So a woman that I work with was laid off the same time as me (last November). We both got roughly the same amount of severance, so I started on unemployment the end of January and she started around the beginning of February. Anywhoo, I sent her a message on Facebook to see how she was doing and how her job search was going, and she said that "since they didn't pass the extention for unemployment she was starting the search today" and that she was stressed out because of it. I asked if she'd been looking before or gotten any leads and she pretty much said that she had just been hanging out at home enjoying the unemployment and stuff. She hadn't even gotten her resume together (she was in the process of starting to do it when I messaged her). The only reason she's looking now is because they didn't extend the UI insurance in Congress.
So anyways, there's a part of me that wants to report her to the unemployment office for fraud. I like her as a person and everything, but it kind of chaps my ass that she was so totally taking advantage of UI, and helping to run up a deficit for our state while not even bothering to look for a job at all. Especially when there were people who really were looking for a job and are doing their best and neext the UI extentions for their families and whatnot, and her kind of behavior is, IMO, part of the reason people are starting to hesitate on being okay with extending the UI anymore. On the other hand, she has two little girls and I know that she'd get hit pretty hard if they made her give it all back (they add in a 40% penalty too), and I'm really not the type to get all up in other people's business.
So what would you do in this situation? Not say anything about it, or report it to the UI office?
If I wanted to hear the pitter-patter of little feet, I'd put shoes on the cat.
