How can I get through to the unemployment people?

My son went through several levels of hell trying to deal with the unemployment office. They purposefully set it up to be difficult, hoping many will just give up.

What worked best for me was calling my case worker and waiting a week or two for her to get back to me.

When he had to get through quickly, my roomie had eventual success by taking their number – for example, 123–456-7890 – and trying variations on the last two digits – like, 123–456-7891, 123–456-7892, etc. – till he got a living person.

What a cluster. I called the Dept of Commerce. She said she didn’t know why they said I needed to register with them. I’m supposed to register with the Unemployment Office. She gave me another number, but it was the same old same old.

Oh…good idea @wildpotato!

It’s probably not that they want it to be difficult, hoping you’ll give up, as per @filmfann‘s theory. It’s probably that the Dept of Labor is short-staffed, with all of the government staff cuts (take it from me, someone who works in government).

Many people don’t care when government workers are laid off, but it does translate into issues like this – longer waits for services.

That, plus it’s the holidays. I imagine they’re really short staffed, more than usual.

I’m thinking that proof of sending through e-mail should do it, but I’ve sent stuff before that never came back “undeliverable” and yet the other guy didn’t receive it.

Did you send your letter by certified mail (so someone has to sign for it, and that you get a paper receipt)? If not fill out a new form now, and make sure it arrives well before the due date. That paper receipt may be your only proof, so guard it carefully.

@snowberry Hey hi! Well, the due date has come and gone. It said to return within 7 days of the mailing date. The mailing date was the 17. I got it on the 19th, which was a Friday. With everything going on I didn’t really look at it until the following Monday. Well, the due date was the next day, Christmas Eve. I busted my butt to get it all out. I should have sent it certified, but didn’t think of it till later. However, I did save the proof of the fax info. HOPEFULLY I can get ahold of someone tomorrow.

It is such a cluster. The gal at the Dept of Commerce said she didn’t know why the letter said I needed to register with them because I need to register with the Unemployment people. I mean, this is a form letter, probably has been the same for years and it’s WRONG? And there was no indication of how I was supposed to register with whomever I was supposed to register with. Was the app I sent in considered registering?

Government agencies just suck much of the time. Thanks George Washington.

Proof of fax info should do it then.

I’m wondering if some bright bulb in that government office sent you the wrong form.

Yeah, and I’ll be denied because of it. But the gal at the Dept of Commerce said, “I don’t know why they send that form out,” like, this wasn’t the first time she’d heard this complaint.

When I called them, it didn’t even go to an automated machine. A human female answered the phone. I was so excited to actually get a hold of a human so fast that I talked to her about stuff I didn’t even need to!