Do you look down on people who are on the dole.

demakinz

iv been working since i left school 6 years ago various different job but never out of work.iv recently lost my job and had to go on the dole
. it wasnt to bad the first few weeks because it wasnt that busy.but recently its got so busy were standing out in the street for 20minutes to sign on and outside the post office to collect.
id class myself as a hard working guy and alot of the people standing beside in the line are decent hardworking people too.
but while standing in the rain on the street iv notest people driving by staring out there car windows looking at every single person in the queue smerking.laughing,pointing
i feel shame standing there.:(

are you ashamed to be on the dole?
do you look down on people who are in the dole queue?

i know there is alot of lazy people, scumbags who choose not to work but there are alot of hard working people on the dole who just cant find a job.

pipsqueak

not a chance!! im on the rock n roll myself recently so i know the feeling!

SWAY Z

Was In The Same Boat As Ye Pal And Have Freinds Also In The Same Boat And Agree With Ye Its Horrible ! To bBe Looked At Like A Loser Of Society When Really Your Just Haveing A Bit Of Bad Luck On The Job Front ! I Mean Ive 5 Freinds On The Dole 3 Let Off From Apprentice Jobs An Myself And Another.Ive A Higher Cert In Buisness & Computers & He's A Degree ! Times Are Hard ! But Hey Its Nice To No With A Recession Chances Are The Ones Driveing Bye Smileing And Smarking Will Probally Be Beside Ye In The Q After Crimbo !

Just Know That Theres Others In The Q Feeling Your Pain Bro

monkeyfudge

Hopefully it's just in your head. Like how some people think everyone is looking at them if they go to the cinema on their own.

My office is just above a dole office and I'd certainly never look down on anyone for signing on. Was on the dole for a few months myself after I left college. Wasn't much money, but it was a great help as I was trying to get myself sorted.

R.D. aka MR.D

I agree with the above posters the times that we're in now i find it difficult to imagine that people would look down on those getting the dole. its hard to imagine that they don't know at least one person who is on the dole because they can't find work.

some of the most hardworking people i know are forced into to getting the dole and its not easy for them.

there was a stigma upon it i think because there was a perception that with so many jobs around who would need the dole. but thats all changed.

no one needs feel ashamed to be on the dole, you paid taxes enough years to deserve a little help when times are bad.

me_right_one

No way man, nobody disrespects you for being on the scratcher. Those a*seholes laughing will be queueing aswell soon, but you'll have found yourself something by then and the tables will have turned.

I grew up on the dole. Things were waaaaayy worse than this in the eighties. I remember seeing the ads for trocaire on tele and thinking "Why the **** are we giving them money? We're as bad". We had no running water, no car, no phone, no tele for most of d decade. This was in Meath, not Somalia. My father couldnt find work. He had no option to head off to America looking for work, leaving me and my little bro at home with our mother. Like everybody else in the area, we did the turf for heating and raised lambs for meat. I f*cking cant stand semolina. Do you remember semolina? It was powdery stuff in stachels that you mixed with milk to make stuff like rice. We had to mix it with water, we only got milk on Sundays. My father came home after a while and my Ma got a job nearby, so all we ever seemed to eat was fu(king semolina. It turns my stomach to this day. People got their electricity cut off every other day, we didnt though. Dont know why. We used to go up to my Grannys whenever we wanted to watch tele, maybe that was it. Only for the good aul VDP, we'd have no clothes. Anyway, things arent that bad now. Most of the country went through similar situations as described above during the eighties and we all pulled through. Nobody looks down on you, and if a few do, dont mind them

Hal1

Just shout back to them "I'll keep a place in the que for you!".

Aglomerado

No, never. I've been on the dole at various times in my life - two years signing on if I add them all together - I know how depressing it is having to sign on once a month and queue up at the post office every week.

It's not fun, but it's nothing to be ashamed of.

AARRRGH

demakinz wrote: »

do you look down on people who are in the dole queue?

I might have during the Celtic Tiger (when there were multiple jobs for everyone), but not now.

ntlbell

I don't look down on people on the dole.

I do get frustrated with people who claim for years and don't move a finger.

ALFIET

Why would some one smirk at some on the dole?

Noone has a crystal ball to foresee if and when they may need to avail of the dole themselves. It could be anyone of us who need it.

And anyway us hardworking types have spent years paying taxes so we should feel no shame if we are unlucky enough to lose our jobs and need the dole!!!!!

And even if the celtic tiger, there were people who turned down jobs but not through being lazy but due to the fact that if they took the job, they would lose the other benefits like medical card, rent, etc etc and this was not something they could afford to cover with wages alone. So they were stuck between a rock and hard place. Not everyone on the dole during the celtic tiger days were scroungers.

There but for the grace of god go I is my motto... Noone knows what the future holds!!!!

Bitsie

I know exactly how you feel mate, I recently lost my job after working straight from college for 7 years in architecture, so I did feel a bit ashamed of myself at first but knowing that its something completely out of my hands and that loads of people are in the same boat because of the recession, it has eased the shame a bit! Its not nice but we have to do it and it wont be forever....hopefully!!

eth0_

I don't look down on people who are on the dole, i've been on the dole myself. I do however look down on the obvious waster skangers who you see in the post office on a Thursday collecting their dole.

Tom Dunne

Absolutely not.

The vast majority of these people are not there by their own choice, and who knows what could happen to my job in the future.

inforfun

When you feel ****e while standing in the queue you obviously hate your situation and will try hard to get out of there and get a job again.
People who try hard to find a job but for some reason are not succesfull yet, i would not look down on.

People who dont give a **** standing there and just enjoy the "free" money i have no respect for whatsoever. I wouldnt look down on them either, i just hate them.
People claiming the dole because they can not find a job up to their standards because they have a degree in so and so and think they are entitled (most horrible word ever) to have a job in that area, i dont have time for either.

In other words OP, you obviously dont feel comfortable standing there and want to get out of it asap. You re going to be fine.
And i wouldnt look down on you.

grahamo

Same as the poster above grew up with my family being on and off the dole during the 80's. Things were really bad then. You'd notice some houses lit by candlelight cos people had there ESB cut off. Now that was a recession! I hope things don't end up as bad as that.
In reply to the OP you've paid your dues (tax & PRSI) so are entitled to dole. F*** the begrudgers!

AARRRGH

As a sort of dole prevention system, I'm planning to do a TESOL (teach English to speakers of others languages) course in UCD. Should I lose my job, I'm off to Asia to teach English.

I reckon people who are concerned about their jobs should do something similar now (not necessarily TESOL, of course), so they have something to fall back on should things go wrong.

I don't think I could handle being on the dole for too long. Too depressing! So I would have a lot of sympathy for people on the dole at the moment.

ntlbell

eth0_ wrote: »

I don't look down on people who are on the dole, i've been on the dole myself. I do however look down on the obvious waster skangers who you see in the post office on a Thursday collecting their dole.

They're wasters in all forms.

seems your looking down on people wearing certain types of clothes with certain accents than people who take advantage of the system.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

AARRRGH wrote: »

I might have during the Celtic Tiger (when there were multiple jobs for everyone), but not now.

Yea true, but remember it was still somewhat difficult to get a job. I remember being in college and being irish made it hard for me to get a bloody job.

I have been working since I was about 14 proparly, that's 11 years ago, I have had 2 jobs during the summer months, labouring and bar work (sorry but they were not easy jobs), one summer I had 3 jobs working 7 days a week.

Now I am on the dole after doing my bachelors degree. I cannot find a job anywhere... Is it right to turn down a job that pays less than the dole you are getting? I think it is, as I have bills to pay and all that. I have suggested to a friend that I come work for him for free so I can gain experience in the industry.

I cannot get temp work either, everything seems to have dried up. I do not have the experience or the distinction in my degree to compete against the other 15 people which I are also going for another role. It's completely nuts.

My savings are running very very low, bank is hounding me to pay off my college loan and I can't. Soon everything is going to catch up and I is going to be very very screwed. I am hoping that (for reasons unknown to me) January will bring new jobs and I will find employment somewhere, anything really.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

ntlbell wrote: »

They're wasters in all forms.

Do you mean all people on the dole are wasters?

rod flanders

Just the lazy spongers that have no plans to ever get a job. I have no problem with people on dole who are actively looking for work.

chops1990

I'm not familiar with the process of claiming the dole, i wouldnt feel entitled to it and theres others who need it, i dont really need it persay. but they should have some kind of system to only give money to those recently unemployed or those who genuinly need it. I dont like the idea of dirty f###### just taking the "free" money. It should be for people who cant find jobs.

ntlbell

Zaiden Rough Thumb wrote: »

Do you mean all people on the dole are wasters?

No I mean you can't judge a waster by his clothes or how he talks.

I assume etho_ doesn't know these "skangers" and has no idea if they're wasters or not and is making the call on appearance rather than facts.

demakinz

i know a few guys for example who left school maybe 8 years ago never had a job+never want a job and instead play in a band every friday saturday and sunday.
now dont get me wrong there very talented and are making £150 a night.fair play to them.
but still claim the dole and say "there livin the dream" and isnt it great being on the scratcher.
its not it sucks alot.
the people who are proud to be on the dole contribute nothing to socilety(sorry bad speller)
walking around town on a tuesday morning in there sunday best scratching there h0les.
pi$$es me off big time

msg11

A few of my friends are on the dole, and have never tryed for a job, I would look down on them, cause they won't even try.

I don't go by dole q's smiling at people, because of there hard fortune, and most have payed there fair share and deserve the help they are getting.

So depends on the circumstances. I do feel sorry for the hard working people who have been let go and cannot find work.

dazzlermac

i never looked down at people on the dole,cause like people above,we had hard times during the 80s,however i was siginin last month and a polish man(dont get me wrong aint racist,would say the same if he was irish) signing in front of me in full working gear,he was blatntly a tiler covered in grout.when i got to the window i said to the fella behind "his boss will probarly dock him for the time off" and the reply i got was "era watcha gonna do".people screwing the system like him i do not agree with.i wish to god i had a job but i have to move to oz in the new year for work otherwise i shall lose my house

demakinz

iv heard storys about polish people flying home every month to sign on.the flights are so cheap there even flying in every week.
and some africans sign on in different post offices with different names.
i worked with a nigerian girl(who was very nice) who had 3 brothers and they all signed on in naas on a wednesday on maynooth on a friday.she was pretty proud of it till our boss found out and ratted them out.
im not a racist either if there entitled to some money like all of us are fair enough but screwing the system!!!
they should all be sent home and never allowed back.

eth0_

I'm sure social welfare fraud is far more prevalent amongst native Irish people.

Let's not have this descend into a 'dem africans and polish comin' here to claim the dole' farce.

AARRRGH

demakinz wrote: »

i know a few guys for example who left school maybe 8 years ago never had a job+never want a job and instead play in a band every friday saturday and sunday. but still claim the dole

I know so many people like this (also musicians.)

The thing is, with all the gigs etc. that they do, they have more money than me.

It's like a badge of honour for them, being on the dole.

PGstudent

One of lifes greatest lessons and tests is being on the dole. To an outsider it might seem lazy but for someone who wants to work, its one of the toughest experience's a person can go through.

Treat it as a life test that you will one day look back on and understand how you dealt with it- be strong, keep optimistic and keep your eye open for opportunities- retrain and increase your qualifications during this time if possible, also use this time to think about what line of work you would truly love to get into- you never know in a few years time you could look back at this time as a blessing in disguise

mikemac

Nope.
Been there and it's tougher then many people imagine.
I'd say it's easy to develop depression if you don't keep active and striving to get a new job.

I'll admit I wondered about the people on it and why the pubs and bookies were always packed on dole day before I ever signed on.
But realy, that's a minority and anyone could happen to spend a few weeks/months on it.

eth0_

AARRRGH wrote: »

I know so many people like this (also musicians.)

Isn't it a crime to not report this?

demakinz

eth0_ wrote: »

Isn't it a crime to not report this?

is it?
im not to good with the legal side of alot of stuff.

AARRRGH

eth0_ wrote: »

Isn't it a crime to not report this?

An actual crime? I have no idea. But you're right, I should report them.

Gareth37

demakinz wrote: »

iv been working since i left school 6 years ago various different job but never out of work.iv recently lost my job and had to go on the dole
. it wasnt to bad the first few weeks because it wasnt that busy.but recently its got so busy were standing out in the street for 20minutes to sign on and outside the post office to collect.
id class myself as a hard working guy and alot of the people standing beside in the line are decent hardworking people too.
but while standing in the rain on the street iv notest people driving by staring out there car windows looking at every single person in the queue smerking.laughing,pointing
i feel shame standing there.:(

are you ashamed to be on the dole?
do you look down on people who are in the dole queue?

i know there is alot of lazy people, scumbags who choose not to work but there are alot of hard working people on the dole who just cant find a job.

Keep your chin up, enough money for food, shelter and clothes is all we really need. Anything else is a bonus.

I would admire those who have humility, money etc is over rated.

Bob the Builder

monkeyfudge wrote: »

My office is just above a dole office and I'd certainly never look down on anyone for signing on.

That doesn't make sense monkeyfudge. If you are looking at them at all, then you are certainly looking down on them

I know a 19 year old guy who spent 3 full months during the summer drinking with the money that he got from the dole. Thats all he did for a whole three months. Thats the only sort of people in a dole queue that I would look down at - and I wouldn't be laughing at them either. I'd be pissed off that I was paying an extra 0.5% VAT just to pay his dole. but in your case, you've looked for a job, and it's not your fault that you can't find one - and thats why unemployment benefit exists, and I completely agree with you having full access to it.

Personally, as a 16 year old, I am really really lucky. In fact, I have bad days every day but when I think of it, I'm in a job that has good money, and good experience. And then I have three other jobs on the side, two of them working for myself. The money is crap, but the experience matters. But don't be fooled into thinking that I don't work much. I work seven days a week between the four jobs, and school.

About a month ago, a 30 year old that I knew from the building sites around the town bumped into me and he was asking me did I know where there was any jobs going. I cringed - simply because there was a 30 year old unemployed person asking a 16 year old where there was jobs going.
And then two weeks ago, I was cycling past the dole office, and it was just after lunch as they were opening, mobs of people demeaning themselves into having to take the dole, and most of them with mortgages, loans and bills to the hilt

But for an individual, at this stage in the economy, in the middle of a recession to actually look down on a dole queue is bad. Even though there are timewasters in that crowd who have never been arsed to go out and get a job, and spend all day bumming around. Thats what angers me.

I really do sympathise with people in these situations and I really do hope that your job seeking comes to an end soon and that you find decent levels of employment.

God, this thread makes me so sad to see what Ireland has finally come to after 7 years of booming and living beyond our means that now, the hardworkers can't even get jobs, and are ashamed because they have to avail of money that they spent their whole working life before this paying into and contributing to all the lazy bums, and now they need it themselves.

MIN2511

The dole is there for a reason, as long as you don't sponge off the Goverment then there is no need to worry.

And besides why do you care what people think of you? Would they prefer it if your turned to drugs/robbery or other criminal activities to support yourself.


I often wonder why we care so much about what people think about us, we strain to fit into social BS....

When you die, where does all the money, house etc you worked so hard to achieve go to?

[Jackass]

I would look down on somebody if they were taking the piss and had no intention of finding a job and were just sponges & lazy (used to live with one). Or yokes getting up the duff for a free gaf then living off child allowance & doll etc.

But the average joe on the dole? Nah, fu*k it - how can you look down on the people unlucky enough to be there when you never know, you could find yourself there next week.

Tough times man! We all got to get paid!! And I'm sure 95% of those people would rather work for a living than try and live off €200 or whatever it is a week.

MIN2511

It would be nice if the Goverment put a limit on the amount of years a person can collect the dole....
example: single parent-3yrs and after 3yrs the parent has to work for minimum of 18 month before they claim the dole again....

TripleAce

The dole should be given for no longer than 6 months IMO – and people should start learning to save money when things go well, so they don’t need to panic when things go bad.

Mrs OBumble

TripleAce wrote: »

The dole should be given for no longer than 6 months

So what do you think unemployable people should do after that - live on the streets off the proceeds of begging? I guess you're too young to remember the 80's, when lots of people were unemployed because there were no jobs.

TripleAce wrote: »

... people should start learning to save money when things go well, so they don’t need to panic when things go bad.

Agreed: however this conflicts with your point above. What happens when the savings run out?

AARRRGH

TripleAce wrote: »

The dole should be given for no longer than 6 months IMO – and people should start learning to save money when things go well, so they don’t need to panic when things go bad.

I think people should be able to stay on the dole for as long as they want, but they should have to work for it, just like in Australia.

petethebrick

No but I do look down on idiots who fork over thousands in tax over the years and somehow think there is something to be ashamed of in collecting the dole!

StickyMcGinty

AARRRGH wrote: »

I think people should be able to stay on the dole for as long as they want, but they should have to work for it, just like in Australia.

exactly, theres far too many people who simply get too comfortable on the dole.

TripleAce

JustMary wrote: »

So what do you think unemployable people should do after that - live on the streets off the proceeds of begging? I guess you're too young to remember the 80's, when lots of people were unemployed because there were no jobs.




Agreed: however this conflicts with your point above. What happens when the savings run out?

When you have a good job save more, take evening classes to learn new skills, be creative, be prepared for the worst and be willing to do jobs that are not "good enough" for you if necessary when the day comes. In many other EU countries the no-jobs situation is ongoing, not only now in this recession period - despite of this you don't see people starving.

pwd

I've been out of work before. I'm not sure whether I was ashamed or not; I was reluctant to get dole so maybe I was. I was frustrated moreso.
Anyone who looks down on someone for being on the dole is a dickhead, plain and simple. Personally I wouldn't think any less of someone on the dole than someone in a high-status job

TripleAce

pwd wrote: »

I've been out of work before. I'm not sure whether I was ashamed or not; I was reluctant to get dole so maybe I was. I was frustrated moreso.
Anyone who looks down on someone for being on the dole is a dickhead, plain and simple. Personally I wouldn't think any less of someone on the dole than someone in a high-status job

I agree with you on this.

Would I apply for the dole if I get sacked? Of course I would.

Would I stay on the dole for long time even though a manual job is offered to me (ie waiter, etc) ? No, I wouldn't.

SheroN

AARRRGH wrote: »

I think people should be able to stay on the dole for as long as they want, but they should have to work for it, just like in Australia.

Makes it harder for people to work while drawing also.

TripleAce

AARRRGH wrote: »

I think people should be able to stay on the dole for as long as they want, but they should have to work for it, just like in Australia.

What type of work do they do in Australia? How does it work there?

AARRRGH

TripleAce wrote: »

What type of work do they do in Australia? How does it work there?

You get manual jobs, for example, street sweeper, kitchen porter, etc. If you don't show up for work, you don't get the dole.

What happens is people say "**** this" and they go off the dole and get a job they like.

MIN2511

AARRRGH wrote: »

You get manual jobs, for example, street sweeper, kitchen porter, etc. If you don't show up for work, you don't get the dole.

What happens is people say "**** this" and they go off the dole and get a job they like.

That would be a good one....

But imagine trying that in Ireland now....