Unemployment Benefits a Federal/State Lifeline

Unemployment compensation is not a government benefit you want to have to accept. But the United States officially entered its worst economic recession since the Great Depression in December 2007, and an additional 5.1 million Americans had lost their jobs by March 2009. More than 13 million workers were unemployed. The national unemployment rate stood at 8.5 percent and rising. By the end of March 2009, an average of 656,750 Americans a week were turning in their first-ever applications for unemployment compensation. Things have improved considerably since then. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent by April 2017. This marked the lowest rate experienced since May 2007. But this still leaves 7.1 million workers out of jobs, and they need assistance.   Where does the money to pay unemployment  benefits come from? Heres how it works.   Defense Against Economic Despair The federal/state unemployment compensation (UC) program was created as part of the Social Security Act of 1935 in response to the Great Depression. Millions of people who had lost their jobs were unable to buy goods and services, which just led to even more layoffs. Today, unemployment compensation represents the first and perhaps last line of defense against that ripple effect of joblessness. The program is designed to provide eligible, unemployed workers with a weekly income sufficient to allow them to afford the necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing, while they look for new jobs. Costs are Truly Shared by Federal and State Government UC is based on federal law, but its administered by the states. The UC program is unique among U.S. social insurance programs in that its funded almost totally by either federal or state taxes paid by employers. Currently, employers pay federal unemployment taxes of 6  percent on the first $7,000 earned by each of their employees during a calendar year. These federal taxes are used to cover the costs of administering UC programs in all states. The federal UC taxes additionally pay one-half of the cost of extended unemployment benefits during periods of high unemployment and provide for a fund from which states may borrow, if necessary, to pay benefits. State UC tax rates vary from state to state. They may be used only to pay benefits to unemployed workers. The state UC tax rate paid by employers is based on the states current unemployment rate. As their unemployment rates go up, the states are required by federal law to raise the UC tax rate paid by employers. Almost all wage and salaried workers are now covered by the federal/state UC program. Railroad workers are covered by a separate federal program. Ex-service members with recent service in the Armed Forces and civilian federal employees are covered by a federal program, with  states paying benefits from federal funds as agents of the federal government. How Long Do UC Benefits Last? Most states pay UC benefits to eligible unemployed workers for up to 26 weeks. Extended benefits may be paid for as long as 73 weeks in periods of very high and rising unemployment nationwide or in individual states,  depending on state law. The cost of extended benefits is paid equally from state and federal funds. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a 2009 economic stimulus bill, provided for an extra 33 weeks of extended UC payments to workers whose benefits were scheduled to expire at the end of March of that year. The bill also increased the UC benefits paid to some 20 million jobless workers by $25 per week. Under the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 signed into law by President Obama on Nov. 6, 2009, unemployment compensation benefit payments were extended for an additional 14 weeks in all states. Jobless workers were for an additional six weeks of benefits in states where the unemployment rate was at or above 8.5 percent.   As of 2017, maximum unemployment insurance benefits range from $235 a week in Mississippi to $742 a week in Massachusetts plus $25 per child dependent as of 2017. Unemployed workers in most states are covered for a maximum of 26 weeks, but the limit is only 12 weeks in Florida and 16 weeks in Kansas.   Who Runs the UC Program? The overall UC program is administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Labors Employment and Training Administration. Each state maintains its own state unemployment insurance agency. How Do You Get Unemployment Benefits? Eligibility for UC benefits as well as methods for applying for benefits are set by the laws of the various states, but only workers determined to have lost their jobs through no fault of their own are eligible to receive benefits in any state. In other words, if youre fired or quit voluntarily, you probably will not be eligible.

How Dopamine Works Human Body - 1956 Words

Tariku Sory Dr. Bowers Chem.130 M/W section How Dopamine works in Human Body Introduction Pleasure, happiness, love, excitation, motivation, pain, anxiety, sad, anger, and all emotional feelings related to human being are linked to the chemicals and hormones that reach to the brain. The human body needs to function properly using the chemicals, hormones and fluids to be found in balance. This state of being balanced is called homeostasis. If one or more of these chemicals fall out of balance from either an increase or a decrease in their levels, this may cause the systems of the body to work less efficiently. Moreover, chemical imbalances can occur for a number of reasons and may affect the body in a variety of ways. There are many internal and external factors that cause chemical imbalance in human body as well human brain. This paper focuses on one of the chemicals secreted by brain, dopamine, and the external organic elements that affect its secretion and function throughout the brain and body. Dopamine Dopamine is one of the organic chemical compounds secreted by the brain. It is mainly produced in areas of the central and peripheral nervous systems, substantial-nigra. It is a neurotransmitter that is mainly used to carry messages between different neurons. It also regulates a variety of functions within body and brain. It helps to regulate blood flow through the arteries, modulates eating habits, contributes to learning and high cognitive functioning, reinforcesShow MoreRelatedHow Dopamine Works Human Body2356 Words   |  10 PagesHow Dopamine works in Human Body 1. Dopamine 2. Drugs 3. Dopamine Deficiency 4. Dopamine Treatments Introduction Pleasure, happiness, love, excitation, motivation, pain, anxiety, sad, anger, and all emotional feelings related to human being are linked to the chemicalsRead MoreCompare and Contrast How Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin and Cannabis Work in the Brain1243 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and Contrast how Cocaine, Ecstasy, Heroin and Cannabis Work in the Brain Drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and cannabis, are of natural or synthetic origin, which can alter the emotional state, perception, body functioning and behaviour of an individual. Drugs are known to work in the brain by activating certain brain circuits via different mechanisms, and stimulate or inhibit different neurons in the pathway. 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One factor that has been found in an individual who has Parkinson’s disease causes over activity of targeted dopamine-deprived basal nuclei. This over activity is caused by the breakdown of neurons that release dopamine in the substantia nigra (Marieb Hoehn, 2013). Another factorRead MoreEssay about Drugs Affect on Brain947 Words   |  4 Pagessubstance that may seriously affect the body. Drugs mess with the brain in ways that we couldn’t even imagine. From destroying brain cells that help with critical thinking to des troying cells that give us the ability to feel pleasure. Drugs take the place of our natural body functions of the body. They fool receptors of the body and make it to where our bodies produce less of what we need. Over a period of time this may produce very severe consequences on the body. With all the risks involved with drugsRead MoreNeurotransmitters Are Chemicals, That Are Released Into1022 Words   |  5 Pagesinformation throughout the brain and body. The brain uses neurotransmitters for several functions such as to tell the heart to beat and your lungs to breathe in and out which are autonomic functions. People can use drugs to alter how the neurotransmitters work, and the rate of drug use across the world is at an all time high. Cocaine is the second most used illegal drug in Europe resulting in a high demand of research for the short and long term effects of cocaine and how cocaine can lead to addiction andRead MoreParkinson s Disease Is A Motor System Disorder Essay1378 Words   |  6 Pagesdebilitating disease. What is the Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is a motor system disorder. (5) The human motor system is an incredibly complex functional morphology that encompasses neural elements, muscular elements, bony elements, joints, and sensory elements. (4) This disease is brought upon from insufficient production of dopamine in the body/brain. The insufficient production of dopamine is caused by the death of cells in the substania nigra. The exact cause of for what is causing the cellsRead MoreThe Drug Of Drugs And Drugs Essay1635 Words   |  7 Pagesa doctor most drugs should not be took if not prescribed by a doctor. Overuse of most types of drugs can result in death or sometimes even result in a coma which is not exactly something you would want most of your life would be wasted depending on how long you get into a coma for this is something you would really regret so you should not be getting addicted to pills or types of drugs that can do bad stuff with you. Synthetic Cannabinoids are like a lot of dr ugs that mess with your mind make youRead MoreThe Physiological Effects of Cocaine in the Neurosystem Essay1589 Words   |  7 Pageseuphoria resulting from an increase in dopamine activity (Barlow Durand, 2012). Cocaine is effective in stimulating euphoria because of the dopamine agonists properties it possesses (Carlson, 2013). Mechanism: How does cocaine work? Action potentials in neurons are facilitated by neurotransmitters released from the terminal button of the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic gap where the neurotransmitter binds with receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron. Dopamine (DA) is released into the synapticRead MoreCurrent Trends in Drug and Alcohol Addiction Essay1469 Words   |  6 PagesHumanity has had a long relationship with drugs and alcohol, so long that Stone Age beer jugs dating back to 10,000 BC have been discovered. Some historians argue that beer predates bread as a staple of human consumption (Hanson, 2013, Para. 1). 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The Existence of Happiness free essay sample

The Existence of Happiness Happiness, the intangible emotion that we all desire. Is there proof that this emotion even exists? Eduardo Porter has written an essay titled â€Å"What Happiness Is†. In this essay Mr. Porter took the time to study the emotion of happiness that we all experience in life. He makes an attempt to question not only his reasons as to why he is happy, but to have the reader question their own sense of happiness as well. What is it that makes us feel joyful emotions, and how can vastly different experiences cause us to feel the same emotion that we call happiness? While searching for the proof of this feeling Eduardo Porter reflects upon his own personal experiences, professional studies and ultimately decides that his questions may never be answered. Porter states that, â€Å"most psychologists and economists who study happiness agree that what they prefer to call â€Å"subjective well-being† comprises three parts: satisfaction, meant to capture how people judge their lives measured up against their aspirations; positive feelings like joy; and the absence of negative feelings like anger. † This is an important analysis of how we form the idea of how joyful we actually are. Something in life that one person might be ashamed of could improve the level of cheerfulness for another person. For example, the thought of getting a tattoo might cause one individual to feel guilt while another individual might feel pleasure at the same thought. Because there is no definitive formula that provides a calculated experience of happiness for everyone, it is interesting to question what actions or lack thereof in our lives cause us to be cheerful or to lose some of the happiness that we have already gained. The organization of this essay was well thought out and effective. The author opens with the statement, â€Å"Happiness is a slippery concept, a bundle of meaning with no precise, stable definition. † This opening statement provokes the reader to question their own beliefs in what brings them joy and provides further interest in the topic due to the lack of confidence Porter portrays in finding answers. He then proceeds to share a few studies about happiness and his own idea of what makes him feel these emotions. He incorporates theories from well-known and educated thinkers about what makes humans happy. Sigmund Freud argued that humans, â€Å"strive after happiness; they want to become happy and to remain so. † Gandhi proposed that, â€Å"happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. † These analyses provide the reader with a starting point for questioning and answering those questions based on a professional thought process and breakdown of happiness. With these theories in mind the reader can look at their own life to help decide what actually makes them happy. Based on his professional study of this subject Porter also interjects his own reasoning for experiencing glee in life. Eduardo states that â€Å"Happiness relates directly to objective measures of people’s quality of life. † Porter believed that the more joy someone experienced in their life the better their life would be. Porter simplifies his writing so that the reader is able to assess their level of happiness from a loosely defined point of view, so that the average person has a means of tackling a difficult question. This is an important concept. The way Porter addresses happiness allows the reader to feel like they have the ability to ask the same questions about their own life and in doing so gain their own perspective into what it means for them to be happy. Throughout this essay Porter’s tone is of a pondering mindset regarding happiness, backed by personal experiences as well as professional study. This demonstrates that his interest level in what makes people feel positive emotion was strong enough to spend time to search for these answers. This had a positive influence on his readers; a large majority of individuals can relate to this topic and explore it for themselves. Most people strive for more happiness in their life, but fail to question what is actually making them or not making them happy in the first place. The essay makes you question if you have attempted to search for these answers in your own life. And if you are not happy – then why have you not questioned and searched for these answers? If you have asked these questions, why are you still feeling the same emotions that you wish to change, what changes have you not made? Porter also uses multiple economic reasons as a means of translating how much or how little happiness individuals can achieve. Along with many economists, Porter believes that in our modern time our search for more happiness co-exists with our desire and search for more money. We believe achieving a greater status in society, and receiving more money along with that level of status will make us truly happy. Our attempt in reaching these goals can have a negative effect, because the majority of people do not actually know what it is they want from life when this status is reached. Therefore, we as individuals may never achieve the level of joy we are searching for. After reading this essay you question what it is that you actually want out of life. If you do know, are you taking the right steps to achieve your goals? After reading Eduardo Porter’s take on why and what makes humans happy, many questions are left unanswered. Porter achieved his goal of interjecting multiple professional studies of what happiness is, as well as introducing his beliefs about this emotion as it relates to his life. This in turn makes his readers question their own emotional situations. What makes them happy? Most individuals would agree that the topic of this essay is, and has been, a pertinent question for as far back as we can remember. Porter knew that everyone at one point in time felt some form of happiness, and the actions that cause people to feel happy are completely different from one person to the next. Porter’s search for the definition and reason behind happiness are still unanswered questions, and most likely will remain this way, because it’s impossible to be universally define happiness. It’s also impossible to give just one reason as to why someone is happy or not. Joy is intangible; it is not measurable by a bank account or a status in society. Still we strive to feel it and achieve more of it, but we will never have a universal definition as to what this emotion actually is. We can only hope to increase its experience in our own lives.