unemployment & food giveaway

As many of you know, it looks like there may be less sections than usual being taught next semester, which will hit our unit particularly hard. Many of us that would normally be teaching have not been offered sections, have a reduced load, or are in danger of losing courses. 

If you are not teaching next semester, or the number of classes you normally teach has been reduced, you might be able to file for unemployment insurance through the State of Michigan. Even if you work elsewhere, you may still qualify for unemployment so long as your income has been reduced to a level recognized by the state as creating hardship. These are benefits that you have paid into every time you are employed and our unemployment insurance system is designed to help people going through situations like this.

It is possible for nontenure-track faculty to collect unemployment; however, the process can be difficult to navigate. Our local has been working with AFT Michigan and the Sugar Law Center for Social & Economic Justice to develop resources to help members:

• Workshops designed to help you calculate if you qualify for unemployment and guide you through the application process. Workshops are scheduled for Wed, Dec. 9, 3pm, and Jan. 8, 12, and 13 in the new year. Register for upcoming workshops at: https://aftmichigan.org/union-building-events/
• FAQ and list of resources: https://aftmichigan.org/unemployment/​

During these challenging times, we all need support, and your union is here for you. Of course our union will also continue to fight for real job security for all of us, both through our contract and legislatively in Lansing.