As the original author, let me say we went through unemployment in July so I can speak with experience. It is emotionally tough to be put in this position, and here in New York, unemployment benefits don't really make up for what you earned before, but it helps. What is so different this time is that NYS (among others) is really intolerant of people sitting on unemployment because there are so many options open now. Back in 2010 when we last went through this, they let us be because they knew jobs were tough to find and we eventually found one three months later, But not this time.
After 2-3 weeks, they will be insisting you turn up at a class on resumes and check to see you are applying. They are doing this to save money, of course, but also because they know you will get hired quickly if you make an effort and you will come out much better than sitting around and doing nothing.
For the first time, we actually LOST our unemployment benefits for several weeks because we were offered a lowball salary job offer we refused to take. In NY and many other states, you have to take an offered position if you are able to do it. We said no anyway.
A short time later, a job that paid nearly $20k more was offered, which we gratefully accepted, so it is DEFINITELY an employee's market out there for the first time in a long time. You do NOT have to take what they give you. You can get something better and do more for your family. You should always be polite, persuasive, and persistent to find something that works for you and pays reasonably in salary and benefits. People have been lulled into this <30 hours hunt for sc-aps thing which offers few benefits for too long and think that is all they can find.
Target cannot find enough people to fill their holiday staffing needs, so eventually they are going to have to sweeten the offer. Shop those resumes around and compare what is on offer. Think outside the box. Nobody says you have to sit in a big box retail store because you did before. Most states have job listings which are active on their website. Sign up for email notifications and then have that resume ready to email or online application ready to submit as soon as you can.
Change can be tough and a lot of folks have been comfortable working the Sears/Kmart way for a long time. But you will adjust to a new job. Better still, you will come to work in a place that isn't falling apart, has actual heating and cooling, has customers and the registers to properly serve them, won't have gimmicks that confuse and upset them, and there will be products in stock people want to buy instead of just settle for. Won't it be nice to not hear, "no wonder you guys are going out of business" any longer?
Eddie will be fine. His top investors will be fine. His senior executives will have golden parachutes and retention plans and they will be fine. They are taken care of. Nobody is going to take care of you except you (and maybe your co-workers -- consider jumping ship together).
With everything you see in the store right now and the even greater disruption vendors have caused to inventory, does anyone seriously think Sears or Kmart will do well this holiday season? It is a foregone conclusion. Most of your customers probably think you are closed already.
I learned a long time ago you need to be an independent agent. You are loyal to the company you work for while you work there, but you do not owe them anything except an honest day's work. That is all they can expect of you. If a better deal comes along, you respectfully give them two weeks' notice and then move on. So many employers these days won't give you two weeks. They'll lay you off and a security guard will escort you to the door within an hour with one of those goodbye packages talking about the next chapter in your life. But it's your book, not theirs. Leave on your terms.
Good luck everyone.