Dear Everyone Waiting on Unemployment Under COVID-19

First off, sorry.

But please understand this: The way hospitals had been overwhelmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic is the same way the unemployment offices have been overwhelmed. While those on the phone might kiss our ass and recognize this and say as much, the media, particularly local media is there to bash us for doing something everything wrong.

Secondly, the system of unemployment in the United States as it is built is not built to serve your needs at all. It was never built that way.

It was formed in the heart of the Great Depression under the Social Security Act of 1935 and meant to be supplemental and temporary, covering only half a year’s worth or at least until the next job was obtained. It was something to supplement not supplant. Not your single source of income. It’s a benefit if you lost your job through not fault of your own, not something to which you are entitled.

You have kids that you need to stay home to care for? Not our problem. You have rent to pay? Not our problem. You really need this unemployment money? Not our problem.

This isn’t necessarily my attitude, but the attitude that we are forced to adapt by federal and state law. You have to qualify for unemployment; that is the law. There is little room to feel sorry because everyday we hear something and a lot of people’s claims are in similar positions. We have to care less about what you need, otherwise it would not be according to law.

Thirdly, you did not pay into it.

In my state you’ve likely paid for disability insurance; your employer(s) pay for unemployment. It doesn’t matter if you’ve worked 20 years or 2 months with an employer, how much you make each week is based on the previous 18 months of employment. It has to be shown that it was through no fault of your own that you are unemployed.

Fourthly, we don’t know what to believe over the phone (if you can actually get through).

There is really no choice but to be skeptical about everything you say.

Between the sheer number of fraudulent claims last Summer and all the inconsistencies we see, it’s hard to know what to believe. At our core all of us are there to be helpful, but that goes out the window once it appears you’re only trying to be helpful to yourself.

Signed,

Empathetic but Tired.