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Wow, I'm speechless. Thank you all for your help. After HOURS on the phone with UI, none of this was explained to me. I come here and get an answer from you fine folks in a few minutes. Much thanks.
NONE of this was explained to me when the temp agency offered me the 3 month contract. I still have his original emails that ask if I want a 3 month job and I forwarded them to the UI resolution address, but I'm not sure who will see that and when. All the conversations about the future were done on the phone and they didn't have any work to offer me when the 3 month contract ended. Looking back now, I believe they wanted the client to change their mind and hire me full time (the position was originally a full time position, the client had just decided they only wanted 3 months when the job was offered to me) after I left, thinking the client would realize they needed a full time permanent staff. Its clear now that all the damning conversations about their lack of work were deliberately left out of emails.
For weeks I have tried to get through on the phone and haven't been able. I just went again on Tuesday, got 2 hour parking and walked up to see a line downtown Boston that went out the door and down the block. I stayed for 1/2 hour and did the math in my head and realized that it would take at least another hour just to get near the door, never mind going inside and signing up so I made a call at home later instead and got through. I explained to the person on the phone that I have been without my UI payment for 12 weeks now and asked when I would hear from a claims adjuster. He said they would call me when they call me. No promises. So I said "so, it could be 12 MORE weeks? Or never? Or 3 years? Do I have NO rights? Is there NOONE I can talk to about this?". He said "Don't take that attitude! We are all very busy here!". I said, "how about you pay me my benefit while I'm forced to wait then", he said "that's not how we do it". "So, the employer lied, and you believe him, and I get nothing and have no rights while I wait?". He said a claims adjuster would call me when he got around to calling me.
Well, everyone who is offered a temp job should understand that the temp agent may act nice, shake your hand and tell you that you did a good job and he will be in touch, like mine did, but they WILL stab you in the back. I wish I'd known my rights back then. I may have taken the job anyway, but only after getting EVERYTHING in writing stipulating that they would not contest my UI unless they gave me a comparable job when it ended. At this point, taking that 3 month job has cost me 4 months of unemployment. In the end, I may have worked that job for free.
I am surprised that line was that long. I have gone there now twice - the one on Staniford Street... I think I went around noon. I swear I waited in the seating area 5 minutes and it was my turn and I was out in 15minutes.
Did you also know that there is a Career Source on Alwife, they have someone from the unemployment place coming there on Tuesdays ( I believe ) I am not so sure how long you would have to wait there, cause I tried to talk to someone there a couple of times and it was busy - that's why I went downtown.
Can you perhaps take the train downtown so you have more time ?
I think I would start doing what Ariadne suggested and start calling state reps and start complaining... but I also think I would try to talk to someone again in person.
I think I would start doing what Ariadne suggested and start calling state reps and start complaining
ASAP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mosela
but I also think I would try to talk to someone again in person.
At this point, he's wasting his time. He's already gone through the frontline reps - which is a useless endeavor because the matter is under review higher up.
The frontline reps have NO CONTROL over what happens at the review level.
OP needs to get very IN YOUR FACE and start making a lot of noise at levels where people can intervene and make things happen.
After three months with NO ACTION, the time is long past to be nice.
In this case, nice guys finish last - or, more aptly, never get their money.
I know you think the wait is terrible, but now that you know what you're up against when a temp agency is involved, you'll be so much more prepared to show that you did have contact with the agency, and will be in a much stronger position to show that you were discharged for lack of work rather than "quit" because you didn't contact the agency.
So think of it as a blessing in disguise, and contact your state rep to put pressure from the top. Generally, by policy, a determination is rendered in 21 days and no more than 28 days. You are well outside this limits.
I don't want to change the subject but I have a question related to this for you all:
I live in MA too and I am currently unemployed. I am currently on Tier 1. I am about to go on an interview in a couple of hours for a temp job that is for 3 months. There is no possible extension or the possibility of it being a perm job.
I figured it gets me of unemployment and I could look for something else in the meantime Reading rongianti's issue now really has me worried. What do I do now ? Should I just stay clear of all temp jobs all together ?
It depends. If your UI benefits are running out next week, then a temp job might be just what you need. When you're two weeks on UI, then I think a temp job is a terrible thing.
Also, I would consider what a temp job pays vs what I'm collecting as a weekly benefit. You're in MA, so you might have a $500+/wk benefit. I'd never consider a $525/wk temp job as ok in a case like that because an incremental $25 isn't worth the drive or giving up 40 hours/wk of my life. Because of the tax treatment, commuting, and other working expenses, you'll actually NET less than on UI.
It's a very individualized decision. The thing I see is that too many seem to think it's better to be working, and my position is that it's better to have income even if it's from UI rather than work a high-risk, unemployment-killing temp job.
It depends. If your UI benefits are running out next week, then a temp job might be just what you need. When you're two weeks on UI, then I think a temp job is a terrible thing.
Also, I would consider what a temp job pays vs what I'm collecting as a weekly benefit. You're in MA, so you might have a $500+/wk benefit. I'd never consider a $525/wk temp job as ok in a case like that because an incremental $25 isn't worth the drive or giving up 40 hours/wk of my life. Because of the tax treatment, commuting, and other working expenses, you'll actually NET less than on UI.
It's a very individualized decision. The thing I see is that too many seem to think it's better to be working, and my position is that it's better to have income even if it's from UI rather than work a high-risk, unemployment-killing temp job.
Well, the job would pay way more then my unemployment.
Here are my concerns: I know this is only a 3 month contract, maybe it could go longer, chances are slim.
My worries are that when my contract is over and I try to get back on unemployment, that I have similar issues then rongianti. How can prevent that from happening if I do decide to take the job ?
You save your money, and documentation, and if you have a bad temp agency, you'll be in a position to get your benefits back, but there's not much you can do about a slow UI process other than to claim to your state reps.
You save your money, and documentation, and if you have a bad temp agency, you'll be in a position to get your benefits back, but there's not much you can do about a slow UI process other than to claim to your state reps.
Thank you for the advice.
I am still thinking - not like that have called be back yet ... and I also have some other positions I am working on.
I wrote a letter and mailed it to the Problem Resolution address for MA and they assigned someone to look into my situation. I had an email trail with the temp agency clearly showing that the contract was just for 3 months. After 2 more weeks she finally called the temp agency herself and they tried to say I quit and didn't want more work. She asked if the contract I was under ended and they said "yes, but he said he didn't want more work" which was not true. She said that if the contract ended and there was no further work, that is a layoff, not a quit and she found in my favor, after 4 months of hold up.
Contacting your state reps is a great idea if you are in this situation, but they didn't help me as fast as that one helpful UI employee did.
If you are looking at a contract job in MA, you must understand that THE BURDEN TO PROVE THAT THE CONTRACT ENDED FALLS ON THE EMPLOYEE, NOT THE CONTRACT FIRM. This is ridiculous, of course, since they will ALWAYS say you quit regardless of the real situation. I would consider a contract job again (what choice do we have? Many jobs that were full time permanent 10 years ago are now contract temp to perm) but I would make DAMN sure to have an email trail showing that 1. the job was a temp contract with a start and end date, 2. you sent multiple emails on your last week of work to the temp agency begging for an extension of the contract or a "similar" contract at another company. Also, be VERY careful to read any paper work they ask you to sign! They will SPECIFICALLY mention that the burden to get further work with the temp agency falls on the employee in your contract! Either cross it off and initial it before signing, or work twice as hard to fulfill that requirement when the contract ends. Finally, show up in person at the agency the final week and the next week with a news paper and take a picture of yourself with the news paper showing you were there on those dates looking for more work. Crazy? Yes. But the law in MA says the burden is on the employee, make sure you fill that crazy burden or kiss any further UI goodbye when the temp contract ends.
Thank you all for your support through this difficult process!
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