Wait a minute. I'm getting a raise?

"NKato" (NKato) 04/11/2020 at 18:54 • Filed to: None

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I ran the numbers. If I’m getting $410 in Unemployment Benefits, before withholdings, and then we add in the $600 weekly boost from the CARES Act, I’m getting $1010 a week for four months? Of course, that’s assuming I meet the requirements to receive that extra money — and the Department of Labor has some pretty simple requirements for it that I seem to meet.

Before I got laid off, I was working $18/hr, earning about $700 a week before taxes and withholdings ($550 after). So the government is practically giving me a temporary raise. And this doesn’t even count the $1200 stimulus check, either.

I am equal parts uncomfortable and okay with this.

Picture of the Queen in the parking lot for your time.

Gerry197 > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:24

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Save that money man, who knows how long this will last.  

NKato > Gerry197 04/11/2020 at 19:26

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Absolutely. The stimulus money on the other hand, is probably going towards finishing up the things I’ve already committed to for the car. Once that’s out of the way, it’s constant savings time.

gettingoldercarguy > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:27

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I think it's great and am comfortable with this as well as happy for you.  

dogisbadob > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:27

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a queen and an autozone next to each other! Have some ice cream while you work on your car :p

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:38

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I don't understand. There is no dairy Queen in that picture ;)

sony1492 > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:42

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Thats over double per month what us minimum wage employees are getting to continue working (depending on state and county)   My overtime is $19.50 before tax.

ranwhenparked > Gerry197 04/11/2020 at 19:42

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One of our state’s US  senators just said it has to go on until there’s a vaccine, which means this will last anywhere from two years to forever.  

NKato > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/11/2020 at 19:46

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Funnily enough, it’s actually across the street! :D I used to go there when my car was in the body shop on a more routine basis last year.

NKato > sony1492 04/11/2020 at 19:47

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This is probably a ploy by the Democrats to make people realize: “It’s possible to have a better living, we just have to demand it from our employers and our government.”

Frankly, I wish we were in the timeline where Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek was real.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:47

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From a few hours ago

NKato > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/11/2020 at 19:50

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That’s a Blizzard alright!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:51

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™

sony1492 > NKato 04/11/2020 at 19:56

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I hope you’ll be able to reap the full unemployment benefits. It just seeing how the government handles this f eels like the lowest working class is getting pi ssed on for the umpteenth time.

My great hope is that property value and rent in general will either fall in line with lower wage tiers or wages will rise to meet them. Currently working full time, I have no way to paying rent and sustaining myself.(if one assumes vehicle insurance and basic bills)  The only reason I can spend money at all is by being lucky enough to not pay rent. Bit of a rant but thinking about this at work had me stewing behind my mask

NKato > sony1492 04/11/2020 at 20:03

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I feel you. I’m not too thrilled about it either. Being deaf also makes it more difficult to obtain employment.

AestheticsInMotion > sony1492 04/11/2020 at 20:13

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I saw some talk of a “hero’s fund” where f rontline workers would get sent a large chunk of money for each hour worked since the end of January. That would certainly be nice. 

AestheticsInMotion > NKato 04/11/2020 at 20:14

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My restaurant friend is in the same boat. Slight raise after all is said and done. Here's hoping the process is simple and quick for you

sony1492 > AestheticsInMotion 04/11/2020 at 20:15

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That could soak up a lot of the  salt

NKato > AestheticsInMotion 04/11/2020 at 20:31

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It should be automatic. My unemployment has already been approved, and I’m already receiving funds. The $600 on top hasn’t been added yet, as WA State is still updating the system to incorporate it.

AestheticsInMotion > sony1492 04/11/2020 at 20:39

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Yes. Yes it could. Hard at times not to feel like I'm working insane hours to provide the wealthy with all-expenses-paid vacations. I've never seen so many happy upper middle class families walking outside in my life lol. 

fintail > NKato 04/11/2020 at 20:51

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She’s looking sharp.

Take the money and put it to good use. It may feel weird (don’t feel weird, the top few have been receiving gifts for 40 years) , but this is an unprecedented act of generosity from the often threadbare American safety net (WA has far better UI payouts than much of the nation, which is also nice), and seeing what you get out of the taxes you pay, you’ve likely earned it anyway. Good way to both put something back into the economy via spending, and make a rainy day fund.

NKato > ranwhenparked 04/11/2020 at 21:16

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The issue is whether or not the states can sustain such a long period of unemployment coverage. By default, we are allotted about 26 or so weeks of coverage. No idea if that limit has been suspended.

What does set Washington apart from the rest of the country is the fact that we’ve maintained a rainy-day fund. Inslee originally wanted to raid those funds to help cover major homeless support programs. I’m betting he’s going to ask the special legislative session to consider dipping into the rainy-day fund to extend unemployment support.

NKato > fintail 04/11/2020 at 21:17

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Yep, that’s the plan right now. I fully intend to take full advantage of my $1200 stimulus check to cover the pushbars’ recoating, the fender guards and headlight guards to get it all looking chromey. It should come out to the full total of that stimulus check. :D

fintail > NKato 04/11/2020 at 21:32

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Putting money back into the economy (I assume going to a local small business) and doing something you needed to do anyway, can’t beat that.

I am not sure where my little gift will go, but I am eyeing a set of specialty floor mats for the fintail.

NKato > fintail 04/11/2020 at 21:37

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I plan to save up the money I get from the $600/wk stimulus for a brand new upgraded transmission from BCA that I will buy once I have a job again. 4R75W with all the bells and whistles. I’ve estimated the price on their website, and it comes out to $4500.

The torque converter alone is $1500. This is a rebuilt factory transmission that will be faster than the stock trans, in addition to being very quick on the shifts by itself.

fintail > NKato 04/11/2020 at 21:46

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How long do you think you’ll be out of work? I think many things will return to normal, but it’s going to take time - most of 2020 might kind of be a wash.

You’re doing what needs to be done, spending some money. The best way to get an economy going is to put money in the hands of consumers. The past few decades of policy have mostly put money in the hands of those who stash it away. I take it the Queen is going to be a forever car, shaping up to be one of the nicest in the region no doubt.

Speaking of that, I saw a loaded (full options, perhaps, including handling package ) retail model 04 Grand Marquis at an estate sale just before this crisis unfolded. Something like 70K, one owner, pristine. Probably could have got it for $ 5K, I was really tempted.

NKato > fintail 04/11/2020 at 21:56

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Considering that I am Deaf, gaining employment is typically more difficult. It took me over a year after obtaining my machinist certificate to get a job. So in regards to this pandemic, I am expecting it to be quite possibly six months at the least, and more than a year at the worst (at which point I would have to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance as my Unemployment would have run dry).

And yes, the Queen is a forever car for me.

Should’ve gotten that Grand Marquis. But you can’t call it “loaded” if it doesn’t have the optional chrome side mirror caps (it was an obscure dealer-side option) .

fintail > NKato 04/11/2020 at 22:05

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Will your prior employer start up eventually? Maybe right when you’ve maximized the upcoming benefits? I hope it works out, and that your specialized skill helps you. I am getting to the point of seriously looking for positions outside this area - cost/benefit is sometimes hard to deal with.

No chrome mirrors - I went through my history and found a couple pics. It was a nice looking car though, and if I had enough $100 bills in my pocket, I probably could have got a steal:

NKato > fintail 04/11/2020 at 22:12

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Prior employer laid me off due to a slowdown in sales and several rounds of cost-cutting by management. I fear that company will be a lost cause in short order anyway, so I’m looking to different pastures now.

That steering wheel is UNUSUAL. Wood grain on the bottom of the wheel? Don’t see that very often.

As for myself, I have a bug-out plan that is potentially in the works with a deaf friend of mine in North Carolina. He owns some property and is willing to build a cabin for me to live out of if I kick in some cash. So that’s an option for me.

fintail > NKato 04/11/2020 at 22:42

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Damn. Well, I am sure you will land on your feet somewhere. I know if I found a job in say Spokane, even with a not-tiny paycut, I might just go for it simply for the chance of actually owning a house, and being in less of a rat race.

I know someone else who is into Panthers who was really imp ressed by that Grand Marq, I just don’t have a place to store something like that, not to mention 5K that I can just fritter away.