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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Economy Notes from the Unemployment Line

Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 11:57 AM

Still narrowing in on the handful of people we're going to follow through their unemployment saga, but while I winnow down the list (which you can add your unemployed self to by clicking here) how about another self-contained story? We've had two with somewhat happy endings (via pot and porn). Now comes a brief account, from an unemployed construction worker, that has serious unhappiness to it—and it's a particular type of unhappiness that seems to be cropping up all over the country right now:

I've been claiming unemployment since mid October.

One imagines a $500 check showing up in the mail every week and the recipient getting their fat un-showered self up off the couch just long enough to take it to the bank and buy more Bud Light and Dorritos. Not so. The unemployment department is so inundated with claims, any issue in your claim snowballs into weeks with out any payment. The system is set up so that any red flags stop payment and then a human can assess the situation within a day or two....

I dare you to call the telecenter at 800 318-6022 and speak to a human. Seriously. I don't care if you use my story or not, I just want one person in the media to try to call that fucking phone number only to have the system hang up on you.

The unemployment rep for the state that that stops by Central told someone to call the telecenter. When they said they couldn't ever get through, the rep said it's kinda like a radio contest; you just have to keep dialing and the next thing you know you're caller one hundred. That's fucking absurd.

As suggested, I called the unemployment benefits telecenter and, after a few commands to push certain buttons, got this message:

Thank you for calling. Currently we are experiencing a high number of calls. Please try your call again later.

I feel for you, unemployed construction worker—and all others dealing with this phone line.

Comments (16) RSS

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I am also on unemployment and had an issue my first week, I had to call in and it took 90 calls to actually get someone on the phone. Once I actually talked to a person, the problem was solved in less than a minute.

Posted by JD on February 5, 2009 at 12:03 PM

Who could have foreseen that a huge budget deficit combined with record high unemployment would result in decreased service levels?

Posted by tiktok on February 5, 2009 at 12:13 PM

30 minute wait time as I type this. Of course, it is lunchtime, which they caution against.

Posted by tiktok on February 5, 2009 at 12:14 PM

@2 FTW.

Posted by mint chocolate chip on February 5, 2009 at 12:17 PM

Sort of ironic that the unemployment office is understaffed, no?

Posted by DOUG. on February 5, 2009 at 12:20 PM

Submitting online was always faster.

Oh, did you hear there will be an extra $45 added to the unemployment checks?

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 5, 2009 at 12:20 PM

I got my first check about a week ago after two months of fruitless job searching. The first time I called to apply I was on hold for almost an hour, I've had other long waits and a few times where I simply couldn't get through. It has been a hassle, but certainly not impossible.

To their credit, every time I've talked to a person they have been very helpful, I know they are working hard these days.

Posted by Amnt on February 5, 2009 at 12:22 PM

I believe the person cited in the OP was referring specifically to a situation which could not be handled on-line and required speaking to a person. Hopefully, they're correct in that assumption, because there is a hell of a lot you can do online once you're in the system.

Still, I hope they're calling on Wednesday or Thursday before 4PM, which is what the wait message I heard suggested as the best time to reach someone.

Posted by tiktok on February 5, 2009 at 12:38 PM

I was unemployed back in august. been working a few temp positions here and there but still not making enough. i had a problem when i went off temp and back on unemployment the first time. i didn't get the option online or over the phone to file my claim. looking thru all the paperwork, i found nothing but the tele center line which got me nowhere.

finally, i googled and found a contact number for the unemployment offices and got thru to a live person. they told me at that time they were backlogged and it took a few extra days to work out the kink. when I get home, i'll go thru my papers and post that number if you want. they transferred me directly to someone at the telecenter so i didn't have to wait on hold!

my sister and mother are also unemployed. we just skipped this months mortgage for the first time and are dreading the foreclosure in our future. i feel sorry for ALL people who are out of work right now. for those of you are lucky enough to have a job, be thankful. be very, very thankful

Posted by tf09 on February 5, 2009 at 12:38 PM

That message is annoying the first 20 times you're hung up on. By the 100th time, after hours of redialing, it's enough to make one want to find the unemployment office and burn it down - except I'm not sure it exists on this plane of reality, and I have a theory that it sits in the 4th Circle of Hell.

@6 - the OP is talking about a problem/issue that can't be resolved online. The first week I filed for unemployed, it got f'ed up because I had worked one day the first week I filed, andn the website's help center kept directing me to call and speak to a live person. I spent hours over the course of three redialing in a panic at all hours of the day, and sent two frantic e-mails. I NEVER ONCE GOT THROUGH to a live person. Thankfully, after a week, someone answered my e-mails and got my problem fixed, but holy crap was it frustrating as all hell.

@5 - Seriously. Why can't they hire some of the people filing claims to answer the phones? (Yeah, yeah, budgets and stuff... I know. But really.)

Posted by Tori on February 5, 2009 at 1:08 PM

@3 - I promise you that 30 minute wait time will become 90 minutes.

Posted by gillsans on February 5, 2009 at 1:27 PM

We've got the exact same problem here in Portland East (that's Maine). Our message says, "Due to a high volume of calls, we cannot take your call at this time. Please call back later." Click.

Fortunately, I'm back to work! For now....

Posted by catsnbanjos on February 5, 2009 at 2:12 PM

Seriously, if they are understaffed they SHOULD hire, or at least contract out for some additional help. Classify them as temp workers, so they can be gotten rid of when our financial meltdown is over...in four or five years.

Posted by michael strangeways on February 5, 2009 at 3:14 PM

a whole batch of NWCN people just got laid off today - including the meteorologist.

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 5, 2009 at 3:43 PM

unemployment is great for going to AA. if you don't have money, and you can't stop from drinking, it's a great way to spend time in the middle of trying to get a job.

Posted by stay sober, stay positive on February 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM

Will, you can usually file online if your work history has been in Washington for the past 18 months and you don't have any "weird" cases in your work history. But if you hit one of those "weird" cases, or you worked in another state very recently, you unfortunately have to call the number, and there's no other option, as far as I know. :-/

Posted by mackro mackro on February 5, 2009 at 3:49 PM