To give you some backstory, I've been unemployed since Christmas Eve. The whole story would be so long that you would all fall asleep and drool on your keyboards so, to sum it up, my former boss was insane or something. Though I was doing great work, she wanted me gone. Sent me the notice through email, didn't even have the stones to do it in person. I have several opportunities that look promising and one of them promised to get back to me today or tomorrow, so all is not lost.
Here begins my tale of woe. My unemployment checks had been coming in the mail just fine. Last week, it didn't show up. Hmmm, well maybe the big snowstorm on Wednesday delayed things. Thursday, still no check. Well, they are still clearing the roads of all the vehicles that were stranded in the storm, maybe Friday. Friday, no check, so I called the support line. I finally get through to Ashley and explain my situation. Ashley says she wouldn't have the information that I need and that they sent the check Tuesday. Ashley honey, I know they sent the check Tuesday, they always send the checks Tuesday, but I don't have mine, so who do I talk to in order get one? Ashley doesn't have that information. Ok Ashley, if you don't know, then who does? Ashley says no one there would know. Lovely, so the check is lost and you don't know how to fix it. Nope. *sigh*
So I hoped it would show up Saturday. Now it's Monday, the check should have been here a week ago, still no check. I try to call the support line today and get this message: "All our staff are currently busy with other callers. The best days to call are Tuesday through Thursday. Please call back later" and then the line cuts off. NO! I DON'T WANT TO CALL TOMORROW! I AM CALLING TODAY! AT LEAST HAVE A PHONE SYSTEM THAT COMES FROM SOMETIME AFTER 1980 THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ME TO KEEP CALLING!!! Call every 5 minutes for an hour and FINALLY get to wait on hold for 10 minutes for the next supposedly helpful person. I get Andrew, who sounds like a nice enough guy, and explain my situation. He knows more than Ashley knew on Friday and informs me that I must wait TWELVE days before I'm allowed to report the check missing. Must ... try ... not ... to ... threaten ... Andrew's ... life. WHY?!?!?! THE CHECK IS MISSING N O W!!! He does not know, that's just the rules.
So in summary: government fails, their phone system fail, and their support staff fails. And I still don't have my money with bills due.
Oh I forgot this part ...
Decided to go the post office in the off chance they were holding it there for some odd reason. Wait in line, chat with some nice people. Now it's my turn and the guy waives me over. I have my driver's license ready to identify myself and ask if they could check if any mail is being held for me. He responds,
"What, you think I have a big bin in the back where we keep all the mail?"
Must ... not ... pummel ... smartass ... postal worker.
"I have no idea how you store the mail, sir, so I stopped here to ask. There is a check I have no received that was mailed last week.
"No, we have no way to store it here. It's either delivered or sent back."
"Ok, thanks."
I think the unemployment support and postal staff need a new line in their manual ...
"Remember, do not mess with the unemployed guy whose check has been lost. Please do not insult his intelligence and at least attempt to be helpful. And above all, do not be a sarcastic a-hole and ask him if he thinks there is a big bin in the back where you keep the mail. He may pummel you."
Here begins my tale of woe. My unemployment checks had been coming in the mail just fine. Last week, it didn't show up. Hmmm, well maybe the big snowstorm on Wednesday delayed things. Thursday, still no check. Well, they are still clearing the roads of all the vehicles that were stranded in the storm, maybe Friday. Friday, no check, so I called the support line. I finally get through to Ashley and explain my situation. Ashley says she wouldn't have the information that I need and that they sent the check Tuesday. Ashley honey, I know they sent the check Tuesday, they always send the checks Tuesday, but I don't have mine, so who do I talk to in order get one? Ashley doesn't have that information. Ok Ashley, if you don't know, then who does? Ashley says no one there would know. Lovely, so the check is lost and you don't know how to fix it. Nope. *sigh*
So I hoped it would show up Saturday. Now it's Monday, the check should have been here a week ago, still no check. I try to call the support line today and get this message: "All our staff are currently busy with other callers. The best days to call are Tuesday through Thursday. Please call back later" and then the line cuts off. NO! I DON'T WANT TO CALL TOMORROW! I AM CALLING TODAY! AT LEAST HAVE A PHONE SYSTEM THAT COMES FROM SOMETIME AFTER 1980 THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ME TO KEEP CALLING!!! Call every 5 minutes for an hour and FINALLY get to wait on hold for 10 minutes for the next supposedly helpful person. I get Andrew, who sounds like a nice enough guy, and explain my situation. He knows more than Ashley knew on Friday and informs me that I must wait TWELVE days before I'm allowed to report the check missing. Must ... try ... not ... to ... threaten ... Andrew's ... life. WHY?!?!?! THE CHECK IS MISSING N O W!!! He does not know, that's just the rules.
So in summary: government fails, their phone system fail, and their support staff fails. And I still don't have my money with bills due.
Oh I forgot this part ...
Decided to go the post office in the off chance they were holding it there for some odd reason. Wait in line, chat with some nice people. Now it's my turn and the guy waives me over. I have my driver's license ready to identify myself and ask if they could check if any mail is being held for me. He responds,
"What, you think I have a big bin in the back where we keep all the mail?"
Must ... not ... pummel ... smartass ... postal worker.
"I have no idea how you store the mail, sir, so I stopped here to ask. There is a check I have no received that was mailed last week.
"No, we have no way to store it here. It's either delivered or sent back."
"Ok, thanks."
I think the unemployment support and postal staff need a new line in their manual ...
"Remember, do not mess with the unemployed guy whose check has been lost. Please do not insult his intelligence and at least attempt to be helpful. And above all, do not be a sarcastic a-hole and ask him if he thinks there is a big bin in the back where you keep the mail. He may pummel you."