The other week, I told you about the Unemployment LifeLine, a one-stop resource center for unemployed workers brought to you by Working America and the AFL-CIO. As one of our field staff described it in the Detroit Free Press:
"When you get laid off, you don’t get a manual. And this is basically an online manual to help you out and give you resources that nobody tells you about," [Working America staffer Cara] Alcantar said.
This is necessary because nearly two million jobs have vanished this year — 5.1 million since the recession began in December 2007. Because the ranks of the unemployed now stand at 13.2 million. And because too many of those 13.2 million people don’t know where to turn when their employers try to keep them from getting unemployment benefits, and even those people who get unemployment benefits are slammed with fees when they use their new unemployment benefit debit cards.
There are too damn many reasons workers need a manual for unemployment.
The Unemployment Lifeline isn’t just any manual. It’s a massive, zip code searchable database of those resources unemployed workers need. It’s a forum to connect with other people -— our users have been exchanging tips on things like how to talk to your landlord about lowering the rent until you get back to work. It’s an action center -— we’re always on the lookout for ways we can all join together to fight for an economy that works for everyone, like urging Congress to regulate the financial industry.
The Unemployment Lifeline also isn’t done growing, and that’s where we need your help.
As I said in my previous diary, we know there’s more information out there, and we know you can help us find it. You’re all experts on your own towns and areas, and if you know of another resource we should list, please submit it here. We’ll review submissions and add them to the site where appropriate.
Let’s help families find the information and support they need to ride out the worst recession in decades.