(no subject)

I tried to register for unemployment today. (There's no non-cumbersome way of putting that.) In New York, we are now encouraged to do this by telephone.

The first time, I punched lots of buttons, everything from entering specific ID numbers to binary choices on things like whether I had been discharged from the military in the last 18 months. After collecting all this information, the system passed me to a human being. She told me that they couldn't open a case now, because the system was down (a different system, I assume), and suggested I call back in the afternoon.

I did that. I was asked whether I wanted to continue in English (I pressed 1, and never found out how many other choices there are), entered my social security number and my PIN, and a recorded voice told me they were overloaded, call back at 15 minute intervals.

Okay.

More than 15 minutes later, I called again. Same automated system, and the note that my estimated wait would be five minutes. After a few minutes, I was connected to a human being. He asked whether I had worked in New York State in the last 18 months. When I said yes, he said they couldn't open that case now, please call back tomorrow.

Frustrating, probably for them more than me. I have until Friday, I think, to get this done or I lose a week.

(no subject)

I tried to register for unemployment today. (There's no non-cumbersome way of putting that.) In New York, we are now encouraged to do this by telephone.

The first time, I punched lots of buttons, everything from entering specific ID numbers to binary choices on things like whether I had been discharged from the military in the last 18 months. After collecting all this information, the system passed me to a human being. She told me that they couldn't open a case now, because the system was down (a different system, I assume), and suggested I call back in the afternoon.

I did that. I was asked whether I wanted to continue in English (I pressed 1, and never found out how many other choices there are), entered my social security number and my PIN, and a recorded voice told me they were overloaded, call back at 15 minute intervals.

Okay.

More than 15 minutes later, I called again. Same automated system, and the note that my estimated wait would be five minutes. After a few minutes, I was connected to a human being. He asked whether I had worked in New York State in the last 18 months. When I said yes, he said they couldn't open that case now, please call back tomorrow.

Frustrating, probably for them more than me. I have until Friday, I think, to get this done or I lose a week.