If you use TTY/TDD, call a relay operator first at (800) 662-1220, and ask the operator to call the Telephone Claims Center at (888) 783- 1370. He wants to know: “Will the state’s new 13-week extension apply to me?”, “Yes, he would be able to do that going forward and also could tap into that additional $600 dollars from the federal government — I’m pretty sure of that.”. It is that the State does not have enough staff to answer the phone. Please support high-quality local journalism. You have to wait 22 days for a response. Nearly half a million New Yorkers filed for unemployment benefits in March — or tried to, anyway. My daughter and I would starve.”, “Are you kidding me?” Jordan said. I have been working this week starting on Monday, November 18th, 2013. The Director's Office is unable to assist or answer questions regarding your claim or Unemployment Insurance. So many are calling, … I cannot get through to anyone at the Unemployment Office, despite dozens and dozens of tries, as it is constantly a busy signal. Subscribe to PennLive. The construction industry has a green light to restart on May 1, and Gov. Kansas Unemployment Contact Center P.O. The state’s call center for PA unemployment benefits in downtown Allentown is not set up to assist the unemployed, but most days some will turn up anxious for answers after receiving a non-stop busy signal when they try calling.. An employee of the call center memorized one woman who claimed she had … Phone #651-296-3644 busy just busy for 2 days straight,, called 651-296-6141 automated line that states high call volume, call cant be completed and hangs up. Albany County Unemployment Office: 175 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206 (518) 462-7600 X162 (518) 447-5967 Allegany County Unemployment Office: 7 Wells Lane, Belmont, NY 14813 “A busy signal for over a week straight, so how exactly are they improving their response time to phone calls if no Pennsylvanian can call them?”. He’s worried that his unemployment will run out amid the coronavirus crisis. Information about Unemployment Insurance Phone: 1-877-FILE-4-UI (1-877-345-3484) It’s not that your phone (or their phone) is broken. Getting an answer from Pennsylvania’s unemployment office takes patience, persistence, and perhaps multiple phones calling at once. KDKA’s Meghan Schiller spent the day Monday video chatting with people who are trying to file claims but only hearing a busy signal on the other end of the phone line. The U.S. Labor Department this week said that 4.4 million Americans had filed for compensation in the previous week, bringing the national total to 22 million people. There is no word for how frustrated I am. Multiple callers to the Louisiana Workforce Commission this week, if they did not get a busy signal, got an automated message saying they had to call back later to file for unemployment benefits. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Jordan, who filed for benefits on March 29, has yet to receive his pin or even a financial determination letter. Tom Wolf has laid out a phased county-by-county plan to reopen the state on May 8. 'The phone just rings busy’ ... Now emailing the unemployment office is part of her routine, in addition to watching New York Gov. Pennsylvania this week surpassed 1.5 million unemployment compensation claims filed since March 15, when the state rolled out coronavirus mitigation efforts. If you have an Unemployment Insurance issue, please see below for the correct number to call. By viewing our video content, you are accepting the terms of our. Michigan system for filing unemployment claims is overwhelmed, but keep trying, state says. Beware stimulus check scams Multiple callers to the Louisiana Workforce Commission this week, if they did not get a busy signal, got an automated message saying they had to call back later to file for unemployment … KDKA’s Meghan Schiller spent the day Monday video chatting with people who are trying to file claims but only hearing a busy signal on the other end of the phone line. People who have a problem with unemployment benefits get endless busy signal. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). While the Wolf administration has unveiled plans to phase out the statewide lockdown of the economic sector, cases of coronavirus continue to increase across the state. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. how am i suppose to get ahold of the unemployment office. Susan Jacobson, a policy director for Labor & Industry, said earlier this week pin numbers had been assigned to biweekly claims and that there should not be any more backlogs. The office line is busy, but I wanted to call back as instructed, and report my new part-time employment before having to file my bi-weekly claim on this Sunday, November 24, 2013. Don’t know where to find the nearest CareerLink? If you call and hear a busy signal, wait a few minutes and call again. “Due to high call volume, we can not take your call at this time,” the automated message said. 2 News called the state's unemployment line. ©2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This family is not alone. Oregon’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) call center is presently experiencing very high call volumes. After going through the menu, an automated voice message said, "We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls. According to the Labor & Industry’s website, pin numbers are mailed out after 7-10 days and the financial determination letters are sent out after about two weeks. What will be allowed in the red, yellow, and green phases of Pa.'s coronavirus reopening plan? “We are working day and night to figure out how to turn everything around," the governor said. Beware that you may need to wait in a lengthy line. If you continue to receive a busy signal, please wait several hours before attempting contact again. Unemployment office phone lines jammed, websites crashing . PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Governor Tom Wolf extended the stay-at-home order for 26 counties across Pennsylvania Monday afternoon, effectively keeping non-life sustaining businesses closed for another month. There are problems filing for unemployment benefits in Maryland that go beyond the state's … When you're trying to call a busy line — one that disconnects the call each time due to a surge of activity — the more times you can call in, the better. Not a subscriber yet? “I‘m just trying to stay positive,” said Angelita Wynn, who has tracked the number of calls she has placed to the unemployment compensation office. After that, all he heard were busy signals. Oleksiak said the department had bolstered the ranks of staff assigned to unemployment compensation claims - online and on the phone - and was working to improve the response time to phone and email inquiries from state residents. One plays if all lines are busy, and the system isn't going to take your call. Jordan emailed the unemployment compensation office on April 16 and was informed that the average response time was 17 days. The Texas Workforce Commission’s executive director says his agency is getting upwards of a million calls a day, and there are no real signs of a decline on the horizon. “I have spent a whole day from 8 o’clock to 4 o’clock calling, trying to get through but the phone is busy. Workers told VICE they are trying their best to file for unemployment but they are often unsuccessful, due to crashing websites with outdated programming and busy phone lines. We would love to hear from you . Once you are on hold in the queue, you are in line, stay on the call. On Thursday, Pennsylvania health officials reported 1,369 new coronavirus cases, raising the statewide total to 37,053. “It’s telling me again to refile on the 12th of April so that’s a month already gone of no income at all,” said Bruce. “There is never an available representative,” Jordan said. “I work every day and I struggle to put food on the table and stay independent and self sufficient, and then something happens... something that is beyond my control and has something to do with me and it knocks my world off its axis and I‘m suffering even more. “I waited two hours for two boxes of food. PennLive made repeated attempts to speak with someone at Labor & Industry, but as of Thursday afternoon had not heard back from officials. Help!” "I called a hundred times … I even called the hearing impaired office thinking I could try to be slick. State labor departments are overwhelmed with unemployment applications New York state's Department of Labor has seen a 1000% increase in claims . Pennsylvania, like the majority of states, has experienced a tidal wave of unemployment compensation claims as the pandemic shuttered states economies, prompting wide scale layoffs and furloughs. A busy signal may mean that our call queue is full, and we are unable to add more people to the queue. Bruce and his girlfriend Alyssa Imbrogno said the state’s unemployment office prefers people file claims online, but say the system is not working for them. All rights reserved (About Us). On Friday, he tried calling a minute before the office opened at 8 a.m., but got a message that it was closed. Gov. “I am trying to be empathetic,” she said. I called the Duquesne office after being hired. “Now I get on the unemployment compensation website this morning and the average response time is now 21 calendar days!”. Tom Wolf To Nominate Alison Beam As Secretary Of Health Dr. Rachel Levine's Replacement, Return Of Unemployment Payments For 400,000 Pennsylvanians Marred By System Crashes And Error Messages, Public File for WPCW-TV / PittsburghsCW.com. Jordan and Wynn have been trying to resolve their benefits issues for about the same length of time. As of Thursday morning, Wynn had logged 760 calls. “When you call the phone number that is plastered all over the unemployment compensation website all you get is a busy signal, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.” said Jordan, an auto sales representative from Hummelstown. Why aren’t people protesting that we can’t have access to a benefit that we have earned? Despite a phone hotline that seems always busy and an office fielding upwards of 15k emails a day, Pa.’s unemployment system is faring better than … You cannot get through to them,” said Jaffe, 80, who says the loss of income is making it hard to pay bills. I wish I could go and protest this. Busy Phone Lines, Backlogs And Benefits: Your Unemployment Questions Answered. Wynn confessed to feeling angry and disappointed at the news account this week of fellow state residents protesting at the Capitol demanding Wolf reopen the state for business. If you’re self-employed, you can find more information here. Busy signals Wednesday marked the 17th day since Jesse Snavlin filed for unemployment benefits.