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Readers Respond: Unemployment Stories and Tips

Responses: 37

By , About.com Guide

We have several jobs in Oklahoma

We have been trying to hire in multiple cities in Oklahoma and it's been really difficult. Our full time permanent stable positions only require outdoor work experience, no felonies and a good driving record. IF you know anyone that is looking that fits this role, we would love to talk to them. Here's the job posting: If you are not interested, but know of others that might fit this role, I would really appreciate you sharing the info with them. Our organization is hiring in Tishomingo, Yukon/Mustang/Bethany, OKC, Durant, Edmond, Enid, Midwest City/Del City, Moore/Norman, Muskogee, Owasso, and Tulsa. I have posted the position we are trying to fill below and am hopeful that you may have someone that is looking for a long-term, stable employment opportunity. Please feel free to review our website for details at http://www.usicinc.com. Thanks and best to all of you. I hope this is helpful.
—usicjobs

the check is in the mail!!yeah

I just filed my claim on June 8th, and thank goodness my determination went in my favor. Bring on my checks! Never had a problem with the phone system or filing on-line in Oklahoma
—Guest 53

How long should it take?

I have lived in OK for 20 years and have worked solid for the entire time. Lots of times working a full and a part time job to help support my family and just to make ends meet. What I don't think is right or fair is how long they can take before they decide if you are approved or not. It should not take that long. All it should require is a simple phone call to the ex-employer. I am worried that I won't be approved because I was fired for stupid reasons. All I get when I check my status is the message "Payment was not made on this week because there is an unresolved issue based on your separation from your last employer." I wish they would say exactly what the heck that means. After all I worked for that company for almost 3 years, the job before that for 4 years and 8 years at the one before that. That adds up to 15 years employment with only a few weeks in between when looking for the next one.
—Guest Guest

Very helpful

I found the employees in the office to be very helpful. I found the online system to be pretty simple to navigate as well. I feel very fortunate to be able to receive benefits from the great state of Oklahoma.
—Guest Furloughed worker

Losing Benefits mid way thur my semster

I did not see this coming when I enrolled this semester. I have no ideal how I will support my family when my benefits run out in 4 weeks. I thought I would get to take advantage of tiers 2 and 3 as well. I wish I would have known this was going to happen. My family will be devestated.
—Guest Chrsitine

Only One Phone Number

OMG! I have tried in vain to complete the initial claims process of filing for Unemployment online but every time I try I never am able to complete it. After I click on the continue button I am taken to this page that looks like an error page and that is as far as I am able to get. Then when I call the one phone number they tell you to call for assistence, it's another run around with both the automated recording and with trying to speak to someone. I am not able to speak to a live person or complete anything. Everytime I am given the option of speaking to someone, I am told to call back between 8am and 4:15pm. What a joke that the Oklahoma Unemployment Claims office is manned by only one working number. Then a bossy person on the recording tells you that you CAN NOT use a cell phone when you call. I will now have to use the landline phone of family because the calling plan I am on limits my outbound calls to 30 mins. It's looking like it's gonna take many hours.
—Guest Sue

Help me please!

I shattered both my feet a week ago. I have worked in a hospital now for almost one year. My employer said that I have not been there long enough to qualify for FMLA (5 weeks short) cause I have to be there a year. Also, she said I didnt sign up for temporary disability. My doctor explained I need to be off my feet for at least 3 months and now my emploter is telling me they can't hold my job for me. As a single parent with a mortgage what do I do and what do I qualify for? I could try to find another job but cant walk so that is out of the question. What benefits can I get to get me by till my feet heel? I dont want to lose my home. I have excellent credit and always pay my bills on time. Seems like if I had nothing and worked towards nothing I would get all the benefits. But, cause I have a career and made a decent living now I dont qualify for anything.....Doc said also it could take up to a year to heal. Help me please!
—Guest Susan

they don't really seem to care

Has anyone considered that maybe the reason the unemployment workers don't care about us is because they themselves don't have to worry about feeding their families? After all, they do get paid while we don't. I've been trying to file for a month now, but everything I do, they tell me go somewhere else. Supposedly I'm supposed to file federal, yet federal sends me back to state. Right now my girlfriend has cancer and we've exhausted my savings account paying for treatment and there isn't enough left to pay for chemotherapy, especially since they reduced her coverage. Right now I'm fighting to get access to money I've saved toward retirement, but that doesn't look promising either. I'm wondering if I'm going to have to sit here and watch her lose her house since we won't be able to make the mortgage payment but more afraid that I'm going to be sitting here helplessly watching her die because we can't afford to save her.
—Guest 13d (Army National Guard FDC)

kathy

I just tried to file for unemployment benefits online, and it seems that they don't support Mac users? I don't happen to own a PC. Thanks.
—Guest kathy klopfenstein

What do I do?

Recently my boss cut my hours down to less than 20 hours a week because I go to school and also because she was watching labor. She put someone younger than me in the full time spot. I have been a manager their for 4 and a half years. I have a young active daughter who is very active in school. We may have to stop alot of it because of this.
—Guest Theresa McAlister

Unemployment benefits

I have been unemployed since Sept 2008. I am getting benefits every two weeks. I have not any problem. System works great for me.
—Guest Gupta

what should I do???

I recently got out of basic training and AIT for the Army. I joined the Army National Guard because couldn't find a job. When I left, the Army said that I could file unemployment for up to a year. I filed in December; however, the lady that did my claim didn't explain to me that I needed to wait until January 2010 to file because I shipped out July 12 and they go by some schedule that stopped on June 30th. So I wasn't able to file on that. Instead they filed with some job I worked months before, and I only get 90 dollars a week when I should be getting 400. I called and explained, and they said there was nothing they could do. I told them I would give them the money back and I wanted to refile. They said I couldn't refile until a full year.
—Guest tyler

I understand

I hear you and I am going through it at the same time. They owe me nine checks. Wish you the best.
—Guest liz

Open more than one site

Why don't they just open another web site so they can take on a higher volume of users? The system crashes every week. We are literally living week to week, so we can't afford a day or two late on our filing. They need to fix it. I feel like they won't because then money can go out faster. Someone please help us all.
—Guest loosing my mind

Who does qualify

I think unemployment is only for certain people. I can tell you that I know I will never qualify.I was in the army for 7 yrs when my time was up I did not qualify. Then I found a job made $11./hr working 40 hrs plus for 3 years, quit to go to school and filed a claim because I couldnt find work 10mos after I stopped working and I did not qualfy I was told I had to make 10 times the amount that I was to be paid.
—Guest thisisbs

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