So, today I get a phone call from my de-facto boss telling him I should start looking for work elsewhere.
Let me explain. I worked as an independant contractor. I would haul my ass out of bed at 5 in the morning and wouldn’t get home until 6 at night. Really the work sucked and the hours were rough but the problem is I am going from being on track to make 96 grand this year to making whatever I can find doing oddjobs.
I’m 20 years old, three years out of high school, and all I have to my name is a half semester of gen-ed courses at a shitty community college.
So, Bullshido, I ask you, what the fuck do I do? On one hand I’m pretty pissed off because this is basically out of nowhere-I left the job shortly before Christmas, the boss s aid ‘see you all next year’, and now I’m shafted. Going back to school is going to be tough to swing because I have around 5000 dollars US to last me through a semester as well as pay for the courses which would not really be economically viable. On top of that I still owe taxes on the last bit of income I had last year.
Do I look for more unskilled work? Man up and try to work and swing school? Any input would be helpful.
I got laid off in May 2009 and didn’t find work until Jan 2010. One thing to do is to apply for unemployment benefits immediately, even if think would can do odd jobs or whatever relatively quickly. I substitute taught 3 days a week to supplement my unemployment and survived. Also, depending on where you live, applying for and receiving benefits makes you eligible for all sorts of educational grants and assistance. Maybe this can be your springboard into something bigger and better than what you already have.
Yep, file for unemployment immediately.
The clock starts ticking right away and if you don’t file you lose out.
+1 on everything else soldiermedic said as well, you should be able to find some financial assistance for your education.
Seriously, you should look into finding work in the same field you were in or a similar one. Without an education, your work experience is what someone will look at on your resume.
I quit my job as a kung fu instructor a while back so I could expand my martial arts. Well, it turns out it was a shitty time to be looking for a job and I was doing odd jobs for 6 months before getting a job as a telemarketer and then a graveyard shift security guard. They both sucked, but it was work and I was able to finish getting a degree while I did that. If I was you, I’d start looking for something now and don’t be too picky. Once you’ve got some income coming in you can breathe a little easier and consider your future more clearly.
EDIT: look into unemployment. I wasn’t eligible because I quit, so I don’t know much about it, but since you were laid off you should be eligible.
File for unemployment, cut expenses to the bare necessity, do odd jobs that you can do while going to school. Go to school to get an uncommon but needed skill.
[quote=ChenPengFi;2491812]While generally the case, (i am not familiar with NJ law), ime if certain conditions apply he may indeed be eligible; that is his employer may have incorrectly labeled him as an IC.
Things like having to be at the workplace for a certain schedule would make him an employee, not an IC.
A true IC sets their own hours and rates.
That his employer did not pay in is not the “litmus test” ime, and is a different matter altogether.
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Their is a lot of truth in this statement. Just getting a 1099 and being labeled an IC in of it self is actually not enough to make them an IC.
It’s also how I found some security jobs, but it was frustrating as hell going to what was explained as a job interview and end up getting a group presentation for some multilevel marketing bullshit. On the plus side, I got to cut through a penny with a pair of miracle shears.
In my early version of my post I had included the provision ‘Legally speaking’ before I stated I worked as an IC but changed it because I was not sure if doing so would breach the LLL’s ‘keep it legal’ clause. I worked for an umbrella company that was working on installing some fans and steel and an older power plant. The bulk of my work was shaping/cutting steel, some very basic welding, and light machinery operation. I was not in any sense actually working as an IC-my rates were not for me to negotiate (like I even fucking wanted to) and I was told when to show up for work and what I was supposed to be doing.
New Jersey is an absolute clusterfuck and not a cheap place to live. If I could leave, I would. In all honesty I probably got kind of giddy when I saw the rate I would be making and set myself up for getting fucked. That’s life for you.
Nice appeal to authority, but i clearly understand what an IC is.
I have known people to collect under exactly those circumstances.
They provided proof of employment, duration and rate and their employer got in trouble.
Two separate issues as far as i’ve seen.
You are also implying that application etc precludes him from seeking gainful employment.
…long after his five grand in savings is eaten up by living expenses.
C’mon now…
That said, i am curious how Kickapoo fits in those criteria.
They seem to mirror my understanding exactly.
[quote=Kickapoo;2491824] The bulk of my work was shaping/cutting steel, some very basic welding, and light machinery operation. I was not in any sense actually working as an IC-my rates were not for me to negotiate (like I even fucking wanted to) and I was told when to show up for work and what I was supposed to be doing.
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Sounds like you were clearly an employee and thus deserve benefits.
Did you get a paycheck?