I hate automated phone systems. Especially when trying to talk to the Non-Employment people.
During the shutdown at work, I filed a claim with the Non-Employment folk. Not that I needed the money, just to cover things in case future unscheduled time off happened. Here lately, that seems to be a big concern for a LOT of folk. And I do not relish the thought of having to wait a week of "waiting period" in the event I need a paycheck.
So, I made the phone call and answered all the questions. Then listened to all my answers repeated back to verify all information was "true and accurate":
"Did not work"; check
"Available for work": check
"No Holiday pay": check
"Received Vacation pay": check
"Amount of $XXX.XX": check
And so it went for what felt like a full week at work. I guess they figure if you are off work, you have time to waste on the phone instead of looking for work. "Earning your wages", so to speak.
Three days later I get my "Official Looking Letter" in the mail. They tell me they can't process my claim as I "worked hours", but didn't declare my income. To please call the number above and talk to a "real person".
*Most curious Captain. And illogical.*
Oh sure! Early afternoon, the day before Christmas, and EVERYONE with a bad claim will be calling in. Especially since the offices would be closed till the following Monday. I tried anyway. Hey, you never know.
No luck. All I got was a recording asking me all the information needed for the computer to go look for my stuff. After giving everything but a pint of blood, it tells me that "due to the large number of calls waiting, please call back" --*CLICK*
*Hal. Open the pod bay doors....Hal?*
My sights were now set on Monday. EARLY Monday. VERY EARLY Monday.
Monday morning I hit the phones EARLY. No good, busy signal. Called back, busy. Called back, busy. I called back so many times I lost count. But I LOVE speed redial. Wore the printing off the buttons.
After several "...busy, call back later. *CLICK*" routines, I finally got into a "holding pattern" to speak with a live person. 45 minutes (no lie, I timed the whole mess) after listening to countless "in-house" advertisements on how to use their "automated phone systems and Internet access" (both of which, by the way, tells you NOTHING, won't let you find out ANYTHING, and the "best fits your need" navigation system is as ambiguous as a political promise) I get the "Gatekeepers" robotic voice jump into my ear and tell me "due to technical difficulties, you will have to call back." *CLICK*
*Sorry Dave*
I went to lunch at that time to protect the structural integrity of the house. The idea of punching a wall flashed through my mind and was immediately followed by a flash-back of what a broken wrist feels like. Hence, the "leave and lunch" idea.
After lunch, and settled down, I started calling again. At 1:40 I finally got put back into a "holding pattern". 2:35 a "real person" answered. And that wall started looking good again.
All snotty and condescending, she says, "Well, of course your claim wasn't processed, you had worked time you didn't report."
M: I didn't report any worked time.
S&C: Exactly. You only reported vacation time.
M: That's all I had. And that's what I reported. And YOUR phone system repeated back to me that I had no worked hours, but had vacation pay to the tune of $XXX.XXX
*It's quite elementary Dear Watson*
S&C: So, exactly...when was...the last time you..."physically"...worked?
M: The Friday before the week being claimed.
*DU-OH*
*keyboard/calculator noises in the background* S&C: Your claim's been corrected and will be processed. Is there anything else you need help with?
M: No.
S&C: Then have a good day. Goodbye. *CLICK*
I think the "Gatekeeper" was a wiser hire than that "real person".
*Don't you agree, Mr. Anderson*
And it wasn't just me. A coworker and I have been trading e-mails during the time off and comparing notes. He filed on the computer and he's had similar problems with both of his filings (he's filing for all of his time off). And had to do the same thing, call and wait. He said the person he talked to (coincidently, around the same time I got through) sounded like they were a call or two away from a nervous breakdown. And he has at least one more round of this to do.
Institutes happen. (sometimes)
(pop quiz: who caught all the references? c'mon, they were easy.))
I have the shock of the year for you....Chew caught and could name all of the movie references correctly. I told you it would be a shock :)
Posted by: CK | January 01, 2009 at 02:42 PM
In NH, We wouldn't even bother filing - getting paid vacation time is the same as working (so is being paid any compensation whatsoever). Also, getting the week's wait done with for the year - we have to wait a week for each claim. Each state is obviously different.
Posted by: Bogie | January 02, 2009 at 06:02 AM
CK: No, I'm really not shocked Chew could name them. That's right down his alley.
Bogie: Vacation, Holiday, or any worked hours, counts against benefits. However, if you make less than your benefit amount, then you are eligible. In my case, it should satisfy my "waiting week" period. Then, if more shutdowns happen, I won't have to wait to receive payment. And like yours, I have to wait till the week off is over to even file a claim.
Posted by: Wichi Dude | January 02, 2009 at 08:33 AM
I'm not sure we are understanding each other. In NH, you have to wait a week before benefits kick in, each time you are unemployed. The first week that you claim (first week off), is not EVER paid for, ragardless of how many times you are unemployed during the year.
It sounds to me like you are saying that once you get a week off, uncompensated by unemployment, then any subsequent time you file in the year, you get paid for each week off.
Additionally, our unemployement compensation is so low, that if you are compensated for more than 1.5 days that week, effectively you won't get anything.
Posted by: bogie | January 02, 2009 at 01:51 PM
it all sounds like a nightmare to me. no fun any of it.
Posted by: bod | January 04, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Bogie: WOW! Didn't know NH was such a tight-wad. So, as I understand this, EVERY time you are unemployeed, the first week of THAT event, is unpaid. No matter how recently you filed a claim. If so, I bet it cools the jets of the abusers of the system.
For us, once you satisfy your yearly (12 month rolling) waiting period, you are eligible for benefits. As it turned out, apparently I had satisfied the requirement. I received a payment, minus what I'd earned (of course). Our compensation is based on a percentage of several previous Quarter's earnings. I figured mine to be about 50%.
I've only filed a couple times in my career. Usually I just use vacation as, if needed, we normally only shutdown for a week or two. But as I said in the post, with the economy, more time off is possible. So I am just trying to cover as many bases as possible. If we end up with an extended slowdown, vacation probably wouldn't cover it all.
Posted by: Wichi Dude | January 04, 2009 at 03:08 PM
Gee...the things that I learn. There was a year (1985) when there were only 6 weeks (scattered) that I actually drew pay for working, through July. However, instead of asking them to lay me off so that I could draw unemployment, I had them pay me for 40 hours per week of compensatory time off that I had accummulated during 1984. I did go to my office a lot during those months, to check out leads for programs that I could sell, and I finally found a program on which to work in mid-August. From then on, with that employer, I always found another program to work on before finishing whatever I was doing.
The only time that I left employment by a company's request (layoff), I was able to find employment before my actual layoff date and missed not one day's work. The way my employment history worked out sounds to have been much easier than dealing with unemployment. Better you should have to deal with that! ; )
Posted by: Cop Car | January 04, 2009 at 06:05 PM
Living through that...the Georgia system seems a lot easier...almost too easy.
Just Damn!
Posted by: Dax Montana | February 05, 2009 at 02:25 PM