I am pretty much a lurker on Kos, and only occassionally write, but my visit to the Missouri Career Center this last week really bothered me, so I thought I'd write about it. First, let me say the office used to be the 'Unemployment Office'. Three years ago, when I did qualify for unemployment, I had to visit there monthly for counseling on how to find a job. They critiqued my resume and did mock interviews to help me market myself better to employers. I could go in at any time and use their computers, fax machine, and do research on employers. It seemed like a different place when I went there last week.
Update: While writing this diary I got a call from Missouri Employment Seceurity telling me I DO qualify for extended benefits. Now I'm really puzzled, since they could provide no explanation as to why this has suddenly changed. I think it's because Missouri doesn't want to give me SSDI/Medicaid. Now, I'm in a quandry, because my health is deteriorated over the last 3 years to the point where I'm not sure I could work a full-time job, so I had filed in 2009 for SSDI/Medicaid. Help...what should I do?
Hopelessness and fear were heavy in the air when I entered the Missouri Career Center last week. There were staff people standing around like guards everywhere. When I went to go back to the computers, I was stopped and told to sign in and wait for a staff person to help me. I especially noticed the averted eyes and lack of smiling faces from everyone waiting. I thought to myself, "yep, this is a disaster waiting to happen. There's a lot of desperate people here."
Let me go back and explain what led me to the Career Center last week. I write Claire McCaskill, my rep., occassionally to express my concerns. My last letter to her was somewhat of a rant about how I have a college education and have been unemployed for over 3 years, yet I don't qualify for any help in Missouri. I received 26 weeks of unemployment and have not received anything since April 2008. Everytime I heard of a new extension I would contact MO Unemployment and I'd be told I didn't qualify for any extensions. I wanted an explanation as to why some people get up to 99 weeks of unemployment and I only get 26 weeks. Well, This week I got a call from a lady in Jefferson City, MO who told me she had set up an appointment for me with the Missouri Career Center in Springfield, MO. I thought, "Great. maybe I'll get some help, or at least some answers."
No such luck. When I asked my caseworker about why I don't qualify for an extension, she informed me that they are NOT the unemployment office and she could not answer those questions. They are only to help people find work and don't have anything to do with unemployment claims. She did get me a form to send to the Unemployment Office to get answers to my questions, but that left me frustrated and still without answers.
When I went online to check for an address for an Unemployment Office, there were no addresses listed, only phone numbers and PO Boxes. When I called the phone numbers listed, I got a recording. WTF?!?! Now you can't even talk to a person about your unemployment?
To be fair, the lady at the Career Center was pleasant, but could offer me little help. She told me, "At least you have a college degree and good skills, so don't give up".
Don't give up? I've not had any income for over 2 1/2 years, no health insurance, nothing to give me hope that my situation will improve. No wonder the Career Center has distanced themselves from the Unemployment Office. Desperate people do desperate things.
Update: Ok...now I just got a call saying I do qualify for an extension. They could not explain why I didn't qualify before. I just received a notice this week from them dated 12/30/2010 telling me that I didn't qualify. The 12/30/2010 notice was just like all the others I've received over the last 2 1/2 years. It includes a form saying that if I am eligible for extended benefits they will notify me how to file. So how come I never received any notification that I was eligible for extended benefits??? I've been ranting on Daily Kos and writing my reps about this for over 2 years and they kept telling me I was Not eligible.
I've worked for over 35 years and I do have chronic health conditions which have gotten worse over the last couple years because I have no healthcare. I filed for SSI, SSDI, and Medicaid in 2009 trying to get help. I received a denial on all claims. Medicaid has now set me up a medical doctors evaluation for next Monday and a psych evaluation for the end of January. I don't know if I can handle a full-time job at this point with all my medical issues. Now I'm in another quandry, do I risk messing up my disability by getting Unemployment? I believe they owe me the unemployment from when I was able to work, but I don't know at this point whether I can work. I need money and healthcare to live. The state of Missouri has denied me any support since 4/2008 and now I'm afraid they will screw me again. Oh, I hate the American system. I'm afraid I'm screwed no matter what I do.