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Monday, February 9, 2009

Economy Notes from the Unemployment Line

Posted by Eli Sanders on Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 4:15 PM

Washington's Senate Majority Leader, Lisa Brown (D-Spokane), was here at The Stranger offices this afternoon for a brief interview, so I asked her about all the Slog complaints (including here and here) regarding insane wait times at the state's unemployment benefits call center.

Brown, like others, told me the center was under-staffed and is trying to remedy the situation. “I understand they’re trying to ramp it up," she said.

And why is it that six months after unemployment claims began spiking in Washington State, our unemployment benefits call center still cannot meet demand? Couldn't some of this state's unemployed citizens be put to work at the Employment Security Department's call center answering urgent phone calls from other unemployed citizens seeking help with their benefit claims? Brown:

I think it sounds like they screwed up. I think that’s pretty clear.

More on this in a story I'm writing for this week's Stranger.

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Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Uh, gigantic budget shortfall + huge spike in unemployment claims = no money to hire people and resources to ramp up unemployment benefits office?

That's my guess.

Posted by tiktok on February 9, 2009 at 4:28 PM

I think the Seattle Times already did a story on this last Friday :

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lo…

Do you REALLY expect a state government with severe budget shortfalls of its own to be proactive rather than reactive?

They wouldn't need so many people answering frustrated filers phone calls if the ESD (or legislature?) would cut down on the complex and confusing and contradictory maze of rules and procedures that must be followed to the LETTER in order to get a benefit check.

I will say this, too: The people I spoke to about my claim last year (when I only had to wait on hold for 40 minutes) were compassionate, helpful, and genuinely interested in making sure I got every cent I was eligible for. They were as frustrated with some of the rules and hoops as I was, but they got my checks flowing, thank goodness.

So Eli, think about where you focus your ink.

Posted by Jakey on February 9, 2009 at 5:01 PM

I think it sounds like they have no interest in fixing the problem. I think that's pretty clear.

Posted by mattymatt on February 9, 2009 at 5:06 PM

I was on unemployment in 2001.

I remember I did it all via the web....never a wait.

Posted by Ever Hear Of A Browser? on February 9, 2009 at 5:15 PM

@4 - actually when filing online yesterday i received a message for several hours saying that there was too much traffic, and so i spent a good part of my day trying to file online...so apparently even their network is overworked...

Posted by unemployed in the 21st century on February 9, 2009 at 7:47 PM