Getting Unemployment Benefits For Minnesota Union Workers During A Shutdown
In case you've not heard the state of Minnesota is headed for a
government shutdown on July 1, 2011 if the legislature and Governor Mark Dayton do not agree to a new budget. While it was known that thousands of Minnesota workers would be out of a job for awhile on July 1 due to layoffs they would possibly not be able to immediately collect Minnesota unemployment benefits because they would be paid severance or vacation pay that had accrued. However a new deal reported in the Star Tribune http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/124325529.html signals a deal between the state and Minnesota unions that would allow the workers to continue receiving health insurance benefits and not receive vacation or severance pay so fast. This would allow those state workers to
apply for Minnesota unemployment benefits much sooner than previosly thought. Since unemployment benefits are to be paid during the government shutdown this may be a better option if you add the benefit to the insurance that would continue under the new agreement.
Blaine Area Pool Halls
If you live in or around Blaine MN and play pool you have some great options. Many
Minnesota pool halls are located in the heart of the large cities of Minneapolis and St Paul but the Blaine area is home to two great pool halls. Two Stooges Bar & Grill used to be called University Billiards but has since been remodeled to include a full kitchen, alcohol services and a massive number of high quality pool tables. You can find Two Stooges at 7178 University Avenue Northeast, Fridley, MN - (763) 574-1399. The other option is on Central Ave called Biff's Sports Bar which is another massive pool hall serving food and alcohol. I used to prefer Biff's but since Two Stooges was remodeled it may be the finer looking billiard hall. You can find Biff's in Spring Lake Park at 7777 Hwy 65 NE, Spring Lake Park, MN - (763) 784-9446
President Obama On Puerto Rico Unemployment
President Obama visited Puerto Rico to show solidarity with the US Territory and promise economic support for their recovery. The
Puerto Rico Unemployment situation is not good with an unemployment rate nearing 16%. This rate of unemployment is much higher than any state in the US and with many Puerto Rican residents moving to states like Florida the President's visit is a reassuring gesture that says those on unemployment benefits in Puerto Rico will not be left behind.
Will The State Of Minnesota Shut Down On July 1? All Signs Point To Yes
As the old 8 ball toy goes, when asked will the State Of Minnesota shut down on July 1, all signs point to yes. The Republican dominated legislature and the liberal Democrat Governor Mark Dayton have been unable to agree on a new budget. In fact while the Republicans actually passed a reasonable budget, the Governor vetoed the bills causing Minnesota to slide towards an all but certain
Minnesota Government Shutdown. How might this affect the average Minnesotan? Well non-essential services like parks, the DMV and other routing government services would be closed during the shutdown. Essential services like police and fire would remain open but supporting positions may be laid off. With 30 days to go we'll need to watch the daily negotiations between the governor and legislature to see if we will indeed be shutting down the Minnesota State Government on July 1.
Kentucky Unemployment Still Way High
I just checked out the Kentucky unemployment rate and just as expected, Kentucky is leading the nation in high unemployment. If you are in over your head with bills then ending up on
Kentucky unemployment benefits due to the loss of a job is not something to look forward to. There are many reasons that unemployment is much higher in Kentucky then elsewhere in the US. One of the biggest reasons is that many of the workers in Kentucky work in manufacturing or manual labor type jobs. These are many times the first jobs to be lost as they are shipped overseas or workers kept on are made to work harder and harder. Then add the general job losses experienced in both the blue and white collar positions and Kentucky gets a double whammy of unemployed folks. Lucky the US government has provided many extensions of unemployment benefits which has cushioned things a bit for Kentucky. Here's to hoping we see the unemployment rate drop in the coming months.
