Last week I wrote about being funemployed and some considerations before pursuing that route. Now I want to discuss a far more sinister issue, the impact to employment insurance.

Whats the beef ?

Unemployment Insurance is a social program established in order to help people who have lost their job and not a means to fund an extended vacation. Now like any other social program it is open for abuse and that abuse is built into the system. However this thought of being funemployed is a new breed of abuse. It is one that can put substantial strain on unemployment insurance program.

Whats different about funemployment?

Here you have well educated people who have the job skills to find new work but decide not to. It seems as though its become socially accepted and even trendy to fleece the system in this way. When things become trendy they have a tendency to pick up steam and the system will not be able to handle such a large influx of people. This is just another example of a new generation carrying around a sense of entitlement. They don’t seem to realize because something is there that doesn’t me you should take it.

If this kind of attitude continues it will be the end of a lot of social programs and a lot of people will suffer. It’s sad to say but it appears that in order for society to fix itself it may have to venture back into the dark ages in order to spur on a new era of enlightenment.

Do you think having this sort of action become socially acceptable will have on impact on the future?

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Funemeployed is a term that I heard a few months back.  Its based on the simple premise  if you lose your job rather than finding a new one you spend your time doing activities you enjoy.  You take your severance, savings and unemployment benefits and you take a very long weekend off.  People golf, sail, pick their belly button lint or spend time with their kids.  On the surface this seems fine but before leaping in there are some considerations:

Finding New Employment

When you first make the decision to be funemployed rather than looking for a new work the job landscape may be completely different. The recession  could continue to get worse and unemployment could have risen substantially.   Now here you are, after a year of fun you have no savings, no unemployment benefits left and an ultra competitive job market with you being at the bottom of the barrel. You could quickly come to regret that year of fun.

Lack Of Security

Just as quickly as you found yourself unemployed other aspects of your life may change just as quickly. On paper being funemployed will seem to work out great but unfortunately life isn’t always like that. There could be illness, an accident or some other life altering event waiting for you. Having a job could provide security and stability during those trying times.

Plans Delayed

Most people have plans like early retirement, having children or buying their first home. The concept of being funemployed is great but you need to live with the fact that these plans will have to be put on hold. This especially becomes an issue if you blow through most if not all of your savings. You’ll be pretty much starting over.

Work Provides Structure

For better or for worse work provides you a certain amount of structure. This structure gets people up and going.   With no structure you could find yourself going to  be at all hours of the night and waking up just in time to catch the sunset. In this situation life can become a blur and that is an unhealthy state of being.

Conclusion

Funemployed is a great concept but has to be implemented uniquely to each person’s own situation. Just be prepared for what may lie ahead of you when the fun is over.

Could you ever be funemployed? Do you think its worth putting all of your plans on hold ?

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