[PositiveCogins]

So you took a government hand out,Trade Act, and avoided the nail in the foot. Some people. including myself probably would not qualify for the trade act because of self employment. Nor do we qualify for unemployment. As a clock puncher you get all kinds of goodies that we the employers pay for that we are not entitled to ourselves. And It's these benefit's that are handicaps imposed on American business's
that benefit foreign competition. So basically people like you are the cause of the nail in the foot.

[Dittohead68]

That's a rediculous comparison to make. In the first place, the Trade Act was specifically put into place to deal with the issue of displaced workers. It did exactly what it was supposed to do - it gave me the start that I needed. It didn't get me all the way - I had to finish on my own.

In the second place, if you are collecting a paycheck from your "company" - and collecting / paying your payroll taxes properly, there is no reason why a business owner wouldn't qualify for unemployment. You'd be capped on the earnings, but IF you have been paying unemployment taxes on your wages from payroll earnings (like you are required to do by both the state and federal govts), then there is no issue there.

But, of course, if you are the small business owner that files on a Schedule C, while pocketing all the profits for yourself instead of running a payroll - no, you don't qualify for state unemployment benefits.

So sorry for you - although I would take a good paycheck anyday over unemployment benefits.