With the nationwide unemployment rate at 8.5% at the end of March 2009, many American workers are either facing unemployment, are concerned about their jobs, have watched colleagues get laid off, or know a friend or relative who is unemployed. Hopefully, this post includes helpful resources for you or someone you know.
Eligible American workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own and meet state eligibility requirements may want to file for unemployment benefits. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Career OneStop site has a Reemployment Portal with information on filing for unemployment insurance in each state. There is also information on possible continuation of health insurance benefits under COBRA as well as information on other health insurance options. For info, visit: http://www.careeronestop.org/ReEmployment/Default.aspx.
Under the link titled “help a job seeker,” you will find links to state, national and international job banks, employer contact information by industry and location, and information on CareerOneStop Centers. There are more than 1800 comprehensive CareerOneStop Centers across the United States. Some of their services include localized career counseling services, workshops, Internet access, and resources for updating one’s skills through retraining.
Unemployment is very stressful and can take a toll on one’s mental and physical well-being. It’s important to pay close attention to your stress levels and seek the support you need, whether through family or friends or through a mental health professional. It’s important to pay close attention to your self-care. Are you eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep and enough positive social interaction? Walden’s Student Assistance Program offers confidential mental health counseling services to Walden students. For more information, please call them at 1-866-465-8942.
Walden’s Career Services staff is here to support your career-related concerns through this process with individualized advising and job search strategies. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-925-3368, press *, ext. 1399 or email us at: careerservices@waldenu.edu