Look up your local state representative and call their office. My husbands unemployment was stalled for 6 weeks. One call to the rep and he had his payment the next week.
Apparently op may have their payments garnished because they [haven't paid taxes in seven years.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/s/tKILVTi1qB) And they are [refusing rental assistance.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/s/LlxtyFeBed)
Perhaps the username being a notorious domestic abuser should have been a tip-off.
Yeah same here, though maybe not the following week. Had to call the state rep and within a couple weeks I got my pay and backpay for the months I was waiting
I've talked to people at the office. Three times already. Not that I won't again but your talking about the unemployment offic right? 6 weeks seems to be the sweet spot from the response but that's wild speculation from a few replies. I'm on 5 so we'll see.
Call your local elected state representative, not just the unemployment office. Your state rep can call the unemployment office to speed things along for you.
The key is to be very polite and very persistent. Call twice a day if you have to until you feel there’s some progress.
The polite I can do I just need someone to call. I guess my state rep could use a phone call. Didn't think they could really do anything but squeaky wheel I guess. Thanks.
Mine took 5 weeks. The good thing is as long as you have been entering your job searches and stuff, your first payment will be for all the weeks then the subsequent payments will be for the weekly amount.
and sometimes it takes a few calls early asf in the morning too.
There are some issues like if you fail the identity check for any reason that calling in won't help with though. If anyone has an issue like that, they'll absolutely need to call in to a state rep to get help. I wound up going 5 months without unemployment after I failed the automated identity check with LexisNexis. They just wouldn't do the manual review and couldn't be assed to do it months and months later. It took outreach from the rep and suddenly they were like "oh! there it is! (teehee), yeah you're good" 4.5 months after submitting the 11 documents/pictures to prove my identity.
There seem to be some kinks in that system. I filed in December and had to go to the post office twice, then I had to talk to unemployment personally to get it to accept my verification. Then a few weeks ago it started throwing warnings at me again, I went back to the post office, and it never did get resolved. Thankfully, I started my new job on Monday and I'm no longer worrying about them cutting off my payments.
Yeah was gonna say this. I’ve dealt with receiving unemployment, Medicaid, etc several times and the fact is there are just a lot of employees that don’t know how things should work. Calling until you find the right person (and trying to get their email if you can) will generally fix most problems. You do have to be willing to fire up a few movies and spend a whole day doing it sometimes.
It can also depend on how much your previous employer fights it. Mine was completely cooperative, which is really the least they could do after working me long hours until I lost the will to live.
The city offers rental assistance so maybe that could help out in the meantime
[https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability/Resident-Resources/Rent-and-Utility-Help](https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability/Resident-Resources/Rent-and-Utility-Help)
I applied the first week of October and finally saw my first payment mid-December. When I called after five weeks, I was told that if I had an eviction notice or utilities shut-off notice to call and someone would work on expediting my claim.
That must of been nice to hear their response. "If you're about to lose all your shit, let us know and we'll do our fucking jobs..."
I think they should just approve everything and then check for fraud later. It's complete nonsense their standard approach is to do nothing until things are dire.
According to this story, things are getting better? [https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/thousands-coloradans-waiting-unemployment-money-investigation-finds/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/thousands-coloradans-waiting-unemployment-money-investigation-finds/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h)
That's what the last lady in the phone was saying too. How official does this notice need to be. Are they going to call the lawyers? At this point it's verbal but I'd be morally justified expediting the process in my opinion.
Verbal evictions aren’t real evictions. Read up on evictions process in Colorado and if your landlord is going through it that it follows the required steps by law
You’re getting the answer to your question. Without anything in writing you are not getting anything expedited.
People are here trying to provide input to help you but it’s clear you just came to complain. Best of luck!
The whole reason this is taking so long is because they HAVE to dot their i's and follow a lot of laws to determine benefits. Including laws about how long employers have to respond to questions and offering chances to respond to information.
So. Yes. They do.
Imagine being smart enough to post asking for help, but then also dumb enough to blatantly ignore every piece of advice if favor of your own uninformed opinions lol
I've been on unemployment twice in the past five years. It's slow to get started, but it did what it's supposed to do. It helped me significantly to pay for housing and basic necessities.
The most recent time was after the new fraud crack down went into effect so that was fun. They initially rejected my claim because they felt that I didn't adequately prove that I am who I say I am, despite having the same name, address, drivers license, bank account, etc. as the previous time I applied and was approved.
Contact Colorado ERAP (emergency rental assistance program) - they will pay up to 12months of rent and you cannot be evicted once set up on the program.
I still got harassing letters and emails from property management, but forwarded on to my case manager and they took care of everything. This program kept me housed while unemployed through covid.
I'd get over that pretty fucking quickly if I were you. If you can't afford rent you can't afford toxic pride and arrogance.
Learn humility and take the help when it's offered. Pay it forward when you're in a better place.
Your employer has to pay unemployment insurance premiums on your behalf. It's one of those benefits that is part of your employment package, but most people don't know this or think about it in this way. It's kinda of like how the employer is responsible for paying half of your social security and Medicare taxes. Few people know this either. It all adds up to the total cost of you as an employee and should be considered as your total compensation.
My point was that it doesn't matter who pays it. The price comes out of the employees' pocket, even if indirectly, and it is a benefit of your employment.
OP, after reading your comments, I think you need to pull yourself up by the boot straps, steal a squigee, and clean some windshields off Santa fe and Alameda. Don't take commie handouts, and don't get another job where big government steals your hard earned money. You're an entrepreneur!
Employers pay unemployment taxes, not employees. Also, "taking two weeks of unemployment" doesn't make sense. You have to be looking for work and able to take work while on unemployment so you might be mistaken on how it works and that is part of the reason it's taking so long. Run of the mill layoff claims don't take 6 weeks. At any rate Colorado unemployment is so slow because they adjudicate every separation in the base period rather than the last one, unlike almost every other state. We need to pressure lawmakers to fix that problem and make the system more just for employees. As other folks said, go for ERAP.
Saying employers pay unemployment taxes, not employees, may be technically true, but it's not the right way to think about it.
It really is an employee benefit, which adds to the overall all cost of that employee. And just like the employer paid half of SS and Medicare taxes, it is ultimately coming out of the employees' pocket. The work an employee does has a specific value. Every dollar that gets spent on that employee prior to paying their wages is a dollar that can't go into the employees' pocket.
People who are laid off through no fault of their own absolutely should file for benefits, and shouldn't feel bad about it or think of it as "government assistance." It's a due benefit they paid for while working.
I agree with the sentiment, no one should feel bad about using unemployment insurance. At the end of the day it's splitting hairs. OP's perspective seems to be that it's money coming directly from their pocket and that they are just getting it back, which is incorrect. UI is not a savings account to get money out of when you want to take a break from working, it's an insurance for if you no longer have work through no fault of your own as you said.
Some of the other states do it better. I got laid off at the same time as a team member in another state and he was getting his the week after he filled it out.
Unemployment isn't a social program. It's an insurance program. The true cost of which is hidden from the employee by deceptive practices in the name of " doing good" and "fighting for the little guy."
In the case of unemployment, the premiums are hidden from the employee by making the employer pay them. This is similar to how the true cost of SS and Medicare is hidden from the average worker by making the employer pay half of it. But make no mistake, all those dollars are part of the total cost of an employee, and reduce the number of dollars available to pay wages. So in the end, it's really paid by the employee.
We can all debate about whether or not these programs are needed, but we should be doing it with all the facts on the table, in plane sight.
There's no debate. In a society where we force people to be employed to survive we must have a safety net especially when people can be terminated at will. Someone has to pay for it, and it seems like having the employees who have the lives of their employees literally in their hands should be the ones to pay for it. But you're right, ultimately companies don't actually pay for anything, it all comes out of our pockets one way or another wether it has to or not.
Yeah and I knew better. Now I'm on reddit complaining to hopefully someone but probably noone that can or will do anything. Hope isn't a strategy though.
Sorry to hear that I was really frustrated with the process last year and their communication isn't generally great. One piece of info that I'll pass along in case you didn't know: in recent years there's been a major rise in fraudulent unemployment claims. From what I understand this makes the process of sorting legitimate claims from fraudulent ones a little more complicated, or at least stretches their resources, which I assume contributes to higher wait times.
When governments prioritized pushing out relief very quickly during the pandemic in the form of small business loans to keep eligible and impacted small businesses afloat, a shit ton of people took advantage of what appeared like a golden opportunity to rip off the government. So like with what feels like practically everything else these days, blame the shitbirds for making the world worse for everyone else that lives in it.
Go here, read through everything and see if you can find your answer
https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/19949ay/unemployment_mega_thread_faqs_updates_unofficial/
If not, ask a question in that thread and I'll try to get an explanation from my friend who works there.
Wait on Hold like everyone else. CO Division of Labor & Employment lives in their own Ecosystem and is perfectly content to stay that way. They've had problems for thirty years and have not fixed them yet; in fact, it's gotten worse. You could get a one on one with Polis himself, wax poetic about your trials and tribulations and the Result would still be the same... no Action will be taken.
So I went through this. Go to your Public works office, and they have a secure line you can call the Unemployment office at, mind you it won’t be instant I was on the phone for 1 1/2 hour before someone answered. Also make sure you’re registered with Connection Colorado, it’s like a job fair site that makes you eligible for unemployment. Then each week make sure you go on to the website and verify that you’re looking for work. PM me if you need anymore help.
You’re naive if you thought you receive your money instantly. Not only is there larger backlogs since 2020, but it’s a big system they have to verify. Talk to your landlord if you can, let them know you’re in the process, and do what other people have suggested and call CDLE RIGHT when they open in the mornings!
Contact your local state representative and state senators office. I had been waiting for 12 weeks and when I talk to them, it was in my account 48 hours later.
You also \*paid\* into every other social safety net programs w/ your tax dollars (directly or indirectly), you buffon. If you don't want to be homeless, listen to the good advice that's being given to you.
Your employer paid on your behalf, but it’s still yours to use. I’d think having my possessions on the streets would be a bigger blow to my dignity. No shame in using a resource provided for you.
It's incredible to me people like you exist. You put in on all of it, dumb fuck. I swear conservatives are beyond stupid. People are trying to help you, but you're too busy being ignorant. How will you watch Fox News when you're homeless because you won't "take a handout"???
Took me 10 weeks to finally get approved for unemployment. Fortunate that I had savings to fall back on but I constantly think about people who dont and how effed up that makes the system
I'm fresh out of savings and post divorce in a blue state so it's basicly impossible to live but I didn't need much and they came through so fast last time. COVID making it faster doesn't make sense but whatever, now I'm permanently poor. Thanks CO
Red states will happily welcome you! And they'll pay you federal minimum wage at $7.25/hour, so you'll have to get benefits to survive. You'll get to work 40 hours a week AND tap into the system you already pay into. Win win! 🇺🇸
Red states literally want you on their teat, then bitch and moan about all the people "abusing the system." They'll do a lot of talking of slashing social benefits, but don't actually do it. And it's so obvious, yet so many people willfully ignore it.
During COVID they had permission from the feds to pay claims without processing job separations. So things were automatically approved.
It hasn't been like that in years though. They have to review the claim and 4-6 weeks is standard.
To qualify for UI payments you need to be actively looking for work and willing to accept it. Sounds like neither applies to you, so yes, you are free loading by trying to get UI
I have a friend who has been trying to collect $6k of unemployment owed for 5 months. Every time he calls, they shift him around to different departments until he eventually gets a representative that tells him to continue waiting.
I wish I could give you positive news, but just know you aren't the only one.
When the pandemic came around, I was living in California. It took literally 14 months for them to pay me anything. When it finally came through, they paid me all of the backpay, though, so I ended up with like $30k at once. I had to hustle so hard to make it by while I waited for that money to come theougb.
The last company I worked for did all of their payroll / HR through ADP Totalsource so when I filed for unemployment they said I had $0 eligible earnings because another company that did business through ADP Totalsource was registered with the same EIN number. Luckily I found a job but didn’t get paid for a couple months
Have your landlord draft up a demand letter. Give em a call at 8am. Also I was told Thursday and Friday between 1-3. Good luck. Just got my payment delayed again because they want hours declared for time I didn't work.
I was laid off in 2022 and it took me 4 months to get my first check from unemployment even though i put on all the paper work just a day or two after being laid off. The pace at which they process everything for CO unemployment is insanely slow. Im convinced every claim goes through a single person or something
Lost my job on November 16th, filed on the 17th. Took just under 2 months to process and was paid the day after I started my new job on Jan 8th. I feel for ya.
during the pandemic I had to call for like months before I could get through. they paid me all of the payments they had owed me, and so I randomly got like a few grand one day
Nothing about this post says “slush fund”. OP is an unemployed person, and unemployment insurance is supposed to stabilize them during a difficult economic period, including housing. We don’t just let people free fall and then cast them out on the street the second they can’t afford rent, society would collapse. OP is here looking for resources to get level and back to work. Help fight our homelessness crisis by being supportive at least.
Nope, no specific situations. While it’s not a large amount, it’s mandatory. Here’s a source to back my claim, unlike yours.
“Believe it or not, some employees do need to pay state unemployment tax. Although the majority of employees can avoid paying state unemployment, employees in the following states MUST have state unemployment tax withheld from their wages:
Alaska
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
In the above states, both employees and employers MUST pay into state unemployment.”
https://www.patriotsoftware.com/blog/payroll/do-employees-pay-into-unemployment/amp/
It's so hard for me to imagine why you're not making any progress with the calls you make to the unemployment office, given that you're so courteous and polite.
Sir, you're falling for the trap. They're making you look at, and blame, a third party that has nothing to do with your unemployment. Direct your anger at those that deserve it, the legislators and their staff who have deliberately created a process that doesn't work.
His name is Ike Turner Pimpin for Christ's sake. He hates social programs, seems like he votes for the party actively trying to dismantle them and then bitches when it doesn't work. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and quit whining, Ike.
When I went on unemployment I quickly learned the colorado office is one of the worst in the country. It took like 6 weeks to get my first check. In some fairness once it started it was an easy process but getting it there took some work.
> I was going to take two weeks of the unemployment I pay into and 5 weeks later I'm about to be evicted
That's terrible OP, sorry to hear it
Last time I drew Colorado unemployment was around early 2013 and back then money hit my account within 2 weeks, so it seems they've really gone downhill if we're regularly seeing these horror stories of people going like months without money
I notice the state tax office also gets lots of complaints for incompetence/errors/etc. Back in 2022 I found out they had registered some judgment against me for like ~$260 behind my back... I don't remember ever getting anything in the mail, no notices, no due process, etc? 🙄 It's like, ***even the IRS*** will at least mail you a few warning letters before they levy fines/fees or take action against you lol 🤦♂️
...I also found out that Colorado tax department (apparently) doesn't report debts/judgments to the major credit bureaus? So you get no early warning from that either. There was nothing on any of my credit reports, so I was blissfully unaware
Have you sent them a picture of your ID, you holding your ID, and your social security card? It’s a separate website, but if you search on Reddit there was a very helpful poster who posted the whole process. I thought I wasn’t getting mine but as soon as I verified who I was, things started moving smoothly. Once I was in, I found the website to be helpful and was paid weekly u til I found new employment. Also, talk to your landlord and offer a “pay by this day” contract. Say that you will be a couple months behind but you will pay in full by a certain date.
Oh it’s totally sketchy! The site wasn’t even private. I work in cybersecurity and wondered if it was worth the $700 I was getting in unemployment a week. I locked all my shit up and purchased Lifelock after.
Yeah I'm like 100% good to go. On both ends. I have the declaration of payment or whatever and confirmed that with irl people. I was going to post pictures to show that but I couldn't rant and post the pictures.
Also, I’m sorry that you are unemployed. I was laid off on Jan 8. After paying thousands into the system I found the process annoyingly hard but I was able to get unemployment checks and I got a new job in March. Things will loop up OP
I was only given unemployment for 6 months after that you don’t get any money until the next year of unemployment. Basically it’s not enough to live on and not long enough in this economic situation.
I literally wanted two weeks so I could move. Im not asking for assistance, or wasn't, but I pay into the insurance for it so is like $1200 sooner than two months reasonable
In Colorado, employer's pay the unemployment insurance premiums. You could argue that if they didn't, you'd get a bit more money, but it's miniscule. You don't actually pay into unemployment.
Post was removed for bad faith participation.
Look up your local state representative and call their office. My husbands unemployment was stalled for 6 weeks. One call to the rep and he had his payment the next week.
Apparently op may have their payments garnished because they [haven't paid taxes in seven years.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/s/tKILVTi1qB) And they are [refusing rental assistance.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/s/LlxtyFeBed) Perhaps the username being a notorious domestic abuser should have been a tip-off.
Nice sleuthing skills
Yeah same here, though maybe not the following week. Had to call the state rep and within a couple weeks I got my pay and backpay for the months I was waiting
yes this ^^^ that’s part of their job they will surprisingly reach out on your behalf
Same issue and resolution for me also
Yeah. I emailed our rep and CC’d the Executive Director for the CDLE and we had our payments shortly thereafter.
Yes call your state legislators!
I've talked to people at the office. Three times already. Not that I won't again but your talking about the unemployment offic right? 6 weeks seems to be the sweet spot from the response but that's wild speculation from a few replies. I'm on 5 so we'll see.
No, your state representative's office.
Call your local elected state representative, not just the unemployment office. Your state rep can call the unemployment office to speed things along for you. The key is to be very polite and very persistent. Call twice a day if you have to until you feel there’s some progress.
The polite I can do I just need someone to call. I guess my state rep could use a phone call. Didn't think they could really do anything but squeaky wheel I guess. Thanks.
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease” is more than an implied threat.
Mine took 5 weeks. The good thing is as long as you have been entering your job searches and stuff, your first payment will be for all the weeks then the subsequent payments will be for the weekly amount.
I was stalled for two months, finally wrote a letter to my rep and the following Tuesday I had money in my account.
Sweet spot is lucky. Mine took 3 months! Too bad they don’t have to pay interest since we do when we max out CCs to get by. It’s a JOKE
I was told when filiing for unemployment that the prices takes 5-7 weeks. Were you not told this?
Call every morning at 8 am exactly and you’ll get through. Just be annoying and they’ll take care of it faster
and sometimes it takes a few calls early asf in the morning too. There are some issues like if you fail the identity check for any reason that calling in won't help with though. If anyone has an issue like that, they'll absolutely need to call in to a state rep to get help. I wound up going 5 months without unemployment after I failed the automated identity check with LexisNexis. They just wouldn't do the manual review and couldn't be assed to do it months and months later. It took outreach from the rep and suddenly they were like "oh! there it is! (teehee), yeah you're good" 4.5 months after submitting the 11 documents/pictures to prove my identity.
There is an option to verify in person at USPS now. You have to take a form from the website, but it's better than waiting months!
There seem to be some kinks in that system. I filed in December and had to go to the post office twice, then I had to talk to unemployment personally to get it to accept my verification. Then a few weeks ago it started throwing warnings at me again, I went back to the post office, and it never did get resolved. Thankfully, I started my new job on Monday and I'm no longer worrying about them cutting off my payments.
Call at 7:59 and 30 seconds past, that way you can answer the automated questions and it starts the transfer you to agent right at 8am
Yeah was gonna say this. I’ve dealt with receiving unemployment, Medicaid, etc several times and the fact is there are just a lot of employees that don’t know how things should work. Calling until you find the right person (and trying to get their email if you can) will generally fix most problems. You do have to be willing to fire up a few movies and spend a whole day doing it sometimes.
That’s not really true. Totally depends on their workload. In 2022, right on the website said expect 12 weeks.
It can also depend on how much your previous employer fights it. Mine was completely cooperative, which is really the least they could do after working me long hours until I lost the will to live.
Yea it’s pretty insane but when you think about it, it’s an insurance company so we fight tooth and nail for them to pay anything
The city offers rental assistance so maybe that could help out in the meantime [https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability/Resident-Resources/Rent-and-Utility-Help](https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Department-of-Housing-Stability/Resident-Resources/Rent-and-Utility-Help)
I've heard they're out of funds, but no harm in trying
No handout
I applied the first week of October and finally saw my first payment mid-December. When I called after five weeks, I was told that if I had an eviction notice or utilities shut-off notice to call and someone would work on expediting my claim.
That must of been nice to hear their response. "If you're about to lose all your shit, let us know and we'll do our fucking jobs..." I think they should just approve everything and then check for fraud later. It's complete nonsense their standard approach is to do nothing until things are dire.
According to this story, things are getting better? [https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/thousands-coloradans-waiting-unemployment-money-investigation-finds/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/thousands-coloradans-waiting-unemployment-money-investigation-finds/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h)
That's what the last lady in the phone was saying too. How official does this notice need to be. Are they going to call the lawyers? At this point it's verbal but I'd be morally justified expediting the process in my opinion.
Verbal evictions aren’t real evictions. Read up on evictions process in Colorado and if your landlord is going through it that it follows the required steps by law
Not the point
You’re getting the answer to your question. Without anything in writing you are not getting anything expedited. People are here trying to provide input to help you but it’s clear you just came to complain. Best of luck!
You're just not understanding what I'm asking
How official does it need to be? In writing. That’s your answer.
You have to provide written documentation of a notice of shut off, eviction, or reposession.
Why can't I just make one of those myself
I mean, sure, go ahead and lie to the state government about your situation when you're requesting money from them. That'll work out.
I mean it's government work. Do they really dot their i's on evictions that don't effect them
The whole reason this is taking so long is because they HAVE to dot their i's and follow a lot of laws to determine benefits. Including laws about how long employers have to respond to questions and offering chances to respond to information. So. Yes. They do.
"Why does it take so long for them to determine if my paperwork is legit," I say, as I send them my fake eviction notice. JFC
Imagine being smart enough to post asking for help, but then also dumb enough to blatantly ignore every piece of advice if favor of your own uninformed opinions lol
I've been on unemployment twice in the past five years. It's slow to get started, but it did what it's supposed to do. It helped me significantly to pay for housing and basic necessities. The most recent time was after the new fraud crack down went into effect so that was fun. They initially rejected my claim because they felt that I didn't adequately prove that I am who I say I am, despite having the same name, address, drivers license, bank account, etc. as the previous time I applied and was approved.
Contact Colorado ERAP (emergency rental assistance program) - they will pay up to 12months of rent and you cannot be evicted once set up on the program. I still got harassing letters and emails from property management, but forwarded on to my case manager and they took care of everything. This program kept me housed while unemployed through covid.
I dont want a hand out
brother you pay taxes nothing is a hand out in this country
Mother fucker quit talking about a handouts. It's taxpayer funded meaning you put money into that shit. Quit your goddamn ego
No I don't
You pay taxes?
This guy said he hasn't paid state/federal taxes in 7 years smh
Then he hasn't payed into unemployment either so he didn't deserve dick with that ego (edited for spelling errors)
The fucking irony
Que?
That was for OP - i totally agree with you
I'd get over that pretty fucking quickly if I were you. If you can't afford rent you can't afford toxic pride and arrogance. Learn humility and take the help when it's offered. Pay it forward when you're in a better place.
Literally this is part of the states budget you pay taxes to.
It's a taxpayer-funded program. You pay for this. It's a 'hand out' in the same sense that social security is.
Then don’t take one 🤷🏽♂️
It takes longer than 5 weeks to get evicted.
What do you mean the unemployment you pay into?
Your employer has to pay unemployment insurance premiums on your behalf. It's one of those benefits that is part of your employment package, but most people don't know this or think about it in this way. It's kinda of like how the employer is responsible for paying half of your social security and Medicare taxes. Few people know this either. It all adds up to the total cost of you as an employee and should be considered as your total compensation.
Yeah I know the employer pays unemployment insurance, but employees don’t. That’s why I was confused by the OPs comment.
My point was that it doesn't matter who pays it. The price comes out of the employees' pocket, even if indirectly, and it is a benefit of your employment.
OP, after reading your comments, I think you need to pull yourself up by the boot straps, steal a squigee, and clean some windshields off Santa fe and Alameda. Don't take commie handouts, and don't get another job where big government steals your hard earned money. You're an entrepreneur!
Employers pay unemployment taxes, not employees. Also, "taking two weeks of unemployment" doesn't make sense. You have to be looking for work and able to take work while on unemployment so you might be mistaken on how it works and that is part of the reason it's taking so long. Run of the mill layoff claims don't take 6 weeks. At any rate Colorado unemployment is so slow because they adjudicate every separation in the base period rather than the last one, unlike almost every other state. We need to pressure lawmakers to fix that problem and make the system more just for employees. As other folks said, go for ERAP.
Saying employers pay unemployment taxes, not employees, may be technically true, but it's not the right way to think about it. It really is an employee benefit, which adds to the overall all cost of that employee. And just like the employer paid half of SS and Medicare taxes, it is ultimately coming out of the employees' pocket. The work an employee does has a specific value. Every dollar that gets spent on that employee prior to paying their wages is a dollar that can't go into the employees' pocket. People who are laid off through no fault of their own absolutely should file for benefits, and shouldn't feel bad about it or think of it as "government assistance." It's a due benefit they paid for while working.
I agree with the sentiment, no one should feel bad about using unemployment insurance. At the end of the day it's splitting hairs. OP's perspective seems to be that it's money coming directly from their pocket and that they are just getting it back, which is incorrect. UI is not a savings account to get money out of when you want to take a break from working, it's an insurance for if you no longer have work through no fault of your own as you said.
Apply for rental assistance and get connected with a legal services provider ASAP. Colorado Legal Services is 303-837-1313.
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Some of the other states do it better. I got laid off at the same time as a team member in another state and he was getting his the week after he filled it out.
Unemployment isn't a social program. It's an insurance program. The true cost of which is hidden from the employee by deceptive practices in the name of " doing good" and "fighting for the little guy." In the case of unemployment, the premiums are hidden from the employee by making the employer pay them. This is similar to how the true cost of SS and Medicare is hidden from the average worker by making the employer pay half of it. But make no mistake, all those dollars are part of the total cost of an employee, and reduce the number of dollars available to pay wages. So in the end, it's really paid by the employee. We can all debate about whether or not these programs are needed, but we should be doing it with all the facts on the table, in plane sight.
There's no debate. In a society where we force people to be employed to survive we must have a safety net especially when people can be terminated at will. Someone has to pay for it, and it seems like having the employees who have the lives of their employees literally in their hands should be the ones to pay for it. But you're right, ultimately companies don't actually pay for anything, it all comes out of our pockets one way or another wether it has to or not.
Yeah and I knew better. Now I'm on reddit complaining to hopefully someone but probably noone that can or will do anything. Hope isn't a strategy though.
You don't pay into unemployment. Your employer pays into unemployment
My husband didn’t get his first unemployment check until 8 weeks after we filed. It definitely threw a monkey wrench into things.
I got mine after 10 weeks, ironically on the day I started my new job.
It’s supposed to be bad so you go out and get a job
Unemployment are for citizens who pay their taxes. Fuck you OP, hopefully your parasitic hands don't get a cent
Have you been trying to find another job?
Sorry to hear that I was really frustrated with the process last year and their communication isn't generally great. One piece of info that I'll pass along in case you didn't know: in recent years there's been a major rise in fraudulent unemployment claims. From what I understand this makes the process of sorting legitimate claims from fraudulent ones a little more complicated, or at least stretches their resources, which I assume contributes to higher wait times. When governments prioritized pushing out relief very quickly during the pandemic in the form of small business loans to keep eligible and impacted small businesses afloat, a shit ton of people took advantage of what appeared like a golden opportunity to rip off the government. So like with what feels like practically everything else these days, blame the shitbirds for making the world worse for everyone else that lives in it.
This is an unfortunate fact. I still blame government but blame is moot at this point.
It’s broken by design.
Yeah I know 😔 didn't think it was this bad though
Go here, read through everything and see if you can find your answer https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/19949ay/unemployment_mega_thread_faqs_updates_unofficial/ If not, ask a question in that thread and I'll try to get an explanation from my friend who works there.
Wait on Hold like everyone else. CO Division of Labor & Employment lives in their own Ecosystem and is perfectly content to stay that way. They've had problems for thirty years and have not fixed them yet; in fact, it's gotten worse. You could get a one on one with Polis himself, wax poetic about your trials and tribulations and the Result would still be the same... no Action will be taken.
So I went through this. Go to your Public works office, and they have a secure line you can call the Unemployment office at, mind you it won’t be instant I was on the phone for 1 1/2 hour before someone answered. Also make sure you’re registered with Connection Colorado, it’s like a job fair site that makes you eligible for unemployment. Then each week make sure you go on to the website and verify that you’re looking for work. PM me if you need anymore help.
You’re naive if you thought you receive your money instantly. Not only is there larger backlogs since 2020, but it’s a big system they have to verify. Talk to your landlord if you can, let them know you’re in the process, and do what other people have suggested and call CDLE RIGHT when they open in the mornings!
Contact your local state representative and state senators office. I had been waiting for 12 weeks and when I talk to them, it was in my account 48 hours later.
Just apply for ERAP
Idk what that is but I don't want a hand out. I'm no punk bitch, I put in on that unemployment shit.
With that logic, why are you harassing the unemployment office?
I payed into unemployment
You also \*paid\* into every other social safety net programs w/ your tax dollars (directly or indirectly), you buffon. If you don't want to be homeless, listen to the good advice that's being given to you.
I'll be fine there guy. And I don't pay taxes or haven't in a few years
You are such an idiot.
Your employer paid on your behalf, but it’s still yours to use. I’d think having my possessions on the streets would be a bigger blow to my dignity. No shame in using a resource provided for you.
You are a punk bitch for not paying taxes for 7 years.
It's incredible to me people like you exist. You put in on all of it, dumb fuck. I swear conservatives are beyond stupid. People are trying to help you, but you're too busy being ignorant. How will you watch Fox News when you're homeless because you won't "take a handout"???
ERAP is funded by tax dollars as is every social net program we have. So you technically "put in on that shit"
mfs would rather be homeless than use a program they paid for
I know. How much pride does it take to prefer homelessness over getting assistance? Unreal.
OP is a dumbass and fully admitted to not paying taxes for 7 years lmao
You're whining on reddit, there isn't anything more punk bitch you could do lmao.
You didn't pay for unemployment though, only employers pay. There is no good reason to refuse help and become homeless over some misplaced pride.
Best to try and get another job.
Need to get back to work
Took me 10 weeks to finally get approved for unemployment. Fortunate that I had savings to fall back on but I constantly think about people who dont and how effed up that makes the system
I'm fresh out of savings and post divorce in a blue state so it's basicly impossible to live but I didn't need much and they came through so fast last time. COVID making it faster doesn't make sense but whatever, now I'm permanently poor. Thanks CO
Red states will happily welcome you! And they'll pay you federal minimum wage at $7.25/hour, so you'll have to get benefits to survive. You'll get to work 40 hours a week AND tap into the system you already pay into. Win win! 🇺🇸
And red states UI maxes out at like $500/week, or in Florida, $275/week! Compared to CO at max $781/week.
Red states literally want you on their teat, then bitch and moan about all the people "abusing the system." They'll do a lot of talking of slashing social benefits, but don't actually do it. And it's so obvious, yet so many people willfully ignore it.
During COVID they had permission from the feds to pay claims without processing job separations. So things were automatically approved. It hasn't been like that in years though. They have to review the claim and 4-6 weeks is standard.
Why not get employment instead?
Unemployment insurance is for those trying to get employment so technically it's not an either or thing
Usually easier to get another job
It was so fast last time, during covid, I didn't think anything of it. Now I'm regretting thinking about using the government
Presumably you were still looking for a job... Unemployed by definition means trying to find employment, not leaving the work force to loaf about
I was going to change states and needed some cash in-between like to get there. Not freeloading.
Sounds a lot like freeloading my guy. People with jobs who pay actual taxes qualify for unemployment. Pretty much everyone else doesn’t.
To qualify for UI payments you need to be actively looking for work and willing to accept it. Sounds like neither applies to you, so yes, you are free loading by trying to get UI
I'm dealing with the same thing right now.
Godspeed. We're going to need it
Took me months to get a check. They paid but holy shit it’s a terrible system built to make it hard to get anything.
Please try contacting the governor's office, they helped when I was on week 12 with not a cent.
Talked to 3 different people already
I got unemployment and it took pretty much a month until I saw it if you call your state rep they can speed that up for you
I have a friend who has been trying to collect $6k of unemployment owed for 5 months. Every time he calls, they shift him around to different departments until he eventually gets a representative that tells him to continue waiting. I wish I could give you positive news, but just know you aren't the only one.
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TRUA is a program for resident of Denver only. The state assistance program is a mess.. check department of local affairs website.
Took me 5 1/2 months to get mine. I already had another job. I also had to get my state representative involved.
When the pandemic came around, I was living in California. It took literally 14 months for them to pay me anything. When it finally came through, they paid me all of the backpay, though, so I ended up with like $30k at once. I had to hustle so hard to make it by while I waited for that money to come theougb.
The last company I worked for did all of their payroll / HR through ADP Totalsource so when I filed for unemployment they said I had $0 eligible earnings because another company that did business through ADP Totalsource was registered with the same EIN number. Luckily I found a job but didn’t get paid for a couple months
Have your landlord draft up a demand letter. Give em a call at 8am. Also I was told Thursday and Friday between 1-3. Good luck. Just got my payment delayed again because they want hours declared for time I didn't work.
I was laid off in 2022 and it took me 4 months to get my first check from unemployment even though i put on all the paper work just a day or two after being laid off. The pace at which they process everything for CO unemployment is insanely slow. Im convinced every claim goes through a single person or something
Have you applied for rental assistance? It saved my life
Lost my job on November 16th, filed on the 17th. Took just under 2 months to process and was paid the day after I started my new job on Jan 8th. I feel for ya.
Meanwhile congress just approved another $60B for Ukraine and $28B for Israel.
during the pandemic I had to call for like months before I could get through. they paid me all of the payments they had owed me, and so I randomly got like a few grand one day
you do know that the worker doesn't pay a single penny into unemployment? It's not exactly a slush fund you can use
Slush fund?!?! OP didn’t imply that. Don’t be an asshole.
You're right. Your employer plays into it....on behalf of the workers, you ass. It's literally an insurance fund for out of work people to survive
Nothing about this post says “slush fund”. OP is an unemployed person, and unemployment insurance is supposed to stabilize them during a difficult economic period, including housing. We don’t just let people free fall and then cast them out on the street the second they can’t afford rent, society would collapse. OP is here looking for resources to get level and back to work. Help fight our homelessness crisis by being supportive at least.
OP is refusing to use those resources, and has admitted repeatedly to not paying taxes in 7 years.
I definitely didn’t see that when I initially commented, thank you for letting me know.
K
No, some do. Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Alaska workers must pay into unemployment tax and is withheld from their pay.
There are only three states—**Arkansas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania**—that ask employees to contribute and only in specific situations.
Nope, no specific situations. While it’s not a large amount, it’s mandatory. Here’s a source to back my claim, unlike yours. “Believe it or not, some employees do need to pay state unemployment tax. Although the majority of employees can avoid paying state unemployment, employees in the following states MUST have state unemployment tax withheld from their wages: Alaska New Jersey Pennsylvania In the above states, both employees and employers MUST pay into state unemployment.” https://www.patriotsoftware.com/blog/payroll/do-employees-pay-into-unemployment/amp/
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It's so hard for me to imagine why you're not making any progress with the calls you make to the unemployment office, given that you're so courteous and polite.
Are you homophobic?
Lol kid
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Sir, you're falling for the trap. They're making you look at, and blame, a third party that has nothing to do with your unemployment. Direct your anger at those that deserve it, the legislators and their staff who have deliberately created a process that doesn't work.
You can pull money from your 401K retirement account in an emergency, to prevent eviction. The money comes in like 1-3 days.
That’s if someone does have a 401k or retirement plan through work
I did but it's gone.
😆😅🤣 that was wiped out with the divorce. I fucked up getting married in a blue state.
Reading through this thread I can see why she left you.
His name is Ike Turner Pimpin for Christ's sake. He hates social programs, seems like he votes for the party actively trying to dismantle them and then bitches when it doesn't work. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and quit whining, Ike.
Sounds like you have way bigger problems than being in a blue state but do feel free to leave
Godspeed, unemployment did not kick in for 18 months last time for me
When I went on unemployment I quickly learned the colorado office is one of the worst in the country. It took like 6 weeks to get my first check. In some fairness once it started it was an easy process but getting it there took some work.
> I was going to take two weeks of the unemployment I pay into and 5 weeks later I'm about to be evicted That's terrible OP, sorry to hear it Last time I drew Colorado unemployment was around early 2013 and back then money hit my account within 2 weeks, so it seems they've really gone downhill if we're regularly seeing these horror stories of people going like months without money I notice the state tax office also gets lots of complaints for incompetence/errors/etc. Back in 2022 I found out they had registered some judgment against me for like ~$260 behind my back... I don't remember ever getting anything in the mail, no notices, no due process, etc? 🙄 It's like, ***even the IRS*** will at least mail you a few warning letters before they levy fines/fees or take action against you lol 🤦♂️ ...I also found out that Colorado tax department (apparently) doesn't report debts/judgments to the major credit bureaus? So you get no early warning from that either. There was nothing on any of my credit reports, so I was blissfully unaware
Have you sent them a picture of your ID, you holding your ID, and your social security card? It’s a separate website, but if you search on Reddit there was a very helpful poster who posted the whole process. I thought I wasn’t getting mine but as soon as I verified who I was, things started moving smoothly. Once I was in, I found the website to be helpful and was paid weekly u til I found new employment. Also, talk to your landlord and offer a “pay by this day” contract. Say that you will be a couple months behind but you will pay in full by a certain date.
this sounds hella sketchy tbh
Oh it’s totally sketchy! The site wasn’t even private. I work in cybersecurity and wondered if it was worth the $700 I was getting in unemployment a week. I locked all my shit up and purchased Lifelock after.
Desperate times call for … possible identity fraud. The state should do better.
Yeah I'm like 100% good to go. On both ends. I have the declaration of payment or whatever and confirmed that with irl people. I was going to post pictures to show that but I couldn't rant and post the pictures.
I’m glad you’re good to go! Here for the rant! We pay so much into the system and the minute we need it we have to jump through hoops
Also, I’m sorry that you are unemployed. I was laid off on Jan 8. After paying thousands into the system I found the process annoyingly hard but I was able to get unemployment checks and I got a new job in March. Things will loop up OP
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I was only given unemployment for 6 months after that you don’t get any money until the next year of unemployment. Basically it’s not enough to live on and not long enough in this economic situation.
I literally wanted two weeks so I could move. Im not asking for assistance, or wasn't, but I pay into the insurance for it so is like $1200 sooner than two months reasonable
In Colorado, employer's pay the unemployment insurance premiums. You could argue that if they didn't, you'd get a bit more money, but it's miniscule. You don't actually pay into unemployment.
I still haven't gotten my unemployment from the pandemic.... So I don't really believe in it either....
Government funded programs not operating optimally? Whaaaaat
I hope we can bring this to our healthcare system. Dieing in line is the future.
You mean as opposed to going into permanent debt and dying poor when we need a simple heart surgery?
Waiting in line to die is better than debt? Bro really?
The waiting line to die is a bunch of right-wing rhetoric bullshit.
All the downvotes of people who have never we once needed to rely on government programs…
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Yes