Tanked economy = job security

I have one of those rare jobs where my job security is directly dependant on a lousy economy. When the economy goes south the unemployment rate goes up, and since I do appellate level unemployment cases, the higher the rate, the more cases I handle. When I first started at the Department in 2002, the women who previously held my job, was doing twenty cases a week and usually every month to six weeks she would do 30 in one week. I have enjoyed the strong economy over the course of the last 18 months averaging about 10 cases a week. This week, although I only have 10 cases, you can see by the girth of my binder they are LARGE cases. I get my cases every Tuesday and have one week to read through all the material and be prepared for our meeting the following Tuesday.

My binder measures 2 ¼ inches thick! And that is with double sided photocopies. I have had to use my time very judiciously this week in order to get through my case load. Don’t feel too sorry for me, they pay by the hour.