Screw CA Unemployment and the horse they rode in on!

[The Straight Story]

I won't bore you with the long details of all this but CA UE owes me about 9k, minus 2k they say I owe them for not being honest on my initial claim - I said I worked for X company last, I was laid off by 2 companies in the same month - well one company decided at the end to keep me on the books 2 weeks later than they said so I looked like I was lying and they fined me...

At any rate My claim goes back to Oct 5th and I filled out paper work for a month's work of checks. Here I am in near mid December and they have not sent me any more paperwork and when I call I just get a recording that they are very busy, call back another time, goodbye.

Now they owe ME (since they kept the first few checks for payback) and they are not sending me my forms to fill nor are they answering their phones. Christmas is two weeks away, shut off notices, etc all of which I could pay if they would get off their butts and send me the paperwork.

Or they could just deny me which means I could collect my 20 more weeks of Ohio Unemployment which would go back to August and I would get a lump sum and then some, but I have nothing from CA at all to show where I am at and no more claims for weekly benefits to fill out and mail back (In Ohio it is all online, CA is in the stone age of computers).

By now I should have been ok and life should have been back to somewhat normal - instead I am at the mercy of some bureaucrats who can't seem to answer a phone, let me leave a message, or send me the basic paperwork which they sent once already for recording my status so I can get a check.

Even if, by some miracle of God I got something in the mail tomorrow it would still be a few weeks before I got a check from them.

If only I were AIG or a bank I could just have em hand me some money on a silver platter.

Fuck em all.

/rant off

[napi21]

1. I can't guarantee this will work with them, but it's worth a try.

quite a while ago, before there was internet access, I needed to contact the IRS. I got the same "all lines are busy" BS, or a busy. I found out that they begin work at 8:30AM. I called the number at 8:15AM and just let the phone ring. Of course nobody would answer it until 8:30, but I did get through. It might be worth a try. Also, have you tried going to their office in person? You might have to wait for a while, but they don't usually throw you out!

[villager]

2. They look for any and all excuses not to pay, SS....

Last time I tried to use them -- to get money that I had, ostensibly, paid in to my own account! -- there were so many hoops, for so little money, it was scarcely worth it.

Of course, I had to stretch some credit cards that summer....

Best to you, as you step inside in the pages of a Joseph Heller -- or do I mean Kafka? -- novel with that particular bureau...

[scorpiogirl]

3. Call Arnold's office seriously.

My husband was out of work all summer and I tried for weeks to call EDD with questions. I finally got bitchy enough about it and called Arnold's office rather irate actually. We were immediately connected directly to someone at EDD and then connected to customer service. The second time we had to do this they took our number and called us back. The good news is that they were able to deal with our issue (denied claims due to mistakes/confusion on the claim form) over the phone and mail out a check. What really irks me is that they tell you there is a mistake or incorrect answer on the form, but they never say what it is so you can fix it. It's a whole guessing game.

My husband will be out of work again at the end of the month so we'll be dealing with EDD's lame asses all over again.

BTW, I don't think they EVER answer the phone and they like it that way. I was ready to rip out someone's throat over that. So many people trying to get their money and no one to help. I can empathize with you completely. Good luck...I know it sucks.

[The Straight Story]

4. Just called em

Got an alternative number I tried and still nothing....arrrgh!

[scorpiogirl]

5. Wouldn't they connect you?

I would try again and tell them you want to speak with a person at EDD to leave a message for a call back because that number isn't working. I know it's frustrating, I'm sorry.

[The Straight Story]

6. They did that last year when I called

Now it seems they just give you a number...will try again and see where I can get. Thanks!

[tabbycat31]

7. contact your state rep/senator/assemblyperson

Not sure how CA government works (I'm still trying to learn NJ) but contact your state representative.