> If you had a high paying job for 3 years why should the government immediately step in giving you something like €500/month while you are looking for a new one? kinda removes the pressure to find a new one from day 1, doesn't it?
"The government" here is the tax payers, including the person in question, who has decided to pay into an insurance system exactly to avoid that pressure and give people a chance to look for a job without panicking over how they'll be able to pay the mortgage next month.
I'm Norwegian - the Norwegian system is similar - and was shocked when I moved to the UK, where unemployment benefits are a joke (still better than most US states) and notice periods are ridiculously short by my standard (in the UK 1 months notice is pretty standard; in Norway it's 3 months). In Norway you also get most of your salary for the first 12 months or so, I believe (it's been 12 years since I moved out, so not kept up to date how it's changed) so for most people it's way above €500/month).
If you look at unemployment in these countries when the economy is good, it's still usually low - the people who don't want to work will eventually be moved over to the regular benefits system which is far stricter and with lower amounts, and the people who do want to work rarely see unemployment benefits as some kind of paid holiday, but want to get back in work ASAP. Especially since a gap in employment will be something prospective employers will see as a worrying sign, so people are acutely aware that the longer they wait the harder it will be to get a new job at the same level.
And when times are not good is exactly when these benefits are important: We pay or dues to have a safety net in particular for those situations when it's not our fault we can't get a new job right away.
I wasn't criticising it but as usual it depends where you come from: I'm Italian, have been living in UK for 7 years and run a bunch of companies in both countries. As such I've never even considered job benefits, the way I see it is: I put enough money aside when things are good in order to be prepared for when things might not be that good.
I'm sure there are situations where really "it's not your fault" but most of the time I talk to people in dire situations they completely failed to do anything when things were going great for them. I have little sympathy for them, especially when they end up blaming everything but themselves.
Most "normal" people don't make enough money to set aside additional cash on top of the national insurance they already pay in part to cover unemployment benefits.
This is not "free money" - it is insurance payments that people in most cases have paid premiums for.
Why should people need to set aside additional money to avoid claiming benefits they are paying towards their entire working life?
> Most "normal" people don't make enough money to set aside additional cash on top of the national insurance they already pay in part to cover unemployment benefits.
please note I always referred to "people who had great periods" work and money wise
> Why should people need to set aside additional money to avoid claiming benefits they are paying towards their entire working life?
because if you are doing great how fair is it for you to be careless only because "if I need it the state will support me?" Looks to me like it quickly becomes your fault and you only subtract funds that should better be used for the people who really need the support (the people you mentioned at the beginning of your reply)
"The government" here is the tax payers, including the person in question, who has decided to pay into an insurance system exactly to avoid that pressure and give people a chance to look for a job without panicking over how they'll be able to pay the mortgage next month.
I'm Norwegian - the Norwegian system is similar - and was shocked when I moved to the UK, where unemployment benefits are a joke (still better than most US states) and notice periods are ridiculously short by my standard (in the UK 1 months notice is pretty standard; in Norway it's 3 months). In Norway you also get most of your salary for the first 12 months or so, I believe (it's been 12 years since I moved out, so not kept up to date how it's changed) so for most people it's way above €500/month).
If you look at unemployment in these countries when the economy is good, it's still usually low - the people who don't want to work will eventually be moved over to the regular benefits system which is far stricter and with lower amounts, and the people who do want to work rarely see unemployment benefits as some kind of paid holiday, but want to get back in work ASAP. Especially since a gap in employment will be something prospective employers will see as a worrying sign, so people are acutely aware that the longer they wait the harder it will be to get a new job at the same level.
And when times are not good is exactly when these benefits are important: We pay or dues to have a safety net in particular for those situations when it's not our fault we can't get a new job right away.