Comments on: Prisoners Collect Mllions in Unemployment Benefits

By: The Dana in Pennsylvania

The Dana in Pennsylvania — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:49:50 +0000

OK, in Pennsylvania, to collect unemployment benefits, after opening a claim you must either call or go online every two weeks to claim your benefits. In that connection, you are asked the questions, “Were you able to work and were you available to work?” Someone in prison would have to commit another felony, by testifying that he was available for work, to receive the unemployment benefits.

This means that one of two things has happened: either the prisoner himself was making this call, or using the internet, every two weeks, and committing said felony, or he had someone on the outside doing so in his name, which would make that person guilty of a felony.

By: Sammy Finkelman

Sammy Finkelman — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:43:05 +0000

Or not – are they are legally entitled to it becausde they could be released on bail except they didn’t meet it??

The link does nmot go to any particular story.

By: Sammy Finkelman

Sammy Finkelman — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:40:10 +0000

Somebody must be impersonating the prisoners at the unemployment office.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:16:09 +0000

Joe, I was going to quote that shameful article too.

I obviously lived my life wrongly. I should have had some kids out of wedlock, welched on my mortgage, and committed a few felonies.

I applied at a temp agency once and there were about six pages of “privileged” classes listed, and we could check one or more to go to the head of the employment line. Released felon was one of them.

By: C. S. P. Schofield

C. S. P. Schofield — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:48:55 +0000

nk,

yes, that is exactly my point. If (and I repeat, IF) the people in county jails are not convicted of any crimes yet, then that are entitled to their unemployment compensation … or at least as entitled as anyone else. In general, as I understand it, people are held in jails until trial (if not out on bail) and sent to prisons if convicted … but how precise the story in question is in this point is unclear.

Then there is the question of what they are in jail for. Since I despise the whole War On Drugs, for a large variety of reasons, I am far more likely to be upset that people arrested on drug charges are in jail at all than be outraged that they are getting some kind of benefit while incarcerated.

But that’s another rant entirely.

By: nk

nk — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:18:02 +0000

are these people being held before trial? Because if they are, then I’m not sure I see a problem ….

Agreed. The links are confusing about “cons” in “county jails”.

Even so, these “cons” earned their unemployment compensation by having been employed, and they may be housed and fed by the taxpayers now but their families still need food and shelter. (Unemployment compensation is funded by employers’ and employees’ contributions.) And the solution is simple, let them out so they can go back to work and start again paying into the system instead of drawing from it.

By: scott

scott — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:01:19 +0000

I’m fairly certain this is the All Inclusive package at the Club Fed.

By: JoeH

JoeH — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:57:06 +0000

Theo at #17, The EEOC may not be invoking the ADA, but they agree in principle. Obama’s EEOC: We’ll Sue You If You Don’t Hire Criminals

By: Fred Z

Fred Z — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:43:58 +0000

“It is immoral to let a sucker keep his money.”

-Canada Bill Jones, American gambler and Brilliant Philosopher.

PS: American taxpayers are suckers.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 03:52:54 +0000

Highpocket – is veterans disability tied to incarceration ?