Unemployed in Manchester

Randy Deshaies worked for the same company for 26 years, selling food and equipment to restaurants and hospitals.

In November, Deshaies says he was laid off, along with more than 100 of his co-workers.

On a recent frigid morning, Deshais visited the NH Employment Security office in Manchester

Deshais1: It's been pretty tough finding a job, especially through the holidays. So now I'm a little more optimisitc that I might have a better chance after New Year's, and some of the places that I actually did interview with basically did tell me that: Come after New Year's and we'll look at it again. But it's tough. The last time, it's been years, but, you know, getting a job was: you were out of a work for a week.

Deshais's wife still works and he gets unemployment benefits.

But he has two children, ages 13 and 8.

And he says he had to negotiate a payment plan for his$1,600 monthly mortgage….as well as for car and insurance payments.

Right now, he says, he’s in survival mode.

Deshais2: The problem is that a lot of the jobs that are here are just way below what you were making. You know, you're willing to go a litle bit below what you were making, but when you start talking about eight dollars an hour or something like that, it's ridiculous, and there's no benefits. So you have to be careful.

Leanne Topolosky is the manager at the Manchester Employment Security office.

She says she’s been seeing more people like Deshais……people who worked at the same company for a long time.

TOPOLOSKY1: They're a little bit older. It's a little bit scarier for them, you know, early, mid 50s. And I've seen a range of folks. I've seen some claims making over like $200,000. One was making over $300,000. You see those type of folks now, all through down to minimum wage.

And they’re all in line for the 20 to 30 jobs listed at the Manchester office earlier this week.

Nowadays, she said, available jobs tend to be long-haul trucking, licensed nursing assistants, and administrative help.

While they’re looking for a job, unemployed workers in this state can receive up to 46 weeks of help.

That's about 10 months.

And some are nearing the end of those benefits.

Earl Wilson is 61 years old and lost his manufacturing job more than seven months ago.

He says his age and a few work related injuries have put him at a disadvantage.

Wilson says he’s already run out of savings and is choosing between buying food, paying his rent and paying off his credit card, which, he says, has gone up to 30 percent interest.

Wilson: I'm not going to city welfare yet, but if I don't hear from somebody who's been promising to call me for the last two and a half weeks, and I haven't got that return call, I'm getting a little desperate.

Wilson’s not alone.

City officials say the number of people applying for welfare has increased 18 percent in the past six months.

Employment Security’s Leanne Topolosky says it takes about five to six weeks to get the first check.

But Roberto Navar says he’s not sure he can wait that long.

The 52 year old says his employer first cut his hours before laying him off, along with about 10 co-workers.

Navar: I saved my money when I worked, you know, but I'm running out of money now. They're taking too long to send me money from the state, you know, taking too long.

One light at the end of the tunnel for many at the unemployment office is talk of an upcoming national stimulus package.

But former factory worker Earl Wilson says it won’t come soon enough.

Wilson: The probem is we need to get rid of this misery now. We can't wait for the stimulus package.

For NHPR News, I'm EG in Manchester.