NC Unemployment - Question for my husband (how much, employment)

[ctribucher]

My husband was laid off from his job on 1/5/09 and received about one month's worth of severance.

He filed his claim for unemployment on 2/2/09 via the NC Employment Security Commission's Web site. Three days later, he received via snail mail an acknowledgment that his claim is being processed.

Fast forward to today - we've not received any payments from unemployment. He has spent countless hours on the phone holding to speak with a representative. On the three times he has gotten through, he has been told that:

1. Your claim is being processed, please be patient
2. We will "flag" your file and someone will get back to you by the end of this week (this was one month ago)
3. Don't come to the unemployment office in person, we will contact you via phone

I certainly understand that the unemployment offices must be overwhelmed now, and others are in the same boat... But, we have been waiting for a grand total of 52 business days (10 weeks!) and we haven't heard a thing since that snail mail letter.

Do we have any recourse? Is there anyone out there that we can contact for assistance? Even if someone could just tell us when the claim will be processed, that knowledge would be so helpful.

TIA for any suggestions you may have.

[jdljr]

Originally Posted by ctribucher

My husband was laid off from his job on 1/5/09 and received about one month's worth of severance.

He filed his claim for unemployment on 2/2/09 via the NC Employment Security Commission's Web site. Three days later, he received via snail mail an acknowledgment that his claim is being processed.

Fast forward to today - we've not received any payments from unemployment. He has spent countless hours on the phone holding to speak with a representative. On the three times he has gotten through, he has been told that:

1. Your claim is being processed, please be patient
2. We will "flag" your file and someone will get back to you by the end of this week (this was one month ago)
3. Don't come to the unemployment office in person, we will contact you via phone

I certainly understand that the unemployment offices must be overwhelmed now, and others are in the same boat... But, we have been waiting for a grand total of 52 business days (10 weeks!) and we haven't heard a thing since that snail mail letter.

Do we have any recourse? Is there anyone out there that we can contact for assistance? Even if someone could just tell us when the claim will be processed, that knowledge would be so helpful.

TIA for any suggestions you may have.

Despite what they've told him, I would have him go to the ESC office in person. He can meet one-on-one with a consultant who can look at his claim with him and let him know the specific reason/issue he hasn't been paid. Ten weeks is unacceptable and no one usually waits that long to be paid unless there are separation issues that have to be resolved or appeals that have to be heard (those can take weeks and weeks...and weeks). He's not even to an appeal stage yet, though, but the consultant should be able to look at the claim on their system and tell him its status RIGHT THEN - WHY it isn't being paid. Right now, non-issue (lack of work) claims are being paid very timely...days, not weeks.

Don't forget, the first week is the non-payable waiting week. Subsequent weeks are payable. He'll need to certify each week either online of by phone. Payment is usually issued the same day people certify. Notice I said issued...it can take up to 48 hours for the payment to make its way through the banking system to your debit card or checking account. When his payments finally do start, he should receive a debit card that he'll have to activate, and each week the payments will be added to that debit card. You can also elect to have direct deposit into a savings or checking account.

The debit card can be used to get cash at any ATM (fees may apply, but at a Wachovia branch they allow a couple of free ATM withdrawals each month since the cards are through Wachovia). The card can also be used like any other debit card for purchases say, at WalMart, and you can get cash back with that purchase at no charge.

But I know, right now he just wants to be PAID! He doesn't care how!

[ctribucher]

Thanks so much for this info, jdljr.

This whole situation is very upsetting and frustrating, especially since we can't get our questions answered. I'm going to forward this info along to him... we need to get this resolved soon!

Originally Posted by jdljr

Despite what they've told him, I would have him go to the ESC office in person. He can meet one-on-one with a consultant who can look at his claim with him and let him know the specific reason/issue he hasn't been paid. Ten weeks is unacceptable and no one usually waits that long to be paid unless there are separation issues that have to be resolved or appeals that have to be heard (those can take weeks and weeks...and weeks). He's not even to an appeal stage yet, though, but the consultant should be able to look at the claim on their system and tell him its status RIGHT THEN - WHY it isn't being paid. Right now, non-issue (lack of work) claims are being paid very timely...days, not weeks.

Don't forget, the first week is the non-payable waiting week. Subsequent weeks are payable. He'll need to certify each week either online of by phone. Payment is usually issued the same day people certify. Notice I said issued...it can take up to 48 hours for the payment to make its way through the banking system to your debit card or checking account. When his payments finally do start, he should receive a debit card that he'll have to activate, and each week the payments will be added to that debit card. You can also elect to have direct deposit into a savings or checking account.

The debit card can be used to get cash at any ATM (fees may apply, but at a Wachovia branch they allow a couple of free ATM withdrawals each month since the cards are through Wachovia). The card can also be used like any other debit card for purchases say, at WalMart, and you can get cash back with that purchase at no charge.

But I know, right now he just wants to be PAID! He doesn't care how!

[anifani821]

I agree w/ JDL - forget what he has been told on the phone. He needs to head to ESC and stay til he has some answers. His severance did cause a delay, but 10 weeks seems excessive to me. I believe any severance you receive equates to extending the start date w/ getting benefits. So that should have delayed it by four weeks, then add week # 5 as the "waiting period" . . . that should put him at about the date to have started getting checks last week. I would take a book and a bottle of water in case there is a line, and go find out face to face what the status of his claim is.

[ctribucher]

Hi ani - I have an update to the saga.

DH actually reached a real live person on the phone yesterday at the ESC. (Yes, he did get her name and phone number!)

She was able to research his claim. We learned that the claim had been "closed" because the HR person at his former company was laid off, and they could not verify his claim with anyone else (!!!). Did they tell us about it? Nope! So they closed the claim and we were waiting and waiting for funds that were never on the way.

DH was told to restart his claim online. He filed this morning, and got past the first round of screening (he says it is 5 questions, to verify eligibility). Then, he has to go online again on Sunday and file for next week.

The rep he spoke with said that should take care of things, and he should be receiving his payment next week.

Encouraging yes - but I'll believe it when I see the bank statement.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by ctribucher

Hi ani - I have an update to the saga.

DH actually reached a real live person on the phone yesterday at the ESC. (Yes, he did get her name and phone number!)

She was able to research his claim. We learned that the claim had been "closed" because the HR person at his former company was laid off, and they could not verify his claim with anyone else (!!!). Did they tell us about it? Nope! So they closed the claim and we were waiting and waiting for funds that were never on the way.

DH was told to restart his claim online. He filed this morning, and got past the first round of screening (he says it is 5 questions, to verify eligibility). Then, he has to go online again on Sunday and file for next week.

The rep he spoke with said that should take care of things, and he should be receiving his payment next week.

Encouraging yes - but I'll believe it when I see the bank statement.

Okay. This is absolutely insane!!!!!!!!

However, if you get that check in . . . I guess all is well that ends well. Still, I have never heard of anything so ridiculous! At least the person he spoke w/ bothered to get some answers!

I hope this all works out quickly. Being out of work is so stressful. Being out of work and waiting for the check that never comes is hell.

[jdljr]

Originally Posted by ctribucher

She was able to research his claim. We learned that the claim had been "closed" because the HR person at his former company was laid off, and they could not verify his claim with anyone else (!!!). Did they tell us about it? Nope! So they closed the claim and we were waiting and waiting for funds that were never on the way.

DH was told to restart his claim online. He filed this morning, and got past the first round of screening (he says it is 5 questions, to verify eligibility). Then, he has to go online again on Sunday and file for next week.

The rep he spoke with said that should take care of things, and he should be receiving his payment next week.

Encouraging yes - but I'll believe it when I see the bank statement.

This makes no sense to me, it's not how it's supposed to be done!

When someone files their UI claim they state the reason for separation from the employer - layoff/lack of work, quit, discharged - and then a form is sent to the employer "to get their side of the story" - their reason for the separation. The employer has 10 days to respond in writing.

If the employer does not respond within those 10 days, then there is a determination made on the claim based just on the claimants statement. For lack of work claims, most all are in favor of the claimant and the claimant begins to be paid. Even then, a statement is sent to the employer to let them know that "John Smith is collecting unemployment benefits on your account".

The employer can then appeal that decision if they don't feel the claimant should be collecting benefits (for example, the employee said they were laid off, but the employer really fired the employee), even if they did not respond, or respond timely the first time. If this happens, the benefits still continue and an appeal hearing will be scheduled (by phone usually). If the appeal finds in favor of the employee, benefits will continue. If the appeal finds in favor of the employer, most likely benefits will immediately stop and then someone will determine whether the paid benefits will have to be repaid to ESC. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Yes, especially if it's determined that there was intent to defraud the system.

But even if the employers form is returned late, it can't be counted when making the initial determination.

So really, his claim should have just been determined based on his statements when he filed the claim, NOT CLOSED!

I hope this time everything is on the right track for you.

[ctribucher]

Thanks, ani and jdl, for your replies.

This whole experience has been disappointing and frustrating, to say the least. I won't believe that his claim has been "approved" or "processed" or whatever until we see the money in his account (he opted for direct deposit).

We have both paid into the system, and when we have a need, we get the runaround. Meanwhile, we have cut back on all unnecessary expenses (really, you would never meet a grown woman who eats as many PB&J sandwiches as I have recently!) just to make sure we can get by only on my salary, which has been very difficult. DH made almost double my salary, so we really took a hit when he was laid off.

I'm sure there are others out there in a similar situation and our case is not unique. I sincerely appreciate the help provided as well as the opportunity to vent my frustrations to some folks on this board who have shown sympathy to me. I can't thank you enough for that.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by ctribucher

Thanks, ani and jdl, for your replies.

This whole experience has been disappointing and frustrating, to say the least. I won't believe that his claim has been "approved" or "processed" or whatever until we see the money in his account (he opted for direct deposit).

We have both paid into the system, and when we have a need, we get the runaround. Meanwhile, we have cut back on all unnecessary expenses (really, you would never meet a grown woman who eats as many PB&J sandwiches as I have recently!) just to make sure we can get by only on my salary, which has been very difficult. DH made almost double my salary, so we really took a hit when he was laid off.

I'm sure there are others out there in a similar situation and our case is not unique. I sincerely appreciate the help provided as well as the opportunity to vent my frustrations to some folks on this board who have shown sympathy to me. I can't thank you enough for that.

By the time you have reached my age, it would be the rare person who has not gone through tough times. Some people have floated thru/ life but most have NOT. These are the times when you dig down and find out just how resourceful you are, i.e. PBJ sandwiches. You find out just how much you can give up or defer or just plain do without.

Don't ever hesitate to ask for support, assistance, advice . . . there are plenty of us out here who know how nerve-wracking it is to wait for that check that never comes.

[symbiotevenom25]

hi there this seems like the right thread for me i got a notice from the unemployment office called the wage transcript and monetary determination and it says my weekly ammnt will be 122.00 for 26 weeks but i got this like a week and a half ago and have yet to see a card come to me!am i missing something?please please help me understand!! please email me at symbiotevenom25@yahoo.com if u can help me!!