Missing Unemployment funds

[VietMike85]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

I apologize if this is the wrong area to post. I don't know where is appropriate. My issue is regarding 7 weekly unemployment claims that were sent to a debit card that was closed and sent back to the state due to inactivity.

I had my initial 7 weekly PUA claims in 2020 set to debit card and still haven't received the money. I was told to wait, but never received my card. In 2021 I contacted Bank Of America, they looked up my social security number, identified the account that was in my name, and notified me that it had been closed due to inactivity and the money was sent back to the state. It has the exact transaction history to match my original 7 weekly claims - totaling $4,869. I have been calling BoA, PUA, and even the staniford building in boston 3-5 times a week. When I call the PUA callcenter, they tell me they aren't able to help or put me on hold and hang up on me. I have exchanged emails with several customer service reps each week. No one is able or willing to help me recover my lost money. I am either told they are unable to help or that I need to continue waiting. It has been 2 years and I have been dealing with a lot of financial stress without employment and I am at risk of losing my housing but my urgency is ignored by the state . I have the closing statement as evidence to match the transaction history of the claims, my name, and address. I have hesitated taking any legal action because I don't know if it's in my best interest, but I am desperate now, is there any advice you could give me?

 

[quincy]

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/department-of-unemployment-assistance-dua-contact-information

It can be hard and frustrating work to deal with any government agency. Persistence is generally required.

 

[cbg]

I wonder if you might not be better off going physically to on of the DUA's walk in centers.

https://www.masslegalhelp.org/employment-unemployment/ui-apply-article#:~:text=To apply in person, you,-877-626-6800.

 

[Zigner]

...sent back to the state due to inactivity.

When funds escheat to the state, they are handled by Unclaimed Property Division.

https://www.findmassmoney.com/

Enter your information to find your money and follow the steps outlined to retrieve it.

 

[adjusterjack]

I have hesitated taking any legal action because I don't know if it's in my best interest,

Probably wouldn't be. It's complicated to sue a government agency. Google Massachusetts Tort Claims. You'll need a lawyer and you'll probably spend more on the lawyer than your total benefits and I doubt that you get lawyer fees fack.

I contacted Bank Of America, they looked up my social security number, identified the account that was in my name, and notified me that it had been closed due to inactivity

A checking account would have had more frequent activity. Didn't you have one for direct deposit?

Zigner makes a good point. After all this time see if the unclaimed funds department has your money.

 

[VietMike85]

Probably wouldn't be. It's complicated to sue a government agency. Google Massachusetts Tort Claims. You'll need a lawyer and you'll probably spend more on the lawyer than your total benefits and I doubt that you get lawyer fees fack.



A checking account would have had more frequent activity. Didn't you have one for direct deposit?

Zigner makes a good point. After all this time see if the unclaimed funds department has your money.

I tried that website and my name does not show up. I did switch to direct deposit on week 8. One of the issues is that weeks 1-7 state "paid" and they should state "returned". There have been a lot of reports of fraudulent accounts so I don't think the DUA is making any effort to locate my lost money nor do they even know it is lost.

 

[VietMike85]

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/department-of-unemployment-assistance-dua-contact-information

It can be hard and frustrating work to deal with any government agency. Persistence is generally required.

Without exaggeration, I have called over 200 times since 2020. They claim they are "unable to help" or they put me on hold and hang up

 

[Zigner]

They are not able to help because they don't have the money - the state's unclaimed property department has the money. Give it some more time for the money to show up in the unclaimed property database.

 

[quincy]

Without exaggeration, I have called over 200 times since 2020. They claim they are "unable to help" or they put me on hold and hang up

I guess I am not surprised. It can be next to impossible to get a real person to answer a call and then actually have that person be of any help if reached.

cbg provided a link to the Mass Legal Help organization (https://www.masslegalhelp.org) and perhaps you can find some free legal assistance through that organization.

 

[adjusterjack]

I guess I am not surprised. It can be next to impossible to get a real person to answer a call and then actually be of help if reached.

Bureaucracy. They either don't care or are incompentent.

 

[quincy]

Bureaucracy. They either don't care or are incompentent.

There are too few workers to handle too many claims - and the work has been increased for these workers because of the need to also recapture overpayments of benefits dating from the start of the pandemic.

Michigan is suffering from the same problem. It is not so much incompetence as overwhelming work loads. The employees tend on the whole to be as frustrated as the people seeking assistance in tracking down missing or delayed payments.

 

[Zigner]

The money is not going back to the Michigan unemployment department. It is going to the Michigan unclaimed property department.

 

[cbg]

It's not going back to the Michigan anything, as the OP is in MA

 

[quincy]

The money is not going back to the Michigan unemployment department. It is going to the Michigan unclaimed property department.

The name of the one owed money generally would not take two years to show up. At least in Michigan.

 

[Zigner]

The name of the one owed money generally would not take two years to show up. At least in Michigan.

Your post made me wonder what the time period for escheating this type of property would be and it appears to be 3 years. Since we're not even at the 3 year point yet, I went back and read the OP more closely. I now think I understand what the OP is saying. He had a debit card account for unemployment funds (or other state-distributed funds) administered by BofA in the past, but that debit card account was closed as being inactive. The state then tried to deposit more funds into that account, but BofA reversed those transactions because the account was closed.

I stand corrected and I now agree that the OP will need to keep dealing with the state unemployment department and not the unclaimed property department.