The Job Search

"We will come to you!"

Being unemployed is a difficult situation for anyone, but when the economy is in a recession as it is at the time of this writing in June 2009, being out of work and not able to provide for you and your family is devastating emotionally and can even lead to medical problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, and changes in appetite (just to name a few). Families are losing their homes, men and women are being laid off, and many people are finding themselves on the streets, literally, unable to make ends meet.

But what the attorneys at Jay Trucks & Associates, PC serving the Flint and Saginaw areas of Michigan want to emphasize to you is that though you may be depressed and unmotivated and down on yourself, you must still, each and every day, make an effort to find employment. Though we realize that many of our clients are injured or too sick to work and are collecting Workers’ Compensation benefits or may be on SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), you still must prove to the government that you are trying to find work (even if it’s from your home computer or by just making some phone calls each day).

It is very important to document what steps you have taken to find a job. This will be brought up at your hearings. Refusing to make any attempt to find a job could be used against you during the claims process. Refusing to look for gainful employment can actually cause you to lose your case and not receive any benefits at all. If you are injured, you will not be expecting to drive to jobs sites to apply; looking for work can be as simple as opening your yellow pages and calling a business to inquire about job openings. If you are fortunate enough to have Internet access at home, you can apply for jobs by using sites like monster.com, craigslist.org, careerbuilder.com, etc.

If the court discovers you have a computer Internet access but have done nothing to find employment, your case will be dramatically affected. You should keep track of all of your job search efforts in a “job search log.” You should include the name of the employer, the location, the phone number, and the name and title of any person with whom you spoke about available positions. You should also note whether or not there were any positions available at the time you contacted the business.

By registering at Michigan Works!, sending out your resume, and making just five contacts with prospective places of employment a week, you will show the court that you are making an effort to improve your situation.

If you have any questions about how to search for a job or would like to know more about Workers’ Compensation benefits in Michigan, please contact the Michigan attorneys at Jay Trucks & Associates, PC today to schedule a confidential consultation.

Lawyers for the Injured
Jay Trucks & Associates, PC
Experienced - Dedicated - Compassionate