Unemployment Shenanigans

Unemployment Shenanigans is what I’ll call this entry. I say that with full knowledge of the importance of the UI benefits. Many Americans before Convid-19 relied on this safety net and millions now are depending on this program to survive. To say this process has been one of the most stressful parts of being furloughed would be an understatement. For starters, the company I work for clearly didn’t have all the knowledge one would expect a multi-billion-dollar company would have. I guess I relied to heavily on the fact that the company I worked for would always have the answer or be there to fully protect me. The thing we kept hearing was “things are changing rapidly so the information is as well”. In my mind, no shit it’s happening rapidly but this effects people’s livelihoods. Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying here. I love my company immensely. I think we have transformed the Travel Industry over the most recent years. But in this moment, I feel we were left out in the dark without a strong flashlight to help guide us back. There were so many questions about where to file and what to claim since we are getting 1 day a week of our normal pay. The idea is this will help cover our benefits and such, so that we, hopefully, do not owe money to the company. Wouldn’t that be some shit if I needed to write a check to the company, to cover some benefits that my check wouldn’t cover. A multi-billion company would want me to write them a check. 😊 Let’s skip over that for now.

First, where to file unemployment. I’ve worked from home for the past 6 years after moving to Virginia in 2013. Our payroll is paid from one of the regional offices in MD. Common sense would say that you file in the state where your income comes from, not where you live. But we were instructed to file based upon your home address. This question, by the way, was asked many times over and our home address was communicated as the one to be used.

Now, the real mind-blowing thing happened. Applying in the Virginia unemployment website! My apologies for using the word “Shit” so much but it’s the only way that I can describe my frustrations and anger during this process. I have never had to file for UI benefits, ever in my life, so I was ignorant to the process in general. I thought or assumed that one would just go into the system and put in some basic information, income data, social security info and that would be it. SHIT! Not in Virginia. I thought I was completing an application to buy a home. This site had so many questions and a large percentage of them were confusing to say the least. I started firing off questions in our work team chat and I think my leader started to get a little annoyed with me. 😊 FYI, he is a good guy and one of the best leaders I’ve had in years! In the moment, I failed to realize that we were all in unchartered waters and none of us knew what the correct answers were. The 10 of us lived in different parts of the DMV including North Carolina. We were faced with up to 4 different UI systems with just our team alone to maneuver. At the end of the day I wanted my unemployment to be approved and to kick in immediately. I felt that this was our HR division’s expertise. This was their moment to shine bright like a diamond in the words of Rihanna. Hmphffffff! The normal lag time between applying and getting your first check is typically 21-30 days. That’s an entirely different conversation that needs to be had about this system, that clearly is designed to NOT help the people and to frustrate them to the point they give up applying. You almost need a Ph.D. to complete the application in Virginia.

I completed the application process to the best of my ability and with the information we were given. A week later I get an email that my information was received and being processed. Cool! I thought I was all set. The next day I get a letter and it says the same thing with more information about the VA program. Great! This is were the wheels start to come off again. My teammate calls me and says, T, can you believe I was denied UI benefits? Basically, Virginia had no record of income for her in their database for 2019. She would need to file an appeal proving that she did which could take up to 30 days. Say what now! I said, “sunshine I haven’t gotten that letter”, and, in my head, I would blow a fuse if I did. Well, the next day guess what comes in the mail? That damn letter, saying no record of my income was in the Virginia system. The state that I had lived in for 6 years. You have got to be kidding me! I felt my blood pressure rise and I know what happens when I get frustrated or upset about something, I feel passionate about. I send impassioned emails! LOL. I opened my work computer (which had been closed since our first day of furlough) to send our HR lead a note, asking what is going on. I was direct and too the point. What is going on?! She immediately responded and with “new” direction that we all should file in the state of Maryland. I’ll keep my inner thoughts to myself on that.

A few hours later, after calming down, I went to Maryland’s website to start the process all over again. In my mind I was emotionally drained for many reasons. For starters, I had to do this complicated process all over again. To my surprise Maryland’s website was easy as 1...2...3! I was in complete shock. This is how a website should be set up. Information was auto populating as I was completing some of the questions. Clearly this was the state we should have applied to from the onset. Now the waiting game begins. By the way, IRS run me my additional $600/week unemployment funds.

One thing I realized, as I rework my budget and continue to adjust my spending habits, the Furlough may end up being a positive reset to my financial standing. If the numbers hold and I stick to my strict spending regiment, I should be able to save most of the UI money. Once I’m off furlough, paying off the smallest loan and my one credit card, should be easy. With a little left over to have for a down payment on a car that I need. The plan is working and all I must do is stick with it.

Follow the plan Travis and it will all work out. It was Necessary!