![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonlady7I've updated my blog (http://www.bridget.kelly.name) but sparsely during the holidays...
I've returned here to bitch.
I'm applying for unemployment and it's fucking useless. I filled out the online application but it never asked for my social security number, which struck me as odd at the time and indeed now proves to have been pretty retarded, because that's the most important part of it... So I can't claim weekly benefits because my number's not on file.
Well, that's great.
So I called their 800 number. Busy signal, twenty times. (I can be patient when I have a redial button.)
So I found their listing of local numbers. I dailed the one in White Plains, as that's closest to here. No answer at all, just ringing and ringing. (I tried back just now and it's a busy signal instead.)
So I called the Albany one, and got through. It asked me for my social security number. I entered it. It informed me it wasn't on file, told me to call my unemployment office, and hung up on me. But... I was ON THE PHONE with my employment office, and ON THE PHONE it told me to call it and hung up!!! For the love of the motherfucking Christ child, what the fuck did they actually want me to do?
I redialed immediately and was informed that "All lines are busy."
So I tried the 800 number again, and it's still busy.
And I tried the White Plains number again, and it's busy instead of just ringing.
And I tried the Albany number again, and it keeps telling me "All lines are busy."
They really, REALLY don't want me collecting benefits.
Albany's ringing.. 10, 11... Ah, it picked up.
...
It's an automated system with no way to reach a human, and with no way to ask any questions I need answered-- it's just the information from the website, but presented less clearly. Now I'm at a point where I have only one option open to me: Press 9 to disconnect. That's it. Thanks. Bye.
Now the 800 number again. Busy.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
Got through. Ow. Voice volume deafening. Can't turn down any farther. Holding away from ear.
Good, it's switched to the normal mechanical female voice, which is annoying but not painful.
So... many... numbers...
Navigated through a forest of numbers, confirming that yes, that's my social security number, and yes, that's my four-digit PIN, and yes, I have applied, but you don't actually care because you're an automated system designed to keep me away from the humans. Ah-- "If you have been advised to contact our office, press 3." Well, the system told me to when it rejected my social security number, so I'll push that button.
"Please hold."
Booming voice comes back, piercing my eardrum:
We are experiencing technical difficulties and cannot assist you! Please call back later. Our normal hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm!
Click.
JESUS COCKSUCKING CHRIST, what the FUCK am I supposed to do if I want to actually apply for unemployment?!?!?! How the everloving fuck does anyone ever manage to actually wring money out of this impenetrable sea of incompetence? Those smug, employed motherfuckers who think that we unemployed have it easy sitting on our asses are so fucking clueless. Anything that has to do with the State of New York is guaranteed to be more difficult than anyone could imagine. I expected as much, and indeed, it was beyond my imagining.
I've returned here to bitch.
I'm applying for unemployment and it's fucking useless. I filled out the online application but it never asked for my social security number, which struck me as odd at the time and indeed now proves to have been pretty retarded, because that's the most important part of it... So I can't claim weekly benefits because my number's not on file.
Well, that's great.
So I called their 800 number. Busy signal, twenty times. (I can be patient when I have a redial button.)
So I found their listing of local numbers. I dailed the one in White Plains, as that's closest to here. No answer at all, just ringing and ringing. (I tried back just now and it's a busy signal instead.)
So I called the Albany one, and got through. It asked me for my social security number. I entered it. It informed me it wasn't on file, told me to call my unemployment office, and hung up on me. But... I was ON THE PHONE with my employment office, and ON THE PHONE it told me to call it and hung up!!! For the love of the motherfucking Christ child, what the fuck did they actually want me to do?
I redialed immediately and was informed that "All lines are busy."
So I tried the 800 number again, and it's still busy.
And I tried the White Plains number again, and it's busy instead of just ringing.
And I tried the Albany number again, and it keeps telling me "All lines are busy."
They really, REALLY don't want me collecting benefits.
Albany's ringing.. 10, 11... Ah, it picked up.
...
It's an automated system with no way to reach a human, and with no way to ask any questions I need answered-- it's just the information from the website, but presented less clearly. Now I'm at a point where I have only one option open to me: Press 9 to disconnect. That's it. Thanks. Bye.
Now the 800 number again. Busy.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
Got through. Ow. Voice volume deafening. Can't turn down any farther. Holding away from ear.
Good, it's switched to the normal mechanical female voice, which is annoying but not painful.
So... many... numbers...
Navigated through a forest of numbers, confirming that yes, that's my social security number, and yes, that's my four-digit PIN, and yes, I have applied, but you don't actually care because you're an automated system designed to keep me away from the humans. Ah-- "If you have been advised to contact our office, press 3." Well, the system told me to when it rejected my social security number, so I'll push that button.
"Please hold."
Booming voice comes back, piercing my eardrum:
We are experiencing technical difficulties and cannot assist you! Please call back later. Our normal hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm!
Click.
JESUS COCKSUCKING CHRIST, what the FUCK am I supposed to do if I want to actually apply for unemployment?!?!?! How the everloving fuck does anyone ever manage to actually wring money out of this impenetrable sea of incompetence? Those smug, employed motherfuckers who think that we unemployed have it easy sitting on our asses are so fucking clueless. Anything that has to do with the State of New York is guaranteed to be more difficult than anyone could imagine. I expected as much, and indeed, it was beyond my imagining.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-01-05 03:12 pm (UTC)happy new year. yeah.