I hate, hate, hate our state unemployment office

@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
October 2, 2008 12:13am CST
My hubby got "downsized". So yea for us, this Friday's pay check is his last. At least he can get unemployment. I thought that would be a good thing. So we (more like I) filled out the paperwork online to be processed. I was talking to a friend of ours who lives in PA and he tells me not to worry because when he was on unemployment get got like 60% of his pay. My curiosity spiked (and because I an a nervous nelly) I decided to research how much my husband should get a week. So I found a calculator online (good for 2004) and inputted all the numbers and it spat out $240/week. Then I found out that Louisiana is 41 out of 50 state for how low their pay out is. Now I know that unemployment is temporary, but how are you suppose to live on roughly 30% (or less) of what you would normally make a week? After I get over that shock. We get the letter in the mail today showing what he will actually get. $221/week. Apparently, they are using 2nd-4th Qtr for 2007 and 1st Qtr for 2008. I start looking a bit harder, and there is at least $5K worth of wages that are not listed (that we have proof of). I made him call the unemployment folks and I faxed over all of the proof we have. I also think I found an error in one of his W2s. Not 100% sure about that, but I know about how many hours he was working a week for the company and how much he was making per hour, I checked our our deposits for the months he was at the jobs, and it all just doesn't add up. So either I have my dates wrong, somehow we had mysterious deposits, or the company messed up. Of course, since I have the W2s I didn't keep the pay stubs. Anyway, come to find out no matter how much you make, they cap payments out at $258/week! Moral of the story don't move to Louisiana LOL Find out the other states that payout even lower, if you live there, move!
1 person likes this
3 responses
• United States
2 Oct 08
its a pain in the butt!! i worked at a job i got laid off on every year (but was always called back) and they would always screw up.. i think we made like 600-800 a month with them but seemed like they would lose info or something.. and no fair!! i wanna move to nola!! trade you la for tn
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
2 Oct 08
No you don't! His unemployment (if we can get the $258 - which he does qualify for), is only 1032/month. IF he can get it....he *might* get a check in 2 weeks....That will be sort of helpful but not really. That isn't even what he was getting for 1 pay check after taxes That doesn't even cover our rent.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Oct 08
we have to be unemployed two weeks before we can even start getting money.. so you pretty much have to eat the two weeks.. and i got less than that so they may pay more than tn.. god knows tn sucks in every way so it wouldnt surprise me if we were 50
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
6 Oct 08
That isn't fair. We pay into that system with our taxes and sometimes you can't even use it. Something goofy they started here - you get your payments from a debit card. Which is okay if you are using that to pay your bills, but what about bills you can't pay through the card?
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I hate our state and the next state over from us unemployment office. You can never get a hold of them and they are so rude. My husband got unempolyment and they did not treat him well at all. We live about 60 miles from them also. they would not answer the phone and my husband had to make several trips down there. He used to work in that state, is why. It is lower here also than in Kentucky. Indiana pays less.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
2 Oct 08
Wow. Yeah, there is a statement on the website that if you worked in 2 states that you should compare what you can get from either state and file where it benefits you the most. However, unless you worked in Texas, you are screwed from our bordering states!
@icyorchid (2564)
• United States
2 Oct 08
WOW! I didn't think they capped payments. That's just stupid! It cost too much to live anywhere, but to live here and be on unemployment, you have to decide if you want a place to live or food! You'd think they'd be more inclined to give you at least half of what you were paid so you could still make ends meet. I'm glad my hubby isn't on unemployment, we'd NEVER make it with bills and rent. I hope it all starts to work out for you soon.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
2 Oct 08
I couldn't' believe it either, but it is right there on their website! Such BS. I hate this state....If he doesn't' go into the Corps I am going to make him look for jobs somewhere else. About 2 years ago he was in the running for a job at HG TV in Tennessee, he was in the top 2, but the person coordinating the deal messed up and instead of hiring hubby first, they hired the other guy, then they didn't have funding for a second person. That's the kind of luck he has!