Out of work? Don't think twice about collecting unemployment benefits

"Enough to stop making panic decisions. Enough to remember that after decades of work, maybe I didn't need to feel ashamed for using a system designed specifically for workers who find themselves without work. Maybe I can stop grieving, clear my head and treat someone else to a meal who might need it."

A networking meeting with a marketing executive focused on freelance opportunities, hiring claims, and companies presenting lean teams as a positive sign. Personal job loss led to confusion about unemployment benefits, imagined as a bleak government waiting room. Early public jokes about “funemployment” reflected confidence from severance and savings, but later job searching triggered grief-like reactions to rejection emails. The realization came that unemployment insurance is an earned insurance program, not charity, and that eligibility can include high earners and freelancers, though treatment may vary. Understanding the system helped replace panic with clarity, reduce shame after decades of work, and shift attention toward supporting others.

Read at Fast Company