4 ms·

I don't get how there is not a general insurance system for people losing their jobs unexpectedly which pays out three months of similar or something similar.

scoom 8y ago
You mean like this: https://www.sovereign.co.nz/life-and-disability/pages/income-protection.aspx https://www.sovereign.co.nz/life-and-disability/pages/income... ?
tpetry 8y ago
Move to a differenz country ;) Germany has this automatically, it‘s called „Arbeitslosengeld“.
- michaf 8y ago
  And if your employer goes bankrupt, there is an additional 3 month of guaranteed salary ("Insolvenzgeld", by the state) afaik.
mcjiggerlog 8y ago
In Europe its called "Social Security"
- kryptiskt 8y ago
  No, it’s not. In Sweden unemployment insurance and socialbidrag are very different concepts. The latter is very meager and has intrusive checks.
- dudul 8y ago
  No. Actually in most countries "social security" and "unemployment insurance" are 2 different things. Social security IIRC is mostly there to take care of medical expenses, including for employed people.
  - mcjiggerlog 8y ago
    Social security generally pays unemployment benefits too. How that works is obviously very dependent on the country. Also, at least in the UK there are national funds available to cover redundancy. And yes, I was being facetious - I'm aware unemployment benefit is often pretty low and that actual income protection insurance does exist.
    - dudul 8y ago
      " How that works is obviously very dependent on the country" True, so why make a broad statement about a continent that includes 30-ish countries, each with their own system, only based on "the UK-way"?
      - mcjiggerlog 8y ago
        Nope, I've lived in 3 different EU countries.
        dudul 8y ago
        So 10% is enough of sample size to infer a general rule? Also, your first comment was about "Europe" not "EU".
blibble 8y ago
indeed, in the UK if there's not sufficient money to pay statutory redundancy then there's a national fund to make sure the employees get their legal entitlement (and if this happens the company's directors are likely in the shit as they've probably been trading while insolvent)
criley2 8y ago
There is "Unemployment Insurance" in America, and companies have to pay into it for their employees by law. Any employee who no-fault loses their job can draw from it. This company used a "cheat" in the legal system in America for labor where they illegally labeled their employees as "independent contractors", which are treated differently under the law. These contractors aren't "employees" and aren't eligible for unemployment (because they were not 'employed', they were contracted). For example if you were to hire someone to work on your kitchen for 1 week, you wouldn't pay unemployment insurance on their behalf. If they were self-employed doing remodeling/contracting, they would be expected to pay their own unemployment insurance. It is unfortunate how the illegal abuse of "independent contracting" in America has created these terrible situations though.
- duxup 8y ago
  The employees had to have known they were contractors though.... at least in my expense that is no mystery.
  - nkrisc 8y ago
    Well then you have to choose between turning down the job for the chance you'll need unemployment insurance or taking the job because you need a job. The rational choice is to take the job regardless.
    - duxup 8y ago
      Depends on your options. The game industry seems pretty terrible to their workers. Either way the employees had to know.
      - sleepybrett 8y ago
        This kind of 'be a contractor or gtfo' thing is not in any way limited to the games industry.
      - s73v3r_ 8y ago
        Sure, but that doesn't change anything.
jmull 8y ago
In the US, there's automatic unemployment insurance. It's run by each state and the programs differ. I believe the federal government has significant influence as well. I don't know anything about the California program but here's what looks like the relevant web site: https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/ https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/ These people generally should be eligible (though again I don't know anything about the California program). Edit: Oh I see a better answer to this. The other post brings up a very important point that people classified as independent contractors are not eligible.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

scoom 8y ago

You mean like this: https://www.sovereign.co.nz/life-and-disability/pages/income-protection.aspx https://www.sovereign.co.nz/life-and-disability/pages/income... ?

tpetry 8y ago

Move to a differenz country ;) Germany has this automatically, it‘s called „Arbeitslosengeld“.

michaf 8y ago
And if your employer goes bankrupt, there is an additional 3 month of guaranteed salary ("Insolvenzgeld", by the state) afaik.

mcjiggerlog 8y ago

In Europe its called "Social Security"

kryptiskt 8y ago
No, it’s not. In Sweden unemployment insurance and socialbidrag are very different concepts. The latter is very meager and has intrusive checks.
dudul 8y ago
No. Actually in most countries "social security" and "unemployment insurance" are 2 different things. Social security IIRC is mostly there to take care of medical expenses, including for employed people.
- mcjiggerlog 8y ago
  Social security generally pays unemployment benefits too. How that works is obviously very dependent on the country. Also, at least in the UK there are national funds available to cover redundancy. And yes, I was being facetious - I'm aware unemployment benefit is often pretty low and that actual income protection insurance does exist.
  - dudul 8y ago
    " How that works is obviously very dependent on the country" True, so why make a broad statement about a continent that includes 30-ish countries, each with their own system, only based on "the UK-way"?
    - mcjiggerlog 8y ago
      Nope, I've lived in 3 different EU countries.
      - dudul 8y ago
        So 10% is enough of sample size to infer a general rule? Also, your first comment was about "Europe" not "EU".

blibble 8y ago

indeed, in the UK if there's not sufficient money to pay statutory redundancy then there's a national fund to make sure the employees get their legal entitlement (and if this happens the company's directors are likely in the shit as they've probably been trading while insolvent)

criley2 8y ago

There is "Unemployment Insurance" in America, and companies have to pay into it for their employees by law. Any employee who no-fault loses their job can draw from it. This company used a "cheat" in the legal system in America for labor where they illegally labeled their employees as "independent contractors", which are treated differently under the law. These contractors aren't "employees" and aren't eligible for unemployment (because they were not 'employed', they were contracted). For example if you were to hire someone to work on your kitchen for 1 week, you wouldn't pay unemployment insurance on their behalf. If they were self-employed doing remodeling/contracting, they would be expected to pay their own unemployment insurance. It is unfortunate how the illegal abuse of "independent contracting" in America has created these terrible situations though.

duxup 8y ago
The employees had to have known they were contractors though.... at least in my expense that is no mystery.
- nkrisc 8y ago
  Well then you have to choose between turning down the job for the chance you'll need unemployment insurance or taking the job because you need a job. The rational choice is to take the job regardless.
  - duxup 8y ago
    Depends on your options. The game industry seems pretty terrible to their workers. Either way the employees had to know.
    - sleepybrett 8y ago
      This kind of 'be a contractor or gtfo' thing is not in any way limited to the games industry.
    - s73v3r_ 8y ago
      Sure, but that doesn't change anything.

jmull 8y ago

In the US, there's automatic unemployment insurance. It's run by each state and the programs differ. I believe the federal government has significant influence as well. I don't know anything about the California program but here's what looks like the relevant web site: https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/ https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/ These people generally should be eligible (though again I don't know anything about the California program). Edit: Oh I see a better answer to this. The other post brings up a very important point that people classified as independent contractors are not eligible.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]