Today at 11:20 was the appointment: my son was going to receive a call from a
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development "Claims Examiner". The LWD's officious appointment letter sent to my son ordered, "You are required to participate in a telephone fact-finding interview to determine your eligibility for benefits."Quick Recap
On February 11, my son and I went to Mercer County One Stop Career Center to file for his umemployment compensation. We were sent there by The Mercer County Board of Social Services, which needed my son to find out his eligibility for umemployment so to determine whatever amount of adjustment could be made in his Food Stamps. He needed to get his Food Stamps adjusted because he was no longer receiving part-time wages from his cashier job at Walmart. He had to leave that job to attend a partial hospitalization program for continuing treatment of his mental illness. (See the blog entry from February 11. Scroll down to "Filing for Unemployment, Just To Get Denied".)
After filing his claim at the Career Center, a couple of days later my son received a form letter saying that he was not eligible for general unemployment comp. Thus his Food Stamps were adjusted. But on the day he filed, he heard from the LDW Re-employment Call Center's Mr. Levy that his disability might make him eligible for another form of unemployment comp. Today's appointment is therefore important for helping us determine this.
Trying To Comply, But Can't Get Through...
As another requirement for eligibility, every Wednesday (including yesterday) my son is now supposed to call another LWD number which responds with an automated system to verify his availability for work, job search progress, etc. (You know the type..."For the period from Feburary 6 to 13, were you able and available to work? If yes, push 1. If no, press 2...")
My son tried to make the call yesterday as required. Trouble is, the call center numbers provided all responded the same: "Due to the high call volume of calls, we can't take your call right now. Please call back later." So through no fault of his own, he wasn't able to comply with the requirement .
We'll take this up with the examiner when (if?) he calls. We're now 90 minutes into the 120 minute window for the call... I'm having trouble holding my distractable son's attention... He's gone off to exercise on the stationary bike...
Four hours later...
It's now 3:20 pm. No call from the Claims Examiner.
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