State unemployment offices failing at critical time on clarkhoward.com

CLARKONOMICS/RIP-OFF ALERT: Here's one story that warrants both a Clarkonomics and a Rip-Off Alert sounder...

All over the country, state governments are letting their citizens down as people who are unemployed are not able to get their compensation. The states are simply not adequately staffed to handle all the requests for jobless benefits they're receiving.

If your request for unemployment compensation has gone unnoticed, Clark suggests contacting your state legislator. They have staffers who do constituency work and may be able to help.

One side note: It is your right to receive unemployment compensation. It is not welfare and Clark wants be perfectly clear about that.

Meanwhile, the number of women in the workforce is about to surpass the number of men. A couple of years ago, women's participation in the workforce was declining in substantial numbers. How quickly times have changed…

The New York Times reports the reason for the reversal is that many women work in health care and education -- sectors of the economy that are a bit more recession-proof than traditionally male-dominated careers.

So this latest trend means that many women will become the sole breadwinners in their families for the foreseeable future. That could be a challenge for families as they try to make due with women's pay that has traditionally trailed what men earn.

What others are saying

Unemployment -- State Government letting citizens down...
I am in the process of trying to collect unemployment. I have been denied for the following reason and now have to appeal. On the day I applied, I was told that no wages existed for my SSN even though I had worked for the last 3 years at the same employer. I offered to get it straighten out that day and was told that the DOL would make the initial contact and get it handled. Apparently not. Their proactive answer was to deny my unemployment and force me to appeal. Now my benefits will be held up even longer. Thanks GADOL, my mortgage company doesn't want to hear my sob story, I am just one of thousands with the same sad story.
By Lynn @ 03/11/09 09:21:13 AMreport abuse
Oh dear!
Oh my!
By Iron @ 02/25/09 11:59:54 AMreport abuse
Unemployment
In response to Stewart, unemployment is not welfare as it is a program paid for by the employers. Also it is only your right to receive benefits if that person meets the eligibilty requirement for the state. If a person is denied they do have a right to appeal.
By Gary @ 02/10/09 03:15:25 PMreport abuse
Recession proof
I am a plumber in NC. Been a plumber in the state for 20+ years. Recession this time is hurting the college educated as much or more than the non college educated. If I wanted to I could work 60+ hours a week (self employed) there is a lot to be said on learning a trade and treating people honestly. Sometimes we place too much emphasis on a four year degree for 18 year olds that have little career direction. Oh did I mention I bill $75 an hour!!!!!!!!!!
By steve michaels @ 02/10/09 01:58:10 PMreport abuse
Do your research
Grain of salt - apparently, you're unwilling to do your own research. The GAO released a report in 2003 stating that "When we account for differences between male and female work patterns as well as other key factors, women earned, on average, 80 percent of what men earned in 2000. While the difference fluctuated in each year we studied, there was a small but statistically significant decline in the earnings difference over the time period. Even after accounting for key factors that affect earnings, our model could not explain all the differences in earnings between men and women." The reasons for the differences can be debated, but the statement above that women's pay has traditionally trailed what men earn remains true.
By EmployedInDecatur @ 02/10/09 01:07:16 PMreport abuse
unemployment
"One side note: It is your right to receive unemployment compensation. It is not welfare and Clark wants be perfectly clear about that. "

According to dictionary.com, "financial or other assistance to an individual or family from a city, state, or national government: Thousands of jobless people in this city would starve if it weren't for welfare. "

The government gives you money for not working. That's not welfare? What is welfare?
By stewart @ 02/10/09 11:09:44 AMreport abuse
Education not recession proof
I don't know why people keep saying that education is recession proof. I am currently an unemployed teacher in Florida. One district has a hiring freeze and is returning Principals to the classroom. Another district has to cut 300 jobs and is also returning Principals to the classroom. I can't even get a sub job, because there are so many surplus teachers who have not been placed. One position I applied for had 500 applicants. Teacher shortage, hardly!
By Marion @ 02/10/09 11:07:57 AMreport abuse
CA is definitely in chaos over UI claims
Not only is CA running huge deficits, CA is flat-out broke. Most state payments including tax refunds are on indefinite hold until money is available. Thankfully, the Feds loaned us 1+ billion just to fund Unemployment payments. This just delays the eventual collapse. Ha! Just TRY to get through CA EDD's phone line to speak to a human. It is not possible, and I suspect they are intentionally keeping the phones off the hook to ignore applicants, or folks like me who had a legitimate problem with an existing claim. In CA, if you have a problem with a claim and cannot get though, use their unpublished FAX# instead, 866-215-9159. I got immediate help this way. I agree with others here: do what you have to do to take control of your own life and don't rely on Government. Start by becomming debt-free and become an avid SAVER. I'm not there yet (another year or so), but I'm working on it. I wish our leaders were that introspective and responsible.
By JD Adams @ 02/10/09 01:18:06 AMreport abuse
Foot dragging is intentional?
Most states are running huge budget deficits. IMO they are doing everything possible to delay payments, and that goes double for unemployment benefits. It is going to get ugly later in the year when tax revenues are way down and the only cash to be had is from Uncle Sam's magic printing press. Read the book "Reinventing Collapse" by Dmitry Orlov. He explains in detail what it's like to live in a society as it stumbles into disorder. People who rely on government at any level will be disappointed and denied. Get ahead of the game now and start taking control of your life. We cannot rely on faceless bureaucrats anymore.
By Jack @ 02/09/09 06:24:47 PMreport abuse
Grain of salt alert
I hate it that people's tendancy is to believe something if they've heard it enough times.

I do not believe that there is a significant difference between women and men's pay anymore. (I'll caveat this by saying on average across the board, yes there are still probably exceptions)

We've all been told this for so long we don't know what to believe anymore. The truth is that it is critical when doing this type of comparison to consider: education (assuming lower # of yrs on job), experience, performance, hours worked, and profession. One or more of these often go overlooked so that you're not comparing apples to apples.
By Anon @ 02/09/09 04:35:32 PMreport abuse

Unemployment -- State Government letting citizens down...

I am in the process of trying to collect unemployment. I have been denied for the following reason and now have to appeal. On the day I applied, I was told that no wages existed for my SSN even though I had worked for the last 3 years at the same employer. I offered to get it straighten out that day and was told that the DOL would make the initial contact and get it handled. Apparently not. Their proactive answer was to deny my unemployment and force me to appeal. Now my benefits will be held up even longer. Thanks GADOL, my mortgage company doesn't want to hear my sob story, I am just one of thousands with the same sad story.

By Lynn @ 03/11/09 09:21:13 AMreport abuse

Oh dear!

Oh my!

By Iron @ 02/25/09 11:59:54 AMreport abuse

Unemployment

In response to Stewart, unemployment is not welfare as it is a program paid for by the employers. Also it is only your right to receive benefits if that person meets the eligibilty requirement for the state. If a person is denied they do have a right to appeal.

By Gary @ 02/10/09 03:15:25 PMreport abuse

Recession proof

I am a plumber in NC. Been a plumber in the state for 20+ years. Recession this time is hurting the college educated as much or more than the non college educated. If I wanted to I could work 60+ hours a week (self employed) there is a lot to be said on learning a trade and treating people honestly. Sometimes we place too much emphasis on a four year degree for 18 year olds that have little career direction. Oh did I mention I bill $75 an hour!!!!!!!!!!

By steve michaels @ 02/10/09 01:58:10 PMreport abuse

Do your research

Grain of salt - apparently, you're unwilling to do your own research. The GAO released a report in 2003 stating that "When we account for differences between male and female work patterns as well as other key factors, women earned, on average, 80 percent of what men earned in 2000. While the difference fluctuated in each year we studied, there was a small but statistically significant decline in the earnings difference over the time period. Even after accounting for key factors that affect earnings, our model could not explain all the differences in earnings between men and women." The reasons for the differences can be debated, but the statement above that women's pay has traditionally trailed what men earn remains true.

By EmployedInDecatur @ 02/10/09 01:07:16 PMreport abuse

unemployment

"One side note: It is your right to receive unemployment compensation. It is not welfare and Clark wants be perfectly clear about that. "

According to dictionary.com, "financial or other assistance to an individual or family from a city, state, or national government: Thousands of jobless people in this city would starve if it weren't for welfare. "

The government gives you money for not working. That's not welfare? What is welfare?

By stewart @ 02/10/09 11:09:44 AMreport abuse

Education not recession proof

I don't know why people keep saying that education is recession proof. I am currently an unemployed teacher in Florida. One district has a hiring freeze and is returning Principals to the classroom. Another district has to cut 300 jobs and is also returning Principals to the classroom. I can't even get a sub job, because there are so many surplus teachers who have not been placed. One position I applied for had 500 applicants. Teacher shortage, hardly!

By Marion @ 02/10/09 11:07:57 AMreport abuse

CA is definitely in chaos over UI claims

Not only is CA running huge deficits, CA is flat-out broke. Most state payments including tax refunds are on indefinite hold until money is available. Thankfully, the Feds loaned us 1+ billion just to fund Unemployment payments. This just delays the eventual collapse. Ha! Just TRY to get through CA EDD's phone line to speak to a human. It is not possible, and I suspect they are intentionally keeping the phones off the hook to ignore applicants, or folks like me who had a legitimate problem with an existing claim. In CA, if you have a problem with a claim and cannot get though, use their unpublished FAX# instead, 866-215-9159. I got immediate help this way. I agree with others here: do what you have to do to take control of your own life and don't rely on Government. Start by becomming debt-free and become an avid SAVER. I'm not there yet (another year or so), but I'm working on it. I wish our leaders were that introspective and responsible.

By JD Adams @ 02/10/09 01:18:06 AMreport abuse

Foot dragging is intentional?

Most states are running huge budget deficits. IMO they are doing everything possible to delay payments, and that goes double for unemployment benefits. It is going to get ugly later in the year when tax revenues are way down and the only cash to be had is from Uncle Sam's magic printing press. Read the book "Reinventing Collapse" by Dmitry Orlov. He explains in detail what it's like to live in a society as it stumbles into disorder. People who rely on government at any level will be disappointed and denied. Get ahead of the game now and start taking control of your life. We cannot rely on faceless bureaucrats anymore.

By Jack @ 02/09/09 06:24:47 PMreport abuse

Grain of salt alert

I hate it that people's tendancy is to believe something if they've heard it enough times.

I do not believe that there is a significant difference between women and men's pay anymore. (I'll caveat this by saying on average across the board, yes there are still probably exceptions)

We've all been told this for so long we don't know what to believe anymore. The truth is that it is critical when doing this type of comparison to consider: education (assuming lower # of yrs on job), experience, performance, hours worked, and profession. One or more of these often go overlooked so that you're not comparing apples to apples.

By Anon @ 02/09/09 04:35:32 PMreport abuse

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Feb 09, 2009 -- State unemployment offices failing at critical time

What others are saying