Progress Illinois

There is an excellent heat map of illinois unemployment at http://www.localetrends.com/st/il_illinois_home.php

I hope the government does the right thing and pass another extension. If the government spent as much money on its own country as they do in Iraq we would be able to turn our own country around in no time

I think there needs to be another extention 100%. The jobs opening up in Illinois have gotten no better in my opinion. I feel it has actually gotten worse. All of the companies have been bailed out and now the people need it to survive! What would Illinois become if benefits were gone and people still can't find work? There would be alot more homeless people and families with children out on the streets because they either got evicted or lost their home. That is the reality if there are no more extentions for people who want and need a job so badly and will settle for anything at this point. Your dignity is taken away because you have sleepless nights knowing your employment deadline is near and what will you do for your kids when you lose your home, ect. I also think unfortunitly the crime rate will rise in illinois if extentions end because some desperate people out there may get into trouble to support their families. I think the best thing to do is to keep passing extentions until the jobs out there improve and people get back on their feet.

In late August of 2008, I lost my job. I have paid into Unmployment without collecting a dime since 1987 (And that was a construction, seasonal layoff!). I'm fast approaching 58 and need the unemployment I currentle receive very much. I know 30 year olds with 5-7 experience and degrees who say, "Dave, time to retire". I won't do it! But keep me afloat until someone makes me an offer. I'm NOT a Bank, NOT a carmaker, NOT a brokerage house. Just a guy who is sweating through this with you.

I am receiving my last check from an extension tomorrow and I am so worried because only my husband works and he doesn't make that much because even his hours went down. I am now trying to figure out how to pay my house and the water, gas and light with three more checks of $500. I really need the unemployment check, even if it wasn't alot, but it did help and gave us some relief especially with three kids and a house and car payment. I really hope congress helps us out and gives us an extension. I can't find a job, it is hard, especially with alot of stores and businesses closing down, I am getting worried on what America will become.

I hope we all can get extended. I am a single mother of two and was making 700 weekly now i get that every two weeks on unemployment and its almost over. I have searched high and low to get a job makeing the same and there is nothing out there for women to make that much weekly. I am scared beyond belief.

Check out our new unemployment insurance open thread here

http://progressillinois.com/2009/8/26/unemployment-insurance-open-thread

I paid taxes on 50-60K a year for the entire Bush administration. If they can afford to give aid to foreign countries (the Taliban and Iraq) and bonuses to Americans who have their own private jets and can't remember how many houses they own, they can damn well afford to give it to the hard-working American middle class.

BTW my unemployment benefits for 2008 were $9,000 - almost 20% below the federally defined poverty level! Needless to say, that paltry amount still makes me ineligible for healthcare, food stamps or energy/rent assistance!

I am also praying for an extension. Between my husband laid off from the construction field and my self from furniture sales.My husband denied for unemployment and appealing the descion due to lack of work. The letter to the board of review is still pending from the begining of MAy. With all of our savings dried up from paying our bills.. I am soo worried of loosing our home. My daughter that is 19 yrs old works at jewel. After 2 years. which her hourly doesn't pay her car payment nor her insurance and her hours going to 20 hrs a week to 12 because of the slow time.. We lost our medical benefits. How do people think that we can still pay union dues and now come up with money to get medical insurance.. We bring less money in with more bills too pay . Alot of people have lived in their means .Now with loosing jobs and more bills were beyond our means. Were in our late 40's and we worked hard ,our whole lives. To have it taken away.. Please .. Stop paying the people that our taken advantage of our government. The people that are walking into grocery store with your wick cards with guess jeans and nails done and gucci purses STOP taking our hard earned tax dollars for your laziness.

It is my hope that an extension will be announced soon. Every day, probably every waking hour I worry about what the future holds. Where I live there are no jobs. One would be hard pressed to find even a food service job, let alone a position that can pay the bills. I've forgotten what it's like to have healthcare. Right now as I sit here, I really need to buy new eyeglasses and at only 40 years old my hair is starting to fall out. I am a woman, and it does not run in my family so I think there is something wrong with me but I cannot afford to go see a doctor. Every day I feel as though I am just waiting for something very bad to happen. There is a constant cloud looming overhead. I think a lot of people feel the same way, sort of cornered. If people don't start to feel some relief there could be social unrest. I think that is on the way. The poor can't go on taking the brunt of this recession and not have something happen. Is that when the Republicans will finally get it?

Unless the gov passes a "REAL" extension, then this holiday season will be devastating to American retailers. When 2.0 million have the possibility of losing the little they receive on unemployment they are not going to have the money to spend on holiday things. I for one will not have any holiday celebrations if my UC runs out. I'll be giving blood or donating sperm just to survive. WAKE UP AMERICA!!! It's time to bail the innocent who are now a result of major companies who don't know how or care to manage money.

Jobs will not come back for 5-10 years so you better figure some way to bring in any type of money to survive. I for one have sold about everything I have that wasn't a necessity. I have a 12 year old car thatI I pray doesn't break down and one that I make payments on that I can't sell because it's worth 25% less now, I went back to school but ran out of money so I now can't finish my education, and am receiving my last extension on unemployment set to run out in October. What has happened to America. When do we matter and we stop sending our money to the world? Banks will lend money to only the people with 750+ credit scroes but won't help those who are one step from living on the street or the mom and pop business that has been there all of our lives?

I think everyone should stop paying everything, don'y buy gas, let your cars be repossessed, stop paying your mortgage and when the whole economy implodes all the bill collectors will be right there with all of us moneyless. All things would grind to a halt. Then we can start over and do it right.

It's every person for themselves. The only thing that matters is money!!!! You don't matter to anyone unless you can scrape up money to keep them employed and generating money. I asked my electric company that I've been paying on time for the past 20 years for help and was denied. They would rather shut my electric off than work out an affordable payment for a few months and my car company for my financed car that I've been paying on time for 3 years starts calling me every 20 minutes(yes and it's legal because they hold the loan) when I become 1 day past the due date(but still within the 15 day grace period) and threatens to repossess it. I told them this month, come and get it. I'm done losing sleep and funding everyone else. It's time to take care of my family and myself.

My unemployment extension ran out too I have no job and am not able to pay my rent I hope and pray something will break soon we need jobs here in this state! I have not herd about any more extensions. I just want a job to support my family!

My benefit just ran out. I been unemployed since February 2008. I applied for jobs and I had about 11 interviews. Husband work but his salary along is not enough for us raise our three daughter. I hope Congress pass the unemployment extension soon because with the unemployment benefits it help me buy groceries and pay my utilities bill.

I am 69 and have been on unemployment since 3/2008...I have applied for over 300 jobs in that time with no sucess...I am sure it is due to my age but very difficult to prove that..I am still very healthy and have the ability to work...if Congress does not pass another extension very soon (Sept 2009) I don't know what will become of me...I am very worried but will continue to pursue all job efforts, probably to no avail.

I too pray that an unemployment extension will be granted in Kentucky! I am a single mother due to my husband walking out over a year ago so I have NO money coming in. My unemployment benefits helped keep "my nose above water." I have worked since I was 16 and now at 50 I can't find any type of work that will support my daughter and I. All I can do is pray constantly and worry myself into anxiety attacks! Those that have money and those that have good paying jobs cannot relate to what we who do not have are going through!!!

Hope this bring everyone good news. http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=cqmidday-00000320496...

I have been unemployed since Nov, 2007. My unemployment benefits have stopped. I gone to 8 agencies and went on many interviews and have sent out at least a thousand resumes but to no avail. I still have no job. I have worked since I was sixteen and I am 57 now and I lost My 100% service related disabled husband 4 yrs ago this month. I have already taken my 401K money and cashed it in because my savings has run out. When this money dries up my house will be in danger. We always paid our bills on time and lived within our means and did NOT buy a house we could not afford and raised 4 kids with no help from anybody, But here I am at my age about to loose the only thing I have left. I am glad we did everything right and now I will suffer for it because when I reach retirement age I will probably be a bag lady on the streets. Thanks to all the greedy politicans and banks and corporate America.

THANKS FOR NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So is there going to be an extension after the EB extension (Illinois)??

Amen to your post! We are good people.....WORKERS....who at no fault of our own are without work!

Yes, the House just approved a 13 week extension....but it has yet to be passed into law. I feel 100% sure that it will be passed. I received my last check 2 weeks ago...have been out of work since Feb. 08.
Hard times for all...keep the faith!

I am a 49 year old female who has lost her last 3 jobs to overseas IT outsourcing. I will be at the end of UE in Oct.
I was refused work at Starbucks, Target, Kmart to name a few because they were concerned I would find a better job in 6 months and leave them high and dry.......we know they constantly hire teens and twenty year olds and have 30%+ turnover...so why do they care if I leave in 6-12 months when the kids do it all the time! It is age discrimination. I have a group of over a dozen in the same boat and are looking to litigation to make someone hire us!

My sister is buying my house from me so I can "rent" then I will be eliglble for other Aide. I have to cheat to win. Nice country we live in huh!

I have also run out of my unemployment benefits as of Sept. 16th. I can not pay my bills this month. That means no food or prescriptions. I'm sure if the Republican senators who are holding this unemployment extension up had to deal with what we are dealing with they would pass it right away. Maybe someday they or there families will experience this and see how they like it.

PASS THE EXTENSION NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope they can find a way to pass the extension. If the gov. finds money to bail out all the bis bussiness,like the auto companys.They should find money to help the little people.