Help... Did i screw up my phone interview

[commentator]

Not all states have "walk in" unemployment offices where you can go first thing Monday morning. Before I went anywhere, I'd call them and ask if they do unemployment on site, if I could get a bi-weekly certification form there.

Some states have telephones at the local career center system office that are designated for calling in, some career centers give out u.i. forms and offer faxing services. Those states that do bi-weekly mail in certs, like CA, are very much tighter about giving out the certification forms. There does not appear to be a place on the website for CA where you can download the form, or certify on line or by telephone. As I said, especially since neither of the people you spoke with recommended that you go pick up a form or told you where to download one, or offered to send you one, I suspect that it will come out with your decision.

 

[rolexguy]

confused and happy

Well after 14 days of speaking to the EDD and interviewer again, interviewers supervisor, and than his boss. I have finally got it resolved. There was no notes, comments on my file from no one. He just went ahead and approve it because of my constant calls and how many times a day I would call him on since i has his direct line . We hung up and called a lil later the 800 number to to verify and speek to a rep there. He said it is approved and check will be out tomm. My last day of work was 9/25/3009. I received my original packet with claim form with dates from 10/4 -10/17 and mail in on 10/28. The CSR told me my check is only from the 4th thourgh the 20th. He said this was because of the 1 week hold. My week waiting hold was already from 9/28-10/3. We cleared this up I think and he said now its because I got paid to much in last and final check from my employer. ??? I got my original claim continuation letter with preprinted dates 10/4-10/17 and mail in 18th. IS this right?does it sound correct? I need some guidance here.

Thanks

 

[pattytx]

I don't know what "too much" means, but there is a waiting period in your state and it would be for the week ending 10/3. So yes, your benefits would start being payable from the week ending 10/10 forward.

 

[rolexguy]

I would have thought that the one week holding period would start from the day I got fired. I also submitted my claim that same day which was 9/28/09 (Monday) never clocked into work. Technically my last day was 9/25/09 since my check was printed on 9/25 (friday). I got my claim paperwork 10/4/2009 stating approval and the pre printed dates of 10/4/2009 week 1 -10/17/2009 week 2 job information and mail in 10/18/2009. Shouldnt they have used the week of 9/27-10/4 as my 1 week holding period? I will be making a phone call to the magic number i have I just want to have as much ammunition as possible.

 

[pattytx]

It did (well, actually, Sunday, 9/27, since the state appears to use a Sunday through Saturday week). Your waiting period was the week starting Sunday 9/27 through Saturday, 10/3. The first full week in which you earned less than what you are allowed to earn without your benefits being affected.

 

[rolexguy]

ughh

This check I will be receiving is for 1 week only and it is for the week ending of 10/17. What happened to my portion of the weekending of 10/10? Why would they be trying to use that as my holding period?

 

[pattytx]

This check I will be receiving is for 1 week only and it is for the week ending of 10/17. What happened to my portion of the weekending of 10/10? Why would they be trying to use that as my holding period?

I have no idea. Doesn't sound right to me. Did you get any severance pay or vacation payout in the week following your termination?

 

[rolexguy]

3 days of vacation pay and 1 sick day and with these all included my final check came out to the same salary as if I would have worked a full pay period?

 

[pattytx]

And you got your final check on your last day worked, 9/25?

 

[rolexguy]

yes, our pay periods were from 1-15 paid on 25th and 16-31st paid on the 5th of every month. So technically I was shorted 2 days for a full pay cycle 9/29 and 9/30. When they included my vaca and sick day it totaled up to the same amount as a regular pay period check.

 

[pattytx]

But your final check was dated 10/5, not 9/25 (when it was required by law)?

 

[rolexguy]

no sorry my final work check was dated 9/25

 

[pattytx]

Then I have no idea. Based on everything you've said, your waiting week should have been 9/27 through 10/3.

 

[commentator]

Let me see. If the last day you worked was 9/28, and you filed your claim that day, so you got fired on a Monday, right? Okay there is a day of work showing there in that first week, that day you were fired, which was Monday,28th Sept.

They would be interested in how much you made on Monday (on the first certification form, for the week of Sunday 9/27/09 through 10/04/09) The cert questions will be something like "Did you do any work for which you have been paid or will be paid?" If you answered this question "no" that is going to monkey up things, because if your last day of work was the 28th, the system assumes that you were paid something for the 28th. (Totally regardless of when you pay check was dated or when you got paid for it by the employer. The unemployment office always looks at earnings from Sunday through Saturday, even if you haven't been paid for them yet, or were paid out for the whole month in advance.

If you say your last day of work was Monday, it's hard for them to understand you did not get paid a dime for Monday. I don't really understand it either. Did you just go by and pick up your termination notice? If so, your last day of work should have been listed as Friday the 25th. It's the day you last did WORK for them for which you can expect pay, not necessarily the day they told you you were laid off. They will have to change your last date worked in the system to get it to believe you have no wages to report, so talk to your magic number person about this!)

Then there's the question of did you receive any holiday, severance or vacation pay? If you answered that one "yes" then the system will stop and try to check it or will just count those wages, so it will not be good for counting as a waiting week until they have resolved the severance and vacation pay question. If you did receive vacation pay,and it was for more than the weekly benefit amount, you'd not be able to count that week for your waiting week. Depending on the state policy on terminal vacation leave. Be sure and ask them about this! Some states do not count vacation pay as wages if you are not returning to work. Some do.

So if they paid out three days of sick and vacation, and closed out the month with them, the unemployment office is trying to say you were paid for the 28th 29th and 30th, which amount will probably be more in that specific week than your weekly benefit amount, which is why you are not getting to count that first week as a waiting week.

Remember this is regardless of what your check date was, or when you were paid for the work. If your company's pay periods run differently than Sunday-Saturday, which most do, you just have to figure it up at your hourly wage x # of hours worked from Sunday 27th to Sat 04th.

To attempt further clarification, if you worked Monday for 4 hours and were told you were terminated, you'd have to list those hours, gross, how much you made on your weekly certification form. The waiting week is the first full Sunday-Saturday week that you did not work, or that you worked some, but received gross wages or severance, or vacation, or sick days paid out less than your weekly benefit amount.

If it said did you get holiday or vacation pay or severance and you said yes and put an amount, that's possibly going to keep that week from counting as your waiting week, because I bet it's more than the weekly benefit amount. Remember, this is always gross wages, not net.

You'll need to clarify this, you've got the magic number, call the supervisor, sit down with your calendar and he will doubtless have his there and be looking at your claim. Maybe it will make more sense then. Good luck!

 

[pattytx]

Good point, commentator. OP, were you PAID anything for 9/28?