Filing for Unemployment

[meleana]

My son is having a hard time understanding how to file. I know every state is different. He went on line on Friday evening and filed since everyone, including me, told him to file right away. He said there were a lot of confusing questions but he got through it, indicated that Friday the 28th was his last day, and then when it got to the last screen it gave him a claim #. But the thing is at that point it "said" he was filing for 3/22 which of course he was not! It said you are always filing for the week before. Then it said because he is on a temporary lay off he has to file weekly- he thinks. It is saying he has to file again this week- for last week- well- he worked last week!

And here is some verbiage from the FAQ's on the website, making it seem more confusing. I couldn't not help him. Judging from comments on their Facebook page people are having an awful time trying to file.


How and When Do I File A Claim?
A. This is the first claim you file after becoming unemployed, your first claim in a Benefit Year. It is not a request for compensation, but it serves as a notice to the Department and your employer that you may claim benefits.
You must register and file your initial claim application over the Internet. Your claim is effective the Sunday of the calendar week in which it is opened. To be timely to claim the week in which you last worked, you must file your initial claim within 3 (three) business days of your last day worked.

But then it says:


You must file no later than the last day of the first week for which you wish to file for benefits.

I've Just Been Laid Off. What do I do?

A. If you have lost your job or had your hours of work reduced, file a new claim or reopen an existing claim via the Internet at our web site or visit the nearest NH Employment Security office to file your claim on a computer in our Resource Center. Open your claim during the week your hours are reduced or, if you became unemployed from full-time work on Thursday or Friday, open your claim on Sunday or Monday. If you live in another State and your last employment was in New Hampshire, you may file your claim over the Internet. If you do not have access to the Internet or need language assistance, you may call 1-800-266-2252 to speak to a Customer Service Representative during business hours (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.).


Well you can see the contradictions here. Of course, this is only on the FAQ page. I do not know what was in the instructions when he was filing.

He started the claim on the same day which was his last day worked (so he filed within the 3 business days of the last day worked it said to as per above) and he did indicate it was his last day. But why does it say "To be timely to claim the week in which you last worked"? I mean why would someone claim a week that they last worked? Shouldn't it be the 1st week you DID NOT work?

You get what I am saying here?

Anyway- I am thinking he should just keep filing each week. Worse comes to worse they will deny the w/e 3/22 and 3/28- which they should since he worked- and then eventually approve his claim for w/e 4/3 and going forward.

I admit I am not very bright, but I am not totally stupid. How to people with less intellect get through all this? The offices are closed so you can only do it on line or on the phone- good luck getting through. They are now rationing on line claims and phone calls via the first letter of your last name.

My son has already had it. I do not know what to advise him either.

 

[target2019]

Once the claim is started, in NJ I had to login every so often and click a few boxes. What they are getting at is whether you have made additional money somehow, after the layoff. After a while it will make sense to him.

State agencies and systems seem to have been built in the dark ages.

 

[Bamaman]

When MegaCorp sent all the 55+ year olds at my company home, I had to go into the state website every week to file a continuance on the unemployment claim.

And I actually felt terrible marking that I was actively looking for a job that previous week. I worked hard for 36 1/2 years preparing myself for ER--only having to lie to a computer.

He'll have to go in weekly to answer a short questionnaire.

 

[pacergal]

When I filed once years ago, I had to go online every week to answer questions and document job search. The first week of no work is the "wait week", no payment. And I filed for the previous week. So every Sunday, I would log on and document the needed requirements, then by Tuesday, the money would be deposited in my account.
It was a temporary lay off and I had a letter from my employer stating the day I was expected back, so the job search was pretty weird, no one wanted to even interview me, which was understandable.

 

[Tiger8693]

My wife is doing the same, because her work hours were reduced. The questions really are not keeping up with what they say is allowed, so it is very messed up. Also, she called all day Friday trying to talk to someone, couldn't get through. We have no idea if she is going to start getting unemployment or not at this point.

 

[Scrapr]

I "think" that the waiting week was waived. I'm pretty sure that was a couple weeks ago, not the $2T bill just passed. Just looked it up. Waiting week waived for claims after March 08

 

[IMATERP]

According to the rules in NC, if you are laid off due to the Coronavirus you do NOT have to be looking for a new job. I’m guessing the State is hoping that small employers will rehire their staff once restrictions have been lifted.

I work 8 - 10 hours a week doing light bookkeeping and my claim (for $70 a week) was approved for the next 13 weeks. Subsequently, due to the passage of the stimulus, I an now eligible for an additional $600 a week and an extra 26 weeks of benefits through year end.

What a great country we live in...