[telephus]

.....assuming that you're looking for work?

For me, it's 6 months. I was laid off when DS#1 was born and started a new job the day before he turned 6 months old. I was fortunate enough to have maternity pay, severence pay, and unemployment at the time. Not all at the same time, but I had enough to have a check coming in every week.

For DH, it's 9 months, and he had no unemployment. We sold some stuff and lived very cheaply.

We've never had a situation where we were both out of work.

How about you? What's the longest you've been through?

 

[brennasmom]

For me, never (so far).

DH has been out for several months. But the last time he was laid off was in 1999.

 

[FrabjousDay]

Me...two months. Husband...four months. We've never been out of work at the same time.

 

[judembc]

I worked at my last job for 23 years and was laid off. At the same time my sister was dying. So I was out of work for 6 months. I had 12 weeks severance & unemployment. I'm forever greatful I was laid off. Admittedly it allowed me to spend everyday with her and enjoy our time together. I half assed looked for jobs online, but didn't give it my all. I was at the drive thru at the bank when in the next lane was a former coworker who worked for my GYN. She yelled over that she was thinking of retiring and was I unemployed? I said yes and she told me to send her my resume at her house. That was June of 2009 and I forgot about it once I sent the resume. I was literally running out of the house the day of my sister's funeral (7/27) when the phone rang. I ran back in to answer thinking it was my other sister who lives up the street needing a ride. It was my GYN's office asking me to come for an interview. I had to tell them what had happened so they asked me to come in the next day & I was hired. I like to think she had something to do with it I've been there 3 years so far.

 

[CookieLee]

I can't remember ever being without a job longer than a month. I was always prepared for longer but never needed it. When hubby was laid off, I wasn't working. Because he had contract work, it not only lengthened the amount of time he could collect his "year" of unemployment, but the work really boosted our income ($2000 a week for contract work is much better than $327 a week of unemployment). When his year was almost up, I buckled down and looked for a job. I landed the first one (the one where they didn't put me on the schedule) within a month. When that was obviously not working out, I landed the second one within a month.

 

[TheRootedNomad]

I've never been out longer than 6 weeks (other than being off for maternity leave) since I was 13 and got my first official job and worked off the books until I got my working papers at 14.

DH has been out for just under a year with a non-paid medical disaster and more recently somewhere in the 7 to 9 month mark with no unemployment.

We have never both been out of work at the same time either. I've been at the same place since before we were married.

 

[savvy_sniper]

The majority of my working life I have usually been lucky to find work quickly. Only one time was I out of work for any length of time - 9 months. I did work temporary during that time to stretch my unemployment dollars.

 

[Ann0610]

I have only been out of work for about 3 weeks and that was by choice. I have usually found a job before leaving the previous one. The one time I just quit without having another lined up, I was able to obtain one during my two week notice period.
DH works construction and this is the first year he has been laid off for a period of time. I believe he was laid off from December to May unless I am forgetting a one day job in there.

 

[mndtrp]

From the time I started at 14, I've never been out of work unwillingly.

 

[Hamada]

Before disability it was one month. All the other jobs I would find a job before leaving a company and take one week off between jobs.

 

[larabelle]

A year but it was by choice. I just decided I needed a break and I lived very cheaply and got along fine. I did work sporadically very part time during that year.

 

[moasmom]

I've been working almost continuously since I was 15 (I'm 38). I've been laid off twice; the first time I was on unemployment for a stretch of about 2 months while I went back to school and looked for work; the second time, I was able to find a new job before my original job kicked me out. My husband has been laid off 3 times and been unemployed for about 2 years total. Much of that coincided with kidney failure and dialysis and working wasn't our priority for him.

Kara

 

[nodmicks]

I've never been laid off. I have been part time the last 17 years. Dh was laid off for 3 months once.

 

[peanut]

18 months for DH, and I wasn't working then either. And 6 months for me, but I found out I was pg and employers didn't want to hire me (back in the late 80s), so I quit looking and just worked on being frugal and staying home.

 

[frugalwarrior2]

I was a SAHM for 10 years. Worked for the B.Scouts 2 seasons then 5 years off.
Dh was unemployed for 3 months but recieved pay. (bad accident).
We have never both been unemployed at the same time for more than a month except when I took leave w/ his accident.

 

[StryderPup]

I have been unemployed for a month, just took a 3 month contract position....DH has been unemployed and drawing unemployment for one year...he will be going back to work early 2013. It stinks sometimes...but we are on the up!

 

[Spirit Deer]

Seven months for us, when we moved up here from Minneapolis. It was a leap of faith to go from a metro area with plenty of jobs to the boom or bust economy of the Iron Range, which at that time was just coming out of another bust. There were no jobs. My husband walked away from the best job he'd ever had to that point, running three steel companies. We just wanted out of the metro.

He ended up taking a job as a bingo caller at a nearby casino. The pay was really bad, no benefits, no insurance, nothing but a low wage. I worked for a bootmaker sewing boots, the best hourly wage I ever made till I started writing. No benefits at all, and it was piece work. The joys of being an independent contractor. Good thing I can sew really fast!

Our five kids all had jobs before we did, paper routes and other little jobs.

It was a two-year struggle living paycheck to paycheck, which we had never really had to do before, except when we were first married. But it all worked out.

We would do it again, although knowing what we know now, we would do it much better.

 

[wanderlusting]

3 years- when I went on bedrest with my twin pregnancy until now. I was a SAHM by choice. But I'm so ready to go back- I start work on Tuesday!!

DH- never. In high school he worked at a Pizza Place. Once he graduated form high school, he joined the Air Force. Has been in for 13 years now- I'm so thankful for his job security

ETA: The longest I've been out of work not by choice was 3 months. That was when me and DH were just dating and living together. He was low ranking and it really hurt us. I lost a lot of weight from not being able to afford to buy a lot of groceries

 

[alaska_tiger_36]

18 months for me. I was working is a sexual harassment environment and it was either quit my job or have a nervous breakdown - I chose to quit. I had a 9 month EF so I felt OK. A friend of mine is an attorney and he talked me into filing for unemployment. I'm glad I listened to him because they company did not fight it and I was able to receive unemployment for 6 months. I was also going to college full time when I quit. I was 14 months from graduation so I applied for and received grants to complete my college degree. I also took student loans to help pay the bills - if needed. I received child support too. A college friend talked me into applying for food stamps and medical. I did and I was grateful for the help. I graduated with my bachelors degree in 2005 and it took me almost 5 months to find a job.

I was fortunate to get unemployment, child support and food stamps. I'm also glad I had an EF before I quit. I had a small garden to help too. Plus I gleaned the extra food from my parents and brothers gardens. I was very fortunate in how I was to take care of my 2 kids and complete my college.