Work Search Form Requirements

Robbi314 wrote:So now I can't help but wonder what will happen when we claim weeks on 8/24 and 8/25. The new addition to the AWI website, (which btw I saw added on Thursday) say weeks claimed AFTER 8/25 can be held until work search is verified. I will claim on 8/24 and before this weeks fiasco would always see a check was processed by the next morning. So does this mean they will not process anyones claim until after the 25th? Just so they can hold them for spite?? Or does it mean any claims made after the 25th will be scrutinized?

UIO this forum has some cool features. Can't find a spell checker, though

When I spell something wrong when writing a reply it usually underlines it in red, it doesnt change it automatically for you but it at least lets you know you its not right

Robbi314 wrote:So now I can't help but wonder what will happen when we claim weeks on 8/24 and 8/25. The new addition to the AWI website, (which btw I saw added on Thursday) say weeks claimed AFTER 8/25 can be held until work search is verified. I will claim on 8/24 and before this weeks fiasco would always see a check was processed by the next morning. So does this mean they will not process anyones claim until after the 25th? Just so they can hold them for spite?? Or does it mean any claims made after the 25th will be scrutinized?

I think it's after 7/25 & that is why we have all had problems. I think you get a different answer depending on the rep you get. Hopefully with all the hellraising this week & Jim Stratton's article & publicity, things will smooth out. I hope as this is nervewracking

so what's the best way to get through to AWI to talk to them about my claim. I've never been the lucky person with their 1-800 number and I forgot how to get through on the orlando number. Or do you recommed I call this Josh person.

riceckr wrote:so what's the best way to get through to AWI to talk to them about my claim. I've never been the lucky person with their 1-800 number and I forgot how to get through on the orlando number. Or do you recommed I call this Josh person.

My successes have been with Melody and Josh at the numbers and extensions posted under the AWI contacts thread.

Ok, then I guess I must have spelled correctly then. Thanks! Also, I realize I read that 7/25 thing on the AWI site. I don't know why I have my months screwed up. It says 7/25 and I'm thinking 8/25 b/c I claim next on 8/24.Not to mention they didn't post that until sometime around 8/13 as a cover their asses sort of thing. Sorry my bad. DUH!

Did anyone whose page updated yesterday , (Friday) after lunchtime get funded yet?
Has anyone ever recieved DD on Saturday?


What is really scary to me now is government run health care, if its anything remotely similar to this you will be dead after your first diagnosis. (even if it is for a pimple)

Amen Elissa!

with all this bull shit we all have to go through in dealing with being unemployed haveing your life ripped away and now AWi pulls this shit on us. AND THEY WONDER WHY DO PEOPLE SNAP.

[quote="elissa"]Did anyone whose page updated yesterday , (Friday) after lunchtime get funded yet?
Has anyone ever recieved DD on Saturday?

No DD for me either, I almost figured it would not be there yet. The info on AWI updated after 3:30 yesterday so it will be next week I guess. My bank (BOA) does nothing on Saturday or Sunday night so it should be there Tuesday morning. They issued one of my retro checks on a Thursday and it was there Saturday, but the AWI info was updated ealier in the day when that happened.

Actually it shows as just being issued yesterday, I guess that is why I kinda was not expecting it to be there.

My account is not updated yet...wonder when it will be updated today OR should I get back on the phone? Are they going to do this again next week when we claim.....I AM SO FRUSTRATED

Hi all...All of the information here is so helpful. Thank you all so much! I have been receiving benefits since April, 2009. On June 18, 2009 I received a work search record form. I filled it out and faxed it back on June 25, 2009. I also mailed a copy just in case. Everything was fine until July 15, 2009 - that is when I received my last check. I have called and have been told the same things you all have been. . I am being told they received my form on July 20, 2009 but that it has not been processed yet and that it could take another 2 weeks or longer to get it verified. I was told that the "system" is so back logged that people are having to wait 3 weeks to get their checks on the EB claims. I continue to file my online claim every 2 weeks, but am receiving no benefits. It has been almost a month now and I am getting VERY desperate! My phone and internet will soon be shut off and then I will have no way to even claim my weeks!

This claim is for my original benefits, I have not even received the emergency benefits or EB yet. My emergency benefits are supposed to kick in when I file again next week. ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

SaraJ wrote:My account is not updated yet...wonder when it will be updated today OR should I get back on the phone? Are they going to do this again next week when we claim.....I AM SO FRUSTRATED

If you called Friday and they released your claim, that's what I did also. I asked what the ETA would be and they said that claims wouldn't be processed again til Monday, so my DD would most likely be Wednesday.

So I would check if your account doesn't update by the end of the day, that is, if you already know the flag was removed last week.

nancym wrote:
If you called Friday and they released your claim, that's what I did also. I asked what the ETA would be and they said that claims wouldn't be processed again til Monday, so my DD would most likely be Wednesday.

So I would check if your account doesn't update by the end of the day, that is, if you already know the flag was removed last week.

Thanks Nancy...I actually finally got through on Sat & spoke to AN ASS who said he removed the flag. So I was hoping my acct would be updated this morning. But you're right, guess I need to give them time today to update/process payment. I can't believe how slow

To everyone who is struggling with the EB work search requirements, I spent an hour this morning (how ordinary) trying to find out why I have not received my latest check. I pretty much knew the answer I was going to get from reading all of the posts here, but at any rate - ONCE I GOT THROUGH TO A REPRESENTATIVE, sure enough the "computer" was noting that my work search record was "unacceptable" because I had only ONE method of contact. The representative was very understanding and helpful and she DID release my funds, however, she was VERY adamant that I (and by default, WE) must provide TWO work searches on TWO separate days by at least TWO different methods (phone, internet, in person, etc.). She has heard (and stated she understood) all of the arguments that have been posted on here (i.e., companies try to remain anonymous, companies direct you to apply on the website, etc.), but the AWI position is that "we have been out of work so long that OUR work search activities must not be adequate", blah blah blah. Consequently they REQUIRE more than one method since what we've been doing "obviously isn't working" -- (never mind the facts of unemployment rate, etc., and never mind that the instructions do not specifically state this as a REQUIREMENT). She "released" my hold but also stated that if I did not comply in the future, AWI would NOT allow representatives to "touch my records" a second time.

BOTTOM LINE: PUT AT LEAST TWO METHODS OF CONTACT ON YOUR WORK SEARCH REPORTING!!! If you do, there should be no future issues with issuing your check (until they dream up ANOTHER way of withholding payment).

Good luck everyone.

mhigurl wrote: ...I am being told they received my form on July 20, 2009 but that it has not been processed yet and that it could take another 2 weeks or longer to get it verified. I was told that the "system" is so back logged that people are having to wait 3 weeks to get their checks on the EB claims. ... It has been almost a month now and I am getting VERY desperate! My phone and internet will soon be shut off and then I will have no way to even claim my weeks!

This claim is for my original benefits...

GAWD! That's even worse than our EB delay. We've been forced to play the "squeaky wheel" game. If you haven't already done so, try calling other numbers.

1) Call (850) 245-7130, that's their PR office. They can't access your claim there, but tell them you haven't received any benefits in a month and you are in an emergency situation, demand that someone call you back who can help you.

2) Don't wait for that call-back! Immediately call the governor's office (Google Governor Crist)--there are several phone choices, take the one for customer care or whatever it's called. Tell them the same thing, that you have to speak with someone at AWI who can help you with your emergency situation. They might put you through and you may have to wait a while on the phone, or they might take your number for a callback.

The goal is to get a call back or be put through to a knowledgable rep in the Tallahassee office who might actually be able to do something. Emphasize that you are in a crisis with utilities being shut off soon. It's possible they will take your claim on the phone, since you do not have to report work searches.

I just got off the phone with Josh at AWI. He is WONDERFUL! He told me he took the hold off my account and I should receive my DD by Thursday at the latest! He is AWESOME! I told him he was highly recommended by our forum and he stated that he would be glad to help anyone having issues. Please call him at 877-846-8770 x5296. He is willing to help and has the power to get things done! Thank you all so much for the information here. Without your help I would not be getting my DD for another 2-3 weeks

dplboc wrote:
BOTTOM LINE: PUT AT LEAST TWO METHODS OF CONTACT ON YOUR WORK SEARCH REPORTING!!! If you do, there should be no future issues with issuing your check (until they dream up ANOTHER way of withholding payment).

dplboc,
You've been another victim of a power-tripping or uninformed rep, unfortunately for all of us, that seems to be becoming the norm. I'm in touch with a program manager who was horrified that these things were being told to claimants. I should hear back from her this week (if not I'll call her) and I will quote your post to here VERBATIM to prove how ridiculously inadequate the training is for these reps.

Their computer never told that rep any such thing; that was just what she was surmising because they didn't even know that ALL files had been flagged.

What that rep told you is essentially illegal, or at least totally uninformed. She was obliged to release your check as soon as she saw that all your blanks were filled in with 2 job searches on 2 different days. 2 methods are encouraged but not required by law.

Your advice to use two methods whenever possible is still valid until they straighten out this mess. I would take advantage of any opportunity to use the email option, since many internet apps use an email, even if you don't have the contact name, like Craigslist ads. That email option requires that you fill in more blanks, but I would just put in "anonymous" or "unknown" in places where you really don't have that info, or even a guess!

This is so ridiculous it makes my blood boil.

mhigurl wrote:I just got off the phone with Josh at AWI. He is WONDERFUL! He told me he took the hold off my account and I should receive my DD by Thursday at the latest! He is AWESOME!

Whew! So glad to hear it. I should have added Josh and the other contact phones listed under the contact thread here first. That advice I listed above is really if you can't get through to the numbers already listed on this forum.

dplboc--and everyone,

I just spoke with an attorney in Florida who helps NELP with Florida issues and he asked me to send a summary of the problems we are having. He was already aware of the "flagging" issue, but I pointed out the "methods" issue, which is related to lack of training or worse.

I will be sending him examples and a link to this forum, including a specific link to your post, dplboc.

This attorney and NELP in general are already gearing up to get a new extension passed in the fall, as well as deal with these ongoing problems. They are also planning on trying to get some of the other provisions of the stimulus package passed, the ones that were voted down last session. That probably won't affect most of us on EB here, but in some specific cases those provisions would apply, if passed by Florida.

I just spoke to Kimberly at 877-846-8770, Ext. 5283. She advised me that it's a glitch in the system for everyone on EB. She said that if you don't call up and bring it to their attention, you will not receive your benefits. She printed out my work search information and manually released my weeks. She also stated that this has to be done every 2 weeks when claiming weeks. They don't call the actual employers, they just verify on your claim that you entered in the required information. She was extremely helpful! However, this came with no notice and is extremely frustrating. We all need to do something about this ASAP!

I think we should ALL send in our unsolicited resumes to AWI, applying for the position of Director of AWI. That way we satisfy this imaginary requirement they have, and if any of us got the job, things would obviously be run better.

ONE more thing--

This was posted a long time ago, and I think we should remind ourselves of it. Always GET THE NAME of the person you are talking to. I don't always remember to do that myself, but getting the name puts a face on the stupid responses we are getting, and gives recourse to AWI managers to inform those who are misinformed about these issues that they need to correct their phone discussion with claimants.

UNBELIEVEABLE!!! I fully intend to somehow say on my worksearch that I didn't have much time to jub hunt last week because I was dealing with their incompetance and half-truths. I was on the phone constantly for most of the week!!!

I think all of us applying for AWI director is a great idea Nancy....I can see the name plate on my desk now: Gonzo(aka Paladin) Director of AWI
Have Gun,Will Travel.


BTW Nancy...was the attorney you spoke to Art Rosenberg? I remember him working with NELP during the HR6867 struggle.

On another note: Claimed my weeks this morning,2 searches per week,different days,different methods. I will watch my info this afternoon to see if it updates. Before AWI started their BS "search and destroy mission" I usually saw the checked issued Monday afternoon and DD by Wednesday. Kind of anxious to see what's going to transpire. I will release more info as it comes available.