Paying to Work

I now understand why some people won’t get off the welfare roll, and I won’t blame them either.

After months of unemployment I accepted what I thought was a full-time job at a fairly low rate of pay--slightly above my monthly benefits I received from the unemployment office--but it didn’t matter, as I was looking ahead.

Business being slow, our hours were just shortened; this means that after taxes, and baby-sitting expenses, which I didn’t have to pay during my layoff, I have about $40 less net a week now that I am working.

Looking at it right now, my unemployment “paycheck” was better than my work paycheck.

Now I understand all those “lazy no-good welfare people.” Why pay to work?

MANFRED ESCHNER, Huntington Beach