Ohio Unemployment Claim Systems Overwhelmed

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

POSTED: 3:30 pm EST January 6, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio is one of several states where unemployment claims systems have buckled under an onslaught of telephone calls and Web site hits.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services says callers have been unable to get through this week. Spokesman Brian Harter said Tuesday the section of the state's Web site that enables people to make claims online is down.

Harter said the telephone hot line generally receives about 7,500 calls a day, but has been getting about 80,000 each of the past two days.

Unemployment claims systems in New York and North Carolina are experiencing similar problems due to a surge in callers.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/money/18423148/detail.html

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We need help here, soon. :(

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. Two weeks, friend.

It won't solve everything right away, but at least things will start to happen.

[OhioChick]

3. Thanks...

I so badly need to hear "help is on the way."

[madrchsod]

2. illinois added extra hours to their phone call in

unemployment pay is better than nothing but i`d like to have a job instead

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

4. Amen to that. nt

[Joanne98]

5. I tried to get online today. I tried to call.. I'm glad I know what's happening now.

Thanks for posting Ohiochick!

[OhioChick]

7. I wish you luck, Joanne.

I assume that you're out of work and hope you find something soon. :)

[Joanne98]

28. Thanks.

[The Straight Story]

18. Me too

I hope I get something going soon :(

[Joanne98]

29. Thanks SS!

[AngryOldDem]

30. Best of luck and best wishes to both you and Joanne98. n/t

[ihavenobias]

6. That sucks.

:(

[Pale Blue Dot]

8. I just posted a similar article about New York.

I don't mean to minimize the problems in Ohio; I just wish more people realized that what's happening to you is merely a preview of what's going to happen everywhere else.

[OhioChick]

12. Once we all start starving.....

(As well as those in Michigan) everyone will know what's coming their way.

[tama]

9. Do you realize

that as nearly all states are going broke, to bailout unemployed and vital services, there will is no other option for funding them than printing press, full gear. And guess what that means? US is going the way of Zimbabwe...

[sarcasmo]

10. Michigan is dealing with the same situation. It's scary, 10percent unemployment

[barbtries]

11. just what you need when you just lost your job

no access to unemployment insurance. anyone who's ever done it knows it's a drag at best. i've been put on hold for up to 20 minutes only to hear, "all circuits are busy. please try your call later," and being hung up on. i've always thought it was part of the plan, you know the plan: make people crazy so they'll go away in frustration and go without their unemployment insurance (or food stamps, AFDC, medi-cal, SS, disability).

when i was young with my oldest child and single, i thought someone in Sacramento was working around the clock just to find new ways to make my life miserable. i guess that bureaucratic beast still lives, and works, all over, adding insult to injury and madness to misery.

[ChromeFoundry]

13. It sure is bad here. n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

14. Maybe they should hire more people

to handle the load...

[OhioChick]

15. Ohio is broke......

Strickland already hit up Obama for 5 Billion.

[Lorien]

32. 5 billion. And just how many banking CEOs would that support?

Ten? Twenty? Really, we have to think of our priorities!

:sarcasm:

Seriously; that Trillion or so that was sent to Wall Street could have helped how many families (or single people) who are out of work? Just how many non-retired adults live in America? How many jobs could have been created with that money? it just boggles the mind that so many billions have been flushed away over the past eight years with NOTHING but wealthier wealthy people and more death to show for it.

[eilen]

31. Maybe they should call for volunteers to help

on Mondays and Fridays. Or offer a writeoff on state income or property taxes as reimbursement. People should pitch in and help each other instead of just relying on the government and bitching about it. The State should put out a call for volunteers. Even just to answer phones and take down the information. It keeps citizens feeling better and more optimistic when they talk to a person not an automated menu driven machine that keeps them hanging on for hours. Put volunteers at tables in the unemployment centers for intake. It can't be that difficult a job. I would volunteer. My husband often has periods of unemployment and if he can't get his claim in by the end of Monday, it is delayed a week. It is really frustrating in fact, he has found states that have an easier process and will often apply there instead (he works all over the country so can do this legally--NY just reimburses the other state but that deal is ending too).

[Ohio Joe]

16. My last job was at ODJFS here in Ohio

I was laid off five months ago. Because of state financial issues, they are cut down to the bone, barely able to handle normal traffic, this must be killing them. Not to mention their systems are an absolute mess, way behind standards set by law both state and federal.

On the bright side, I am expecting a job offer this week so at least I'll be one person off their hands.

[Azlady]

17. Samething in NM -

NM news yesterday reported that people can not get through to unemployment offices, the State CAN'T AFFORD TO HIRE MORE WORKERS........ oh boy......it is happening everywhere.

[roamer65]

19. This shows that you need to have a least 2-3 months of cash on hand...

to survive if UI benefits become delayed. I am betting the back log will get worse.

[OhioChick]

20. How is one supposed to have 2-3 months of cash on hand

If one is living paycheck to paycheck and barely getting by?

[cap]

21. you can thank our good friend, Elaine Chao for this

she just laid off a bunch of folks in the unemployment office in VA and I wouldn't be surprised if she sliced some folks in Ohio and NY as well.

[LiberalFighter]

22. For everyone's info... Chao is Senator Mitch McConnell's wife.

[LiberalHeart]

23. I have to be the luckiest person in Ohio. I landed a job yesterday.

It's nothing exciting, but even lousy pay is looking wonderful these days.

[sarcasmo]

26. A piece on our local news here in Grand Rapids Michigan last night.

One of the local moving companies said they were moving, 50 families moving out per week. What a number that is compared to 20 a week during normal times.

[Blue_Tires]

24. someone should ask Joe the Plumber what he thinks

i kid, i kid

[Dulcinea]

25. It seems the FBI is hiring.

http://www.fbijobs.gov/

Hey, any port in a storm! :)

[Waiting For Everyman]

27. The Feds should immediately fund hiring more people to process these needs.

For UE, food stamps, energy assistance programs, all of it. It's a no-brainer. This is where we need to create jobs first. Instead, states are cutting employees and programs. I hope Obama turns this around first, and fast.