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I didn’t really expect to be unlucky enough to be in a major recession at this age. At least i’ve still got a stable job and haven’t graduated or i’d be job hunting pretty fruitlessly! and i don’t have a massive mortgage or CC debt.

…but still. doesn’t make things any easier. the boy wants to quit and find a job at, say video ezy. which is such a bad idea. a) there are a million other people out there also fighting for jobs. his chances are slim to none. b) in that case, i don’t think he’d even be eligible for the dole, it’s only if you’re actually laid off  and don’t leave on your own accord (must confirm that), leaving us even worse off. even a job in name if not  actuality, is better than nothing.

what to do? stick it out till the new year? (especially in view to the materialising apprenticeship). that’s over a month away. and there’s never a guarantee really is there? christmas now is also meant to be busy, doing shutdowns for the companies, but again no guarantee. after applying for a bunch of temp jobs and the like he’s all “i don’t want to do this, there’s no point, by the time i do get one of them work will be back to normal (or seminormal). well, theoretically. but murphy’s law and all that, the exact opposite could happen too. Keep looking for temp jobs and if work is back to normal by then, just back out? Leave and just take any sort of job to keep something coming in for awhile (well, TRY to find any sort of job)?

In the meantime at least he’s managed to make further progress in the apprenticeship department, getting in touch with skills4work, done their tests and passed with flying colours and going in for the next interview tomorrow. Of course that’s another can of worms. They may not be able to work with the current employer in which case that amounts to some serious time wasted for us and maybe a bit of bad blood should he leave to do it with someone else next year. Then of course the whole training wage thing of $10 an hour, or about $320 net a week. which is fine if you have a near new car that never has problems and is paid for, no debt and an emergency cushion, otherwise… but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. and surely there’d be some sort of assistance for someone actually making less than minimum wage.

In the meantime, he can’t even get payslips from work to show his zero income for two weeks to show Work and Income – apparently no timesheet, no payslip. (How can you have a timesheet if you’re not working?). I suppose they might accept bank statements showing the absence of pay, but then again, probably not. As they say, you technically still have a job, but if you can show you’re in hardship for three weeks, all’s well and good.

I feel shitty coming home and being all stressed about money. i expect him to try and be cheerful, but really that’s not fair; if the situation was reversed i would be super worried and angry and frustrated too.

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