutions to get over - and profit on The Man!
I expect disagreement. This blog is a progressive, counterintuitive take on the job search market designed to propel a new Workers’ Rights movement to the zeitgeist. Some of my takes will challenge your perspective and experience. Good! I’m here to make you think, reconsider how things are presently done, and advocate for future progress - which WILL take you out of your comfort zone.
Nelly’s Critique - F Off to the Bad Boss
A good friend and loyal reader of mine, Nelly, had a forceful critique from my recent “Bad Boss” thinkpiece. Nelly even screenshot a section of the post to ensure she was accurate on something she wanted to take me to task on.
I love such passion.
Here is the quote: “If they decide to fire you or lay you off, you can qualify for unemployment benefits. At least you still have 6 months of income coming in…and of course…your self-respect!”
Nelly felt the polar opposite: “How does sitting through a job you hate with an insufferable boss, just to collect unemployment, a sign of self-respect? Some people would rather work at a fast food job than get on unemployment. Quitting on the spot and raising your middle finger to your bad boss as you leave, would be a better example of self-respect”.
Nelly’s not wrong - in a sense.
I’m sure many other readers who consider themselves self-starters, go-getters, and “bootstrappers”, echo Nelly’s sentiment. Why work for a tyrant at the expense of your self-respect? Is the pittance of unemployment benefits worth your sanity? Is clinging long enough to a job you hate - merely to qualify for unemployment benefits - really honorable? Why should I have to put up with this bad boss when other jobs are out there?
Besides, who doesn’t love those viral videos where people do elaborate stunts, pranks, and levy revenge against former bosses and co-workers on their last day of employment at a miserable job?
However, there are 5 Reality Checks that Nelly didn’t consider or overlooked…
An eye-popping amount of Americans, 55% to 78%, live paycheck-to-paycheck. A 3-second Google search shows a gaggle of credible sources including, CBS News, CNBC, and Nasdaq all verifying this grim statistic. Even if you split the difference, 66%, or 2 out of every 3 Americans, would be devastated to suddenly lose their “wage slave” incomes. As such, most have to endure the poor treatment of a bad boss for the greater good to provide for their families. This cohort most certainly can’t eschew vital unemployment benefits to keep up with the luckier Joneses in their social circle, to merely save face!
1 in 5 Americans have NO emergency savings. 20% of Americans have no emergency savings for a surprise car repair, a short hospital stay, to replace a home computer or mobile phone, post bail, or lend to a loved one in need. Also scary is the Bankrate statistic that states 66% of Americans with emergency savings, only have enough to cover ONE month of expenses in a pinch. Letting a bad boss force you out of a job before one has found a new revenue stream is unthinkable for many American wage slaves. Dealing with a bad working environment over the short term is clearly the lesser of 2 evils if you have no safety net to get you through a fallow period. Subsequently, getting disqualified from receiving 6-months of vital unemployment insurance is not an option for many wage slaves. When one is in a financially precarious position, sometimes you make undesirable compromises, just to get you through to the next rent cycle!
It’s easy for people with means - or few responsibilities - to walk out at will. Telling an abusive boss to “F Off” feels liberating and cathartic. It’s the stuff of wet dreams. But let’s take a step back to assess. I would wager my left nut that most of those “bold quitters” are not supporting their family or themselves solely on that income. I imagine such bold quitters can do so because of beneficial life circumstances, multiple streams of income, or a safe backup plan. They probably fall into one of the following categories. * They are supported by someone else, such as a spouse, parent, or friend. * Have a large savings nest egg, family trust, or inheritance to fall back on. * Own a home they can refinance to tide them over or to utilize as an Airbnb rental property. * They possess other income streams such as stock options, investment income, legal settlements, tenant rent from other family properties, part-time or 2nd jobs, etc. * They are retiring or plan on being self-employed. * They have never experienced true financial hardship without a safety net and few employment prospects. There’s a reason why there’s a term for having “F You” money and why it’s so sought after - because it gives you the financial independence to walk away if you are mistreated. These people are fortunate enough to not have to depend on a 6-month unemployment insurance safety net. Good for them, but this privileged lot is the clear exception and certainly not the rule.
Such bold resignation stunts at long-term jobs could have real repercussions for your next job. Besides being unable to collect unemployment if you quit (in most cases), such a fiery finale with your employer will likely leave you with a massive resume gap. One that you will have trouble explaining and will likely come back to haunt you if you plan to return to the job market in the same industry in the same city. Are you not going to list your most recent employer on your resume, where you worked the last 8 years of your career, due to “going out in a blaze of glory”? What happens when your next prospective employer calls this burned employer for a reference check? If your industry or city is small, how confident are you that your prospective employer won’t know anybody at this burned, former employer? Again, you can’t pull such stunts and survive comfortably - unless you are somewhat financially independent.
There’s no shame in utilizing the social safety net. Grownups who have lived a little, know life has many unforeseen twists and turns. It doesn’t take much bad luck to end up destitute. Why does it seem that “bad things happen in threes”? A surprise divorce, a broken limb from a weekend warrior sports league exhibition, and an unexpected job loss can lead one down a road of immense humility they never imagined. President Franklin Roosevelt included a provision for unemployment insurance in the Social Security Act of 1935 to prevent struggling workers from falling through the cracks into total poverty. This visionary law acknowledged that sometimes one cannot “pull themselves up by the bootstraps” - despite their best efforts. For almost 90 years, American workers who have leaned on unemployment insurance out of necessity, realize it’s no knock on their competence, intelligence, or autonomy to need assistance temporarily. Recessions, depressions, layoffs, downsizing, and globalization respect nobody’s status or work ethic. If you are lucky enough to reject unemployment or public assistance, please don’t have the temerity to judge those who do. You might be a few twists of fate from being on the breadline yourself!
Depression era breadlines were no joke. Conclusion
Finding new work, especially in large metropolitan centers, can take even the most diligent job seeker - an average of 5 MONTHS! Thus, the 6-month unemployment stipend is just the medicine displaced workers need to be self-sustaining again, especially with most Americans having little emergency savings and living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Those who claim or think they “would never accept a handout”, or “would prefer to work any job instead of getting unemployment” can espouse this from their ivory towers and plush safety nets. My hunch is they never were in such a situation to make this Faustian Bargain, so they are talking out of their collective asses. Slow your role, develop empathy, and be very humbly grateful for your lot in life.
Yes, it’s far preferable for most Americans to endure abusive behavior than to allow a bad boss to run them out of their despised jobs and preclude their potential unemployment benefits. Most also can’t weather a multi-year resume gap for the fleeting thrill of verbal comeuppance to their bad bosses.
The numbers from a myriad of credible sources and logic prove these facts. Unemployment Insurance is one of the most compassionate laws ever enacted. Thank God, because who knows when any of us will need a helping hand!
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