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When I was a kid I remember an unemployment office in town
where people were able to talk face to face with someone and fill out an
unemployment application with many of the initial questions answered right
there. Today the offices in many states
have been replaced by career centers that are geared for job seekers but the staff cannot
walk you through the unemployment application process. I remember going to the center thinking I
would come out with the application complete but instead was handed a brochure
about how to apply online or via phone call.
The lady at the desk was kind and I was almost in tears. I found out later that a kind spirit was necessary
to be effective as many who come having lost a job whether they have outward
emotions or not are broken in spirit.
Some advice from
going through the process myself. (I live in NY State so remember that things may be a little different in your state)
The Career Center
Sign up at the Career Center right away. Someone may tell you to wait until you have
your unemployment approved, but sometimes that takes a while and even before
you are approved there are requirements of seeking employment that the Career
Center can help you with. Your initial contact
with the center should give you a brochure or information about how to contact
the unemployment center via phone or web-site.
One of the most important pieces of information I received was a sheet that showed
me the steps of the automated phone system for unemployment that would lead me
to being able to talk to a real person quickly.
There was a line in the brochure that explained that it was
understandable that the process may seem overwhelming but it was doable. The fact that the brochure that was handed
out at the Career Center acknowledged that losing a job and then having to
figure out how to sign up for unemployment was difficult for most people helped
me feel not so alone
Things to have on
hand when you make the call or sign up on the unemployment web-site
The brochure and the staff at the Career Center have a
pretty good idea of the items you will need.
You will need to have your Social Security Number and the date of your
hire and dismissal. I had forgotten the
exact date of my hire and only knew the month and year. I was able to call Human Resources at my
former company and they told me. Don’t
let fear or being upset keep you from reaching out to get the information, just
maintain a professional attitude and most HR directors will help you. Also on the application be prepared to give a
few sentences about the reason for dismissal.
You will also need the complete name of the company and address. I had my check stubs ready to show my pay
rate but found that the State has all that information when they have the name
of the company where you worked. It is
better to be over prepared than to be in the middle and having to go look for
things. Some states have a pre check
list on their web-site or you can ask your local career center if they have the
handy sheet that helps you get to a person at the state unemployment office quickly. NY State has its unemployment
handbook on its website I’m sure many other states do as well
Official Information
It is important to remember that while the Career
Centers can help you navigate many things they are not the official place to
get definitive answers for specific questions about eligibility or what is
allowable throughout your time on unemployment.
Important questions must be answered through the official state handbook
or by calling the unemployment number and speaking to someone there.
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