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The Joy of Calling the Unemployment Office (NOT)

Date published: October 24, 2008

If you call during the day, you get the famous government call center blowoff (the same one you get when you try to call the I.R.S.) "we are too busy to handle your call at this time.  Try again later.  RIGHT.  All I wanted was the automated info on my check and that couldn't even be managed?  They also said the best time to call was before 7am or after 5pm or any time on weekends.  Nice.

So I woke up early and called, and got tangled up in their miserable Phone Prompt Tree From Hell.  For English, press 1...and on and on...They stated their office was closed and their office hours.  However, recorded information is available 24/7.  If you are calling for your check status, Records are updated at 6am daily.  It is not necessary to call more than once a day for check status.  You must enter your social security number and PIN in order to access your information" at least 3 times.  Then they stated that their office was closed and if I wished to speak to an agent, call back after 8am.  They then repeated their hours and said automated information was available 24/7 but check information was only available between 6am and midnight Monday - Friday, and some shortened version on weekends.  "You must enter your social security numbere and PIN in order to access your information.  Records are updated at 6am daily.  It is not necessary to call more than once a day for check status."" ARGH!  Just because I'm unemployed does not mean I'm a dumb-ass!  "Check information is entered at 6am each day and is not updated again until the following day at 6am."  Okay, got it.  When do I enter my social to get my info?  Finally it prompted me and said "We are accessing your records.  Your records were last updated on October 24, 2008 at 6 AM."  Okay got that from what they said before...."Please enter your four digit PIN" which I did and fat fingered--it was early, dark, and my fingers were just waking up.  "We are accessing your records.  Your records were last updated on October 24, 2008 at 6AM..  The PIN you have entered is incorrect.  Please enter your four digit PIN."  I did it right this time.  "Your records were last updated on October 24, 2008 at 6AM."  I GOT THAT!!!!!!!  The system went on to tell me my check had been issued two days ago so I guess my check is somewhere in limbo and hopefully will come today...

Lessons Learned:  Call them between 6 and 7am, expect to spend at least 10 minutes and hear repeated information and finally "Records are updated at 6am daily.  It is not necessary to call more than once a day for check status."

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