In early 2008, signs of a slowing economy were beginning to seep into my workplace. The feeling was that of unease and uncertainty of my financial future. In the 15 years that I had worked there, I had always felt secure and had few financial woes. I had expendable income.
In late 2008, one week before Christmas, it happened; I was laid off. All of that security and expendable income vanished in an instant. I received a severance package, luckily, in addition to two weeks of unused vacation pay, one week of sick pay, and 10 days of paid time off for the holidays. I now had to assess my new unemployed status. I did not lose just my job, I also lost the health insurance that came with it. Since I had back surgery, I hade a pre-existing condition. No new insurance policy would cover any claim having to do with my back: no prescriptions, no office visits or pain clinics, no further surgery should I need it.
After the dust of the holidays had settled and the kids were back to school, I began to investigate my career options; there weren't many. I was one of hundreds of thousands of folks in the same unemployment boat. I made looking for employment my full time job. I spent all of January of 2009 doing just that. My self esteem was taking a beating. With my bank account showing only debits and no credits, I had to do what I had to do.
With no job offers or prospects, I filed my unemployment claim, filling out the appropriate forms that would make me part of the unemployment statistics. I diligently continued my job hunt. Days go by, then weeks. Still without a job and my claim coming to an end, I must now file an extension.
I am now seated in the unemployment office awaiting my turn to speak with an agent. I was clearly out of my comfort zone. As I sat and spoke with an agent, she asked me if I new of the Displaced Workers program. She began to explain to me how I could go back to school and receive a Pell Grant to pay for it. I had been taking on-line courses for the previous couple of years and thought this would be the ideal time to return to school and complete my degree. I would also be able to continue receiving unemployment benefits during this time. Perfect, I thought. At the very least, perhaps this would buy me enough time to ride out this economic catastrophe.
I spent the next two years attending the local community college. I had qualified for enough government programs to pay for all but one semester while continuing to receive an unemployment check. I made the President's list all but two of those semesters, but made the Dean's list on those two. I received my degree with honors. I was very proud. Now it was time to put that degree to work.
By late 2011, I found employment. It is not full time, but it pays well enough. After all, I do have a degree now. I am still actively searching the job market and find some freelance work here and there. More and more jobs are becoming available. This is a good sign. I am beginning to feel more secure about remaining employed and making a decent wage. My expendable cash is not yet existing, but I am working on that and feel confident that will begin to replenish soon enough.
It is now just weeks before another Presidential election. I listen as Republican politicians and their supporters rant on and on about folks taking "freebies" and how they are lazy and always have their hand out. I was one of those folks. I took advantage of some of those programs that our current President put into place. I had to. If I didn't, my family and I would have hit economic ruin. I am not lazy and I do not still have my hand out. I needed a little help through a very tough time. Thanks to those programs that President Obama enacted, I was able to finish my degree, find gainful employment, and once again contribute to our growing economy.
My current employer does not offer health insurance. My family and I have to purchase private insurance and pay a costly monthly premium. I have bit the bullet in regards to seeking medical care for my chronic back pain. I needed to go one year without a claim before it wasn't considered a pre-existing condition. This was not an easy feat.
If you were to ask me if I am better off today than I was before President Obama took office, I would answer with a resounding yes! I went from an unemployed person with a pre-existing health condition to a gainfully employed citizen contributing to the economic growth we are just now beginning to realize. I also have hope for the health care changes that are soon to take place. For all those folks with pre-existing conditions, you will be able to breath easily knowing that you will no longer be denied coverage.
I am a poster child for the government programs enacted by the Obama Administration. True, there are folks who take advantage of such programs. There are bad apples in every bunch. These folks are in the minority and their abuses of the system do not constitute a blanket opinion to be cast over the vast majority of the folks who use the system as a stepping stone to get out of a rough situation.
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