Help for Unemployment Hassles

The number of people unemployed in Tennessee has reached a 20 year high, including more than 20,000 people in our area. Gary Robinson was laid off last month from Thomas and Betts in Athens. He expected it, given the recession. But he says he didn't expect the response he got from the state so he called NewsChannel 9 for help.

"It's chaos." That's how Gary Robinson describes the state's unemployment office, and he's fed up.

"It's a lot of problems with the system." Robinson says the headaches began when he got a letter from the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development, saying he had only seven days to register for job service or he'd lose his benefits.

Robinson says, "So I drove 20 miles to the Career Center (in Athens), which don't have nothing to do with the unemployment. So I asked them where's the unemployment office? And they tell me you've got to do it over the phone."

Frustrated, Robinson went back to his kitchen table and called the state's 1-800 number, only he couldn't get through.

"I dialed this number all day and the line is busy." Next, he called the Career Center back in Athens for help. He says they told him to keep trying the 1-800 number. He kept dialing, trying desperately to get somebody to take his call.

Robinson says, "About 4 days, about 4 days had past and I'm still doing this." His next call was to NewsChannel 9. "I know Channel 9 is very good in the community for solving problems."

We called the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Nashville to find out what's going on. They admit because of the huge spike in unemployment, they're swamped.

"Right now we're looking at about three times as many calls coming in as we would have had this time last year," says Marie Moss, Assistant Administrator of Employment Security.

During the first week of November, Moss says the department had an additional 13,000 more calls.

Moss says, ""I know it's a very frustrating time for people, especially getting close to Christmas. The workloads are just something that we simply cannot staff up for, but everyone will be served and no one will be out benefits."

That's comforting news for Robinson as he looks for another job, but he'd still like to see more done to improve the system.

Robinson says, "I think it's a darn shame and a disgrace that people who are unemployed have to go through this."

Moss says the department began preparing for the increase in July. She says at that time they added additional lines to the call center and hired 15 more workers to process claims. She says this week they brought in an additional 28 workers. The department is also expanding the internet application beginning the second week in December. She says that should relieve some of the pressure from the phone lines.

TIPS FOR FILING UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS:

Marie Moss with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development suggest individuals call to file claims first thing in the mornings. She says it's also better to call later in the week. Mondays and Tuesdays are the heaviest days for calls, so avoid those days if you can.

For more information, visit www.state.tn.us/laborwfd/Claimants/appintro.html or www.tennesseeanytime.org/labor/