Call Volume Crashes NY's Unemployment Hotline
By Susie Madrak Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 2:15pmIt takes me about two hours to get through when I have to file my claim in NJ. It seems to be this bad everywhere:
New Mexico's unemployment claims operation isn't the only state entity having difficulties reacting to the growing number of claims applicants. New York's state systems for filing unemployment insurance claims crashed today, yet another sign of how that state (and others) is sinking deeper into a recession.
The N.Y. Department of Labor, which oversees unemployment insurance claims, received more than 10,000 phone calls an hour on a toll-free hotline on Tuesday, leading to the crash. The department’s online claim filing system also shut down under the volume of traffic it received.
The New Mexico Dept. of Workforce Solutions said it added 15 more workers and two more phone lines to its call center in December, in response to the high volume of incoming calls.
The New York crashes came as that state's unemployment rate hit 6. 1 percent, up 1.5 percent from the year before. It’s the highest unemployment rate in nearly five years. In New Mexico, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in November, unchanged from the revised October rate but up from 3.3 percent a year ago.
By the way, Republican claims to the contrary, FDR's New Deal actually led to the largest drop in the unemployment rate in U.S. history.
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...India?
And it's just going to get worse.
WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
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I tried for 3 weeks. Other than a webmaster email address, there is no email address.
It's a mess
the California Lotto website has been crashed for quite a while now also. I'm just sayin'....
Maybe my last dollar will net me $150M? Yeah...
I guess the lottery is where most of the trailer park repugs, who kept voting against their interests for decades, though their retirement funds were gonna come from. And now they are trying to access their "nest egg" from the lotto. Dumbasses....
The terrorists have won.
They had a fifth column called "The Bush Administration."
And they are too wealthy and powerful to be held to account.
So we just keep on going through the motions.
What do we do?
It foxes me.
Is it true that President-elect Obama, after seeing the depth of the mess bush will leave him with, has asked for a vote recount, claiming that he believes McCain may have won after all?
"Nation Finally Shitty Enough to Make Social Progress".
I guess that's what happens when Oil Barons steal two elections in a row and participate in false flag terrorism to invade other oil rich nations. The Country goes to hell. They get rich. Surprise Surprise.
We haven't done enough.
"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke
Most Law Makers and Americans haven't read the US history so it does make since with the incorrect statements. I have noticed how Foreign Countries are well education in US History. I listen to our Law Makers and Jouranlist remarks and wonder why they haven't read just how this country started and how we recovered from many other problems. Most Law Makers don't even know how many States make up the United States and Americans are so lazy they have to be told information by Fox News bartender/metally insane/alcoholic + drug addicts playing Journalist. As an American to name the 9 US Justices on the Supreme Court and get zero then ask them to name the Simpson's and you get 100%. I laughed when Americans made fun of the Iran President who was a Professor in College while Americans hailed an idiot like George W. Bush who's Father paid for his college degree. What's worse is George W. Bush said that at a speech he gave live on TV at Princeton University the first year he stole the Election. Yes he was so proud he said he was drunk for 4 years in college and because his Family is rich his Father brought his degree. Sorry they didn't have the 30 second delay but the Media skipped it in the evening news but it was all people who watched it could talk about. But after 8 years of Bush's stupidity now all Americans and the World know he's a dumb as a door knob and his brain is fired on drugs.
who have fried their brains on drugs, and none are as evil as GWB. They just made the wrong choices.
But I think that I know what you mean.
This economic depression is the biggest transfer of wealth and power to the rich since the Great Derpression. Either Bush did this out of incompetence or this was his intention from day 1.
He either stumbled into Iraq like a dipshit.
or,
He intentionally made a huge mess in Iraq so as to create a diversion that would allow him and his buddies to steal all the wealth of our nation.
I have said from day 1 that Iraq is no accident.
I believe it was a deliberate plan to divert our attention away so that he could loot the treasury.
I think it is no accident that the biggest economic crash in US History is taking place during his final days in office.
Bush is not stupid. He just plays stupid in front of the American people.
I remember hearing early in Bush's term that his stated goal was to completely ruin and tank the American economy. We ALL know he's stupid enough to say it in public. That said - I haven't been able to track down my original source for it. But I know that was what he said.
The Bush Crime Family is brimming over with thieves, war criminals and bank robbers extraordinaire.
I need to try a few new searches and see if I can turn it up.
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Bush threatens America....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8pvU1iyT3c
i would submit, for another option as to guessing "wtf happened", that there is a more likely possibility: bush just continued the same flawed economic ideology as have the last 4 presidential administrations.
further, i would say that we owe bush a thanks. from reagan, to bush 1, to clinton, we hummed along and pretended that out ponzi-economy was A-ok. never mind the financialization and securitization of the economy. never mind the increasing inequality. never mind the drop in real wages. never mind the loss of our productive base. things seemed good, we were told things were good, and we had enough chotsky and viagra to ignore the obvious.
but, now, as the proverbial bottom has fallen out, we have to face the dreadful reality. we are not as rich as we thought. we are not as powerful as we thought. we are not as admired as we thought. and, maybe thru this god-awful disaster known as the bush presidency, maybe we can start anew and rise from the ashes that is neoliberal-america
is over 10%. That is using the now standard form which does not count those after their unemployment payments end or those working part time for reasons not of their own choosing.
Put those people in and Michigan is over 15%.
When you put those people in the national numbers it is 11%.
Here are graphs.
that Reagan was the first one that started counting the military as workers with jobs.
They just keep on moving the goalposts.
I spoke with my mom on the phone today; her name is Alice.
She used to be a Republican until Nixon.
Today, my 72 year old mother opined that the USA needs revolution.
I'm proud of my mother.
Tell your mom that I am proud of her too.
My Grandmother who lived through WWII likes to compare our government to the Nazis. She says stuff like, " I thought we beat those little bastards and here they are running our God Damn Country".
So was my father. He voted for Nixon (vomit) - but he hated Reagan with a white-hot passion.
Now - I can't even imagine how angry he'd be if he were still around.
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from the grave to give me the combo to his gun safe...
Thanks dad!
Many years ago I had to apply for unemployment. At that time in Fla. you had to show up in person at the crack of dawn. I remember one time I went up to the desk, turned in my job search report and did whatever you had to do. As I was leaving the room, the person who was taking care of my files called to me by name. I turned around and he said, "You forgot your government cheese." I know I must have had a confused look on my face because he reached down in a box and brought out the biggest chunk of cheese I had ever seen. It looked like a cheese football. I thanked him but declined his offer. Had I taken that giant hunk-o-cheese, I would still be eating on it.
back in the early 70's.
The state of OH had a program to continue paying unemployment to people who enrolled in vocational programs. I went to nursing school.
I worked from that point until I retired, injured, from the Fire Service in the 90's.
The system worked, I became a taxpayer and managed to save some lives.
I repeat: the system worked!
Most people only want a chance.
This story is so important. Of course the government can and should help make a difference. In Europe - they get it. Re-Thuglics? They'll never, ever get it. They'll keep screaming socialism till they're blue in the face. Even if we dragged them from the room by their feet while they were screaming - and locked them out - they'd then beat at the door with their fists as they continued to scream it.
They're true sociopaths. It's a shame more people don't realize they actually have a mental illness that explains their irrational, angry and controlling behaviors.
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my company had were just put on hold, so I guess I'll get to find out what FL unemployment system is like. Anyone know? Been years since I've filed, and never in FL.
And to make matters worse, I already gave notice to vacate my house. (Was going to be in CA for 2-3 months.) So now I have no job, no home (in 4 days) and no mailing address.
Thanks george bush, you fucking piece of shit.
I need a drink...
This reminds me of that wonderful line in the opening scene in Steve Martin's movie Roxanne ....
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said that back in the 70s.
Yow!
=-)
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ok, I get it.
We've had an absentee landlord of a president for the past 8 years.
But if I see one more member of Congress who's NOT SITTING BEHIND a friggin
desk, going over the stimulus plan, I'm going to ScREAM!!!!
Enough about Burris! Jesus, its like a sorority drama for c...'s sake!!
That's amazing that you were able to talk to a live person re: unemployment claims! I've been out of work around 2 1/2 months and to this day cannot get a live person on the phone. I have done EVERYTHING on line when it comes to unemployment claims. When I didn't get checks for a few weeks, I went ahead and refiled for unemployment.
That worked for me. Might work for you if suddenly your unemployment folks become unavailable altogether.
Here's a preview of what's likely next to be cut in your hometowns
Herbert Hoover would likely have a sigh of relief in his grave with all the current unemployment and underemployment.
Now, how can our economy function with fewer and fewer jobs available?
Is there really a secret Christian organization in politics that could care less about the average citizen?
Lucifarian maybe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Grove#C...
they worship in front of a big owl...
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religi...
the same owl thats on the dollar bill..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSBP9aYwfhU
Thanks for the tip, Mil!
heh heh obummers wedged in between the bushes , right where he belongs!
rather startling--workers not eating for days, destroying factories where they worked.
Pa might be out of money, or the system has crashed just like other states, my money didn't come like it was supposed too. I kinda find it strange at the beging of a new year there is no state funds, so I hope it is a system crash, or we are in for a seriously rough ride. The website was acting extremely slow today, phone was busy the entire day too. Tons of empty businesses all over central PA, but still plenty of people saying we are fine nothing wrong with our economy, they must have blinders on. This is Bush country,(PA) I was told, so it all good nothing to worry about, stop your whining. ahahhhaahaaaa..........
I believe i just figured out what happened, I have been cut, been on unemployment too long. So now I am not unemployed anymore......I am just jobless and screwd.
you could be overlooking one small thing. Where I live, our "employment" offices (they changed the name a few years ago) has been like this for years. It isn't a crash, or too many callers. It's government staff laziness.
I was sent to our major "employment" office in the city for an evaluation a couple years ago. It was amazing how many phones were ringing and NOBODY bothered to pick them up. They weren't busy. They just didn't want to pick them up.
And it hasn't changed much. Layed off before Christmas, and had to phone them a week or so ago. Was put on hold listening to elevator music for over an hour "due to high volume of calls"....I phoned first thing when the office was just opening.
Ms. Madrak - I implore you to not write personal level things like "It takes me about two hours to get through when I have to file my claim in NJ", not because I don't think you don't deserve it, or that it is somehow "lazy" or "getting a handout" or any of that crap. Don't write things like that because you're leaving yourself open to attacks from some of the lowest, morally bankrupt pukes this planet has seen.
There is nothing wrong with being on unemployment. There is nothing wrong with writing about being on unemployment. But the hacks like malkin, limbaugh, drudge, etc. are grasping at straws, and they will use whatever anyone says on the left for their own gain. Saying "it takes me about 2 hours to file for unemployment" while writing on a website, can make you a target, and we all know that when it comes to the right, truth doesn't mean a damn thing.
Just trying to watch your back ;)
I do get a little too personal myself(maybe allot). That's just me brutally honest...Some more Honesty, I qualify and have qualified for all kinds of assistance like energy, food housing, ect ect ect, But I will refuse as long as possible. I am in a bad situation don't know what to do, these jerks are on full attack around here, scammed on an apartment, screws coming from all directions, I live in a town with a majority of Republicans can you tell?
Mods delete my posts, help me out here if I step too far! I won't get mad. I have fly off moments.
First of all, just because I'd offer a differing opinion on this doesn't mean that I'm a low, morally bankrupt puke. I a leftie, probably like the majority of the visitors to this site, but I was taken aback a bit reading the sentence referred to above. I do think it's questionable that someone purportedly desperately looking for work has enough time to research and update a blog... How long has the author been unemployed? Hopefully not too long, for many reasons.
Am I alone on this one?
uh... i didnt say anyone who disagrees with her or me is a puke, i was saying that morally bankrupt pukes will try to exploit that. Like michelle malkin (who doesn't deserve capital letters in her name), those freaks will look for any little thing they can use to try to screw with the left, if a story about 'blog writers' comes up, it's conceivable that one of the wingnut freaks would pull up this story and start yelling about the author being unemployed (when really, that's not what she said). i was just saying she should be careful of that.
As to thinking that it's questionable for someone "purportedly desperately looking for work" to work on a blog, who is "desperately looking for work" 24/7? I'm not, hell i'm at college - collecting unemployment, and i'm not looking for work at all. (i also don't use my real name, so i'm not worried =P)
So wait... you're in college, you're not looking for work at all, but you're collecting unemployment? Isn't that dishonest? Unemployment insurance is designed to assist workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own. It's funded by employers through payroll taxes. What entitles you to this money? How do you justify this in your own mind?
It's real easy to file on-line. You'd never get through using the phone.
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