Re: General EB Discussion - Ongoing

**Unemployed In Orlando** Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 pm

That is fantastic news Gonzo, way to go!! What a Face

**nancym** Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:03 am

Gonzo--That's great news about the appeals case finally being resolved. Congrats!

I assume you read my edit in my previous comment about the AARP thing as well as the original post. Neither of these people were AWI employees. I had also called a reliable AWI rep I've spoken to before and she explained that some of these agencies have no direct accountability to AWI, like the federal grant thru AARP out of Workforce1, so the chain of command is a bit ragged.

I really think that the worst problems we've had with AWI come not from the regular staff that have been there a while in Tallahassee, but from two groups--the upper level management who made decisions such as that insanity with the work search records, and from the dismal training that was given to all those call-center people they got under private contract.

I think they never imagined that this Recession would last so long or be so bad, so they didn't think they had to employ more regular staff (benefits, etc.) to deal with the problem. But as we've heard, they've now even had to move to bigger digs. AND hire more staff, at least temporarily.

BTW, are all those quaint and charming expressions you use considered "Montana-isms" or are they all just pulled out of your own imagination? Laughing

Sheila Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:12 am

GonzoFL wrote:Morning Sheila,

Well as I'm sure you know,HR3548 passed the House by a large margin. The ball is now in the Senates court and rumor has it they hope to deal with it quickly. There has been talk about the Senate adding to the bill...such as adding all states to the program and God knows what else. I live in Citrus and much like Marion County,there are no jobs here either....unless your a physical therapist or medical doctor. What I can tell you, is to stay tuned here for further updates. You mentioned up to 10 weeks to get benefits? I knew AWI was screwed up....but 10 weeks is a bit excessive....and since we are on the subject of AWI being screwed up....A friend of mine won her appeal for UC benefits on the 16th of this month.(yee haw) She has been filing for her benefits all along,just like your suppose to(since June09)....but still no check in the mail....hmmmmm....so I had her call the appeals office to see if there was a hold up. Nope...appeals says all systems go...all lights are green.....still no $$. So I had her call claims. Claims says appeals has not removed the "denied" from her account...appeals cries foul!!....yes we have. So it seems the different departments of AWI are not linked nor do they have the ability to communicate with one each other(smells like bull pucky to me) Claims now say's that she will have to fax her her letter from the appeals office that reversed her denial. So nothing I guess suprises me anymore when it comes from AWI. I think I will have her call Barbara Griffith,AWI's Dept. Director and see if this can't be rectified. They owe my friend quite a chunk of money and the stupid shits just don't want to pay up. Anyway...sorry, I do tend to rant....but I have no love for AWI's incompetence and inability to do their JOBS. I'd be happy to work from my home for AWI( I like that idea...fat chance of that)

Well thank you for the info Gonzo. I am so glad your friend won her appeal. It's a shame that people have to fight to get unemployment. Sometimes I think the state wants us all to live in tents in the forest.

Yeah, I was on unemployment and then I took a horrible telemarketing job for 2 months. I mean, horrid! (These people treat their employees like total garbage because they know the economy is so bad.) Luckily after 2 months they downsized and I was laid off again. It took 10 full weeks for me to receive my benefits again and I don't know how many phone calls. I almost lost my house over it. I'm still fighting with my mortgage company as they are refusing to work with me. It's like they are trying their best to get my house. The media claims these mortgage companies don't want your house, but that is so not true. I am also being taken to court by a creditor. Now, I am a single mom who hasn't been able to find decent work for almost 2 years now and am being taken to court by a large bank that would get bailed out if they had financial problems! Does that make sense? Sorry to seem so whiny, but the media has no clue how the unemployed are really being treated. It's all very frustrating.

I just ran out of my second extension and am apparently eligible for the 7 week extension that I have to apply for. Does anyone know anything about that one? Thanks in advance.

**GonzoFL** Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:49 am

Sheila,

Sounds like you have had a rough go and it continues. We all hope this chaos all ends soon. Your right about the media,they cherry pick and pretty up allot they report on...trying to keep the masses in check and appeased. Anyway...to your question....If your EUC hasn't exhausted,which appears it hasn't,you should not have to apply at all....it should be automatic. I'm not 100% sure of the order(Nancy has a post on here that shows the sequence of benefits) but it kind of goes like this: 26 weeks of regular benefits and 33 weeks of Emergency Unemployment Compensation(EUC) for a total of 59 weeks. After you exhaust the 59 wk's.....then you have to apply for Extended Benefits(EB)...which is 20 wk's. You can check your claim total on line and make sure it updates for the 7 weeks. If you don't know how to ck your claim on line...just let us know. If you have anymore questions or problems...just holler. pirat

Sheila Fri Sep 25, 2009 11:19 am

Hi there,

Actually, like most people in FL. It is only 20 weeks of regular, 17 weeks first extension and 13 weeks second. The unemployment office told me that when the second runs out, I HAVE to apply for the 7 and it would take 6 weeks to get. (Just saying what they told me). I was just wondering if anyone has done that yet. I appreciate the info though.

**OK--I actually got through to the unemployment office today. (You'll read about that in the NY times, "person in FL gets through to unemployment over the Phone, News at 11.". I might even become the "Person of the week" this week on the NBC nightly news, LOL)... Anyway, now they tell me that after my 2 Emergency extensions, I qualify for the EB for 20 weeks, not 7! Good news of course, but they need to make up their minds. So there is already a 3rd extension, but you have to apply for it at http://www.floridajobs.org It is NOT automatic. Hopefully this next extension that was approved this week by the senate, gets moving soon as well.

**GonzoFL** Fri Sep 25, 2009 1:58 pm

Well congratulations on getting through Sheila. So it looks like you join the ranks of EB now....and yes you do have to apply for it,pretty simple application on line. 20 weeks at whatever $$ you were being paid in the past,plus your $25.00 retention bonus. If your account balance from EUC hasn't zeroed out yet,you will be unable to apply for EB till it does. I assume you have been claiming your weeks on line and that can also be done with EB. Now,the big difference between EUC and EB is that with EB you will be required to provide and document two work searches per week ON DIFFERENT DAYS...if you don't want light saber wielding,ninja monkey's from Hell coming to your house....make sure your job search dates reflect differently for your 2 searches of that week. The searches can be conducted by phone,in person,fax,e-mail,snail mail,internet web site...you get the drift. AWI would like you to be diversified in your searches...but that is not absolute. So,20 weeks is a good thing for you...and like you say...with any luck the Senate will get on the stick and pass another extension soon. Glad you got a hold of a real person at AWI Sheila and have a smurphy weekend cheers

**GonzoFL** Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:25 pm

nancym wrote:Gonzo--That's great news about the appeals case finally being resolved. Congrats!

I assume you read my edit in my previous comment about the AARP thing as well as the original post. Neither of these people were AWI employees. I had also called a reliable AWI rep I've spoken to before and she explained that some of these agencies have no direct accountability to AWI, like the federal grant thru AARP out of Workforce1, so the chain of command is a bit ragged.

I really think that the worst problems we've had with AWI come not from the regular staff that have been there a while in Tallahassee, but from two groups--the upper level management who made decisions such as that insanity with the work search records, and from the dismal training that was given to all those call-center people they got under private contract.

I think they never imagined that this Recession would last so long or be so bad, so they didn't think they had to employ more regular staff (benefits, etc.) to deal with the problem. But as we've heard, they've now even had to move to bigger digs. AND hire more staff, at least temporarily.

BTW, are all those quaint and charming expressions you use considered "Montana-isms" or are they all just pulled out of your own imagination?

Yes Nancy I did read your post and I guess in the end I would suspect neither of us were suprised Shocked

There are some hard working and knowledgeable workers at AWI and many of us have been lucky enough to have been able to contact them.

As for my quaint and charming expressions....please....your too kind Nancy. Sarcastic and card carrying smart ass is more like it...and I'm guilty as charged. I believe allot of those "charming expressions" do come from 37 years in Montana. Eight month long winters give you way to much time to think up stuff...especially if you have any imagination at all. My wife says Montana's are the most sarcastic and smart ass people in the world(she moved to Montana when she was 2 years old,so she is under the assumption that she is exempt since she wasn't born there) I try to keep it all in jest and more often than not,skirt the edge of good taste....but when your blessed with a quick wit...what the hell can you do? Thanks for all your support and help on this forum Nancy. I see you have been appearing on OC again from time to time...good luck with that..lol....it's really getting hard to remain civil there(so many stupid statement,comments and questions( a proverbial gold mine for my....ummm...let's use your term..."charming expressions") Very Happy

Anyway...have a good weekend and let's hope the senate gets their poop in a group and we can move on...or we acquire gainful employment. Love,peace and chicken grease.
Gonzo.

**Unemployed In Orlando** Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:48 pm

lol @ "poop in a group" lol!

Gonzos' quotes are the best!!

studioWI Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:50 pm

**Unemployed In Orlando** Fri Oct 02, 2009 5:15 pm

studioWI wrote:

And do you have a question?? confused

**nancym** Fri Oct 02, 2009 10:52 pm

Unemployed In Orlando wrote:
studioWI wrote:

And do you have a question??

Heh-heh--studioWI is letting us know how HAPPY he is, UIO. That image has a link showing he just got two checks totalling over $2100 for retroactive EB!

(See his posts a page or two back for his situation.)

Congrats, StudioWI! Now you're caught up with the rest of us. cheers

**Unemployed In Orlando** Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:29 pm

OMG Im so retarded hahaha, CONGRATS!!!! cheers

Sheila Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:56 pm

Hi there,

I have a question about EB. I got on it OK, actually pretty quick. Now, I received the form for job search and what I have discovered is that they do not want to know when you job SEARCHED at all; they want to know what jobs you have APPLIED for. Big difference, the a-holes. OK--no problem, the first 2 weeks I had no problem filling in where I applied to, however, I have a week in which although I SEARCHED every day, there was absolutely no jobs to apply to. This is Ocala, we are lucky there are ANY jobs advertised at all.

My question is: what do you do in a situation like that? Do you apply for jobs your not qualified for like an RN or Bio-chemist??? We really do have some weeks where only medical jobs are available. I job search everyday, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day and do not want to be penalized because there is nothing out there that week. Has anyone run into that problem? Thanks in advance.

**nancym** Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:56 pm

Sheila wrote:Hi there,

I have a question about EB. I got on it OK, actually pretty quick. Now, I received the form for job search and what I have discovered is that they do not want to know when you job SEARCHED at all; they want to know what jobs you have APPLIED for. Big difference, the a-holes. OK--no problem, the first 2 weeks I had no problem filling in where I applied to, however, I have a week in which although I SEARCHED every day, there was absolutely no jobs to apply to. This is Ocala, we are lucky there are ANY jobs advertised at all.

My question is: what do you do in a situation like that? Do you apply for jobs your not qualified for like an RN or Bio-chemist??? We really do have some weeks where only medical jobs are available. I job search everyday, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day and do not want to be penalized because there is nothing out there that week. Has anyone run into that problem? Thanks in advance.

Two parts:

1) I have to admit that I never thought I would get to the point where I actually had a hard time even finding jobs to apply to, especially since I am seriously looking out of state as well as locally. But lately it has become increasingly hard to find anything that would have a remote chance that I would be called for an interview, and I'm not even in the hardest hit parts of the state.

But when I have a week like that I can always find something to apply for, just to show that I tried. You can always apply for stuff you're underqualified for--who knows, they might have another opening! (I'd try for companies that are at least remotely related to your former field of work.) And you can always apply to any company with a letter asking them if they have any openings now, and if not would they please keep your resume for possible future openings. (You'd be surprised how many jobs are filled that are never advertised; in fact that may be more the case now when jobs are filled by word of mouth to avoid the onslaught of too many resumes.) For that matter, you can use that tactic and just go through the phone book, sending out resumes. That's how many people who say they make hundreds of applications per month manage to do that. It's not that there are hundreds of appropriate openings in their town!

OR, you can always apply for some dumb craigslist job (www.craigslist.com) If you're not familiar with craigslist, they have lots of free ads for cheap employers, often project work or just low wage temp. Occasionally you'll see some good ads for FT jobs, but more often blind ads for odd jobs. Many long term unemployed have stretched their benefits dollars by getting small bits of employment here and there. You are obligated to report it, and they allow you $54 a week allowance before deducting from your check, but it extends your account balance to survive those gaps in benefit programs. But be aware that you may never hear back from the "dumb job" either--no matter, it's to prove you've been looking!

OR, you can apply on the 'net for out-of-state jobs. Since I am serious about moving for a decent enough job, that's not a problem for me. If you know you can't move, even for a good job offer (kids, house, or whatever issues), then it may be more difficult. But if that's a possibility, chances are no one will call you from out-of-state for an interview unless they are going to offer you enough to make it worth moving.

2) Did you already get to that week of the "missing job searches"? On the back of the work search form they give you suggestions that include things like going to a job fair, visiting the One-Stop Career Center, checking with your local union, etc. So if there were any places you actually went to look for work, that's a job search--just put down the name of the company, type of work you were looking for, etc., even if you never filled out an app. If you actually asked somebody somewhere if there was any work, or went places looking for wanted signs, that's a job search--just list the name of the store or wherever it was you looked.

In the end, it's "safer" I'm sure to make actual applications. But you can do that with the phone book method, too. That way you have actual documentation (copies of the cover letters you sent out, internet addresses, etc.) in case they call you for an audit. But the work search requirement, as frustrating as it is to never or rarely get an interview, or even find appropriate jobs, should not be too much of a burden.

(3) Lastly, you do have the option if there is a week that you just took off and don't want to certify (skipping that week's benefit), but that's a hard choice if you're out of money. I think that doesn't affect your account balance, but I've never done this, so I can't say for sure, or if it can potentially screw up your future claims. Maybe someone else here has had to use that option and can post about it.

SaraJ Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:29 am

Sheila wrote:Hi there,

I have a question about EB. I got on it OK, actually pretty quick. Now, I received the form for job search and what I have discovered is that they do not want to know when you job SEARCHED at all; they want to know what jobs you have APPLIED for. Big difference, the a-holes. OK--no problem, the first 2 weeks I had no problem filling in where I applied to, however, I have a week in which although I SEARCHED every day, there was absolutely no jobs to apply to. This is Ocala, we are lucky there are ANY jobs advertised at all.

My question is: what do you do in a situation like that? Do you apply for jobs your not qualified for like an RN or Bio-chemist??? We really do have some weeks where only medical jobs are available. I job search everyday, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day and do not want to be penalized because there is nothing out there that week. Has anyone run into that problem? Thanks in advance.

Hi Sheila.....Nancy has provided you with a very thorough answer. I would recommend that you NOT skip claiming your weeks as a friend of mine did that and he was basically red-flagged & audited twice. It may have been a coincidence, but I would avoid that if I were you. You can also try www.employflorida.com which is affliated AWI to look for jobs. And yes apply for almost anything even if you are underqualified for that particular job. Good luck to you! I've still found nothing & my EB ran out over a month ago. But keep trying Very Happy

**nancym** Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:20 am

Thanks for the warning, SaraJ, I was wondering about that.

And also, if you or anyone else has run out of benefits, make sure to go to our Employee Networking thread today to read about the 700 new Workforce One jobs available through ARRA funding that is now coming into the state. That's posted under Employee Networking and obviously those jobs will go fast.

Slightly breaking the rules here, since this belongs in the other thread, but I think it's important to get the word out fast about pebbles' post this morning. The jobs are not just for benefit exhaustees; you can be on unemployment and still apply--only$10/hr for 3 months, but it's more than benefits and more than zero! (Thanks, Pebbles!)

brb2007 Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:19 pm

I Claim my weeks this moring... put all my work searches in and everything went though fine as far as i now. BUT now i cant access the site It Keeps sayin invaild soc sec # or pin ...... What does that mean ...
They didn't call me so ...... im clueless to whats going on i have three weeks left on my EB......

anyone can help with this Please i need suggestion lol

Thank you guys

SaraJ Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:46 pm

nancym wrote:Thanks for the warning, SaraJ, I was wondering about that.

Thank You Nancy...I'm glad I could add something!

SaraJ Mon Oct 05, 2009 3:50 pm

brb2007 wrote:I Claim my weeks this moring... put all my work searches in and everything went though fine as far as i now. BUT now i cant access the site It Keeps sayin invaild soc sec # or pin ...... What does that mean ...
They didn't call me so ...... im clueless to whats going on i have three weeks left on my EB......

anyone can help with this Please i need suggestion lol

Thank you guys

My EB is exhausted & mine says that too. I saw another post on another site that said it did this to them as well. I'm thinking the system is bogged down or something. I'd give it some time & try again later today or tomorrow before you panic....unless you are trying to claim your weeks & then I would call them.

**Unemployed In Orlando** Mon Oct 05, 2009 4:03 pm

brb2007 wrote:I Claim my weeks this moring... put all my work searches in and everything went though fine as far as i now. BUT now i cant access the site It Keeps sayin invaild soc sec # or pin ...... What does that mean ...
They didn't call me so ...... im clueless to whats going on i have three weeks left on my EB......

anyone can help with this Please i need suggestion lol

Thank you guys

ATTENTION : A KNOWN ISSUE HAS OCCURRED TODAY REGARDING LOGGING INTO THE AWI SITE TO CLAIM WEEKS OR VIEW INFORMATION. A GLITCH HAS COME UP AND STATES YOUR SSN OR PIN MIGHT NOT BE VALID, THEY ARE WORKING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE I JUST FOUND OUT, AND ALL PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND WILL REFLECT ONCE THEY HAVE FIXED THE SYSTEM. DO NOT PANIC HEHE cheers

connorsgp Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:37 am

tried to log on this morning to claim my weeks and message says system is unavailable anyone know of issues here?

LindaLou Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:52 am

I became unemployed July 31, 2008. I have been claiming ever since then, and claimed my last available week yesterday (Monday, Oct 5). When I check my record online, it says my balance is now zero. I tried to file for the extended benefits (?) and it said I wasn't eligible.

Now I know there have been several extensions, but I also read somewhere that in the end of April, another extension was approved, and that it had to be applied for. That's what I was trying to do this morning and can't understand why it said I was not eligible.

Any help someone can give will be greatly appreciated. This is all so terribly confusing.

Thanks!

LindaLou

*ADMIN EDIT - Thank you for joining, but please stay within the established threads, I am moving your post to EB Ongoing.

SaraJ Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:32 pm

connorsgp wrote:tried to log on this morning to claim my weeks and message says system is unavailable anyone know of issues here?

The system has been down today. I think it's back up if not just wait & try later or tomorrow Smile

Jeff Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:44 pm

I had the same prob this AM. Got booted at first weeks claim review screen. Had to go thru again. When going from one screen to the next, it would time out and ask if I wanted to resend the page. I clicked yes and after thirty seconds or so it would go thru. Eventually I was able to claim both weeks. The Florida claim site has always been slow in my experience with it. I think its a bandwidth problem....cant handle all the traffic.

connorsgp Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:02 pm

same thing happened to me, but I eventually claimed both weeks...jeeez what a pain

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General EB Discussion - Ongoing