Looking Hard For A Job

Marlene Salinas
April 15, 2009

Larry Klondike, a 44-year-old Fontana man and father of one, spends most of his time sitting in front of his computer checking job listings and calling agencies.

"Every minute of my life I am looking for a job," said Klondike as he smoothed back his hair away from his face, "I just hope someone hires me soon."

Klondike worked as a salesman for five years at Yes Auto, a used car dealership in Montclair. but was laid off as of last November due to the dealership's cutbacks.

"I saw it coming," said Klondike, "I just wish I would have prepared myself a little better for the news once they told me that I was done working for them."

Klondike is not alone; there are many people in San Bernardino County that have been left jobless due to the economic crisis in the U.S. San Bernardino County's unemployment rate is now over 12%, which is double the 6.7% made in last year's Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area Report.

Workers who are laid off have the option in receiving Unemployment Insurance (UI) which provides the unemployed, for a temporary period of time, some income while they search for a job. They can file a claim through the internet or phone. The Employment Development Department (EDD) has offices set up all throughout California which provides assistance in various tasks such as starting a job search or questions regarding UI claims.

Maria Gutierrez, a worker at the EDD office in San Bernardino, knows the tragic stories that some individuals who go into the office looking for help have. "It's really sad sometimes," said Gutierrez, " because some tell me about their worries of losing their house and others have even gone as far as to say that they think about suicide as a possible solution." Gutierrez goes on to say, " Here at the (EDD) office, we really try to council people into thinking that what they are going through is only temporary and that the only way to get another job is by going out and looking for one with a positive attitude."

For more information about UI claims and EDD office locations log on to www.edd.ca.gov.