Work search reporting

I have been unemployed for almost a year. I just received a call for the first time from the work search div of AWI. I was told to call an 800 and give them my searches. So I complied and inquired asking will I have to continue this process every other week.

His answer was Yes. However I called the main office in Tallahassee to ask a question on my claim today and that representative told me that I only had to do it one time and one time only.

Is there anyone that could share their experience and help to clarify this. I did get their names and numbers, however would like anyone input on this.

thanks.

I did the work search out of fear of being asked to show it. However, they never check up AND I got a job out of it. My advice is to do the search, at least the minimum they require - you never know, you might get hired. If not, and they check - you're not getting benefits.

My advice - do a worksearch every day, for yourself, regardless of what is required and keep a record of every application or resume you submit.

I had to actually go in an present my job searches on Monday. It was amazing the amount of people that showed up with no searches at all. I had mine done the way it wants it on the form and was gone within 5 minutes. Do your job searches and write them down.

NY Lady wrote:I did the work search out of fear of being asked to show it. However, they never check up AND I got a job out of it. My advice is to do the search, at least the minimum they require - you never know, you might get hired. If not, and they check - you're not getting benefits.

I totally agree, however just didnt know if this was something I had to generate every time a filed a claim.

Thanks all for your input.

I read earlier on a blog that everyone over 53 weeks on UC is going to have to report their searches.
Has anyone else received a call?
What is going on with this?

I have no problem with reporting, however, state of FL, Kyle in TAllahassee informed me that he found that people only had to report once. He was sure that no more reporting would be required after my initial this week.

Anyone out there have any input.

I reported only one time, and I did it online. This was only requested during the initial 26 weeks paid by the State.

I was wondering about this too. I am in WIA training through Workforce and even have a letter from AWI stating that I am in an approved training. I wouldn't put it past them to pick on me and make my life hell even though I am exempt from the searches. Nice to have no faith in the state government. :-(

Just keep submitting your resume or application to different places and keep a record of it. Even though I am a 99er, I still keep track of the thousands of jobs I have applied for over the past 3 years.

fb2011 wrote:I was wondering about this too. I am in WIA training through Workforce and even have a letter from AWI stating that I am in an approved training. I wouldn't put it past them to pick on me and make my life hell even though I am exempt from the searches. Nice to have no faith in the state government. :-(

I was in a WIA program. You should be fine. They occasionally forgot I was in WIA and denied me. It just meant calling them. Did you fax your WIA certification letter to them? They won't know automatically you are in WIA training.

FWIW, I am also on food stamps and was exempted based on my WIA status.

MoInSTL wrote:

fb2011 wrote:I was wondering about this too. I am in WIA training through Workforce and even have a letter from AWI stating that I am in an approved training. I wouldn't put it past them to pick on me and make my life hell even though I am exempt from the searches. Nice to have no faith in the state government. :-(

I was in a WIA program. You should be fine. They occasionally forgot I was in WIA and denied me. It just meant calling them. Did you fax your WIA certification letter to them? They won't know automatically you are in WIA training.

FWIW, I am also on food stamps and was exempted based on my WIA status.

Yes, I faxed them my letter and they sent me a determination letter saying that I was in an approved training/WIA. However, the 2nd part of the determination said that I am eligible for payments because I am "able and available to work". I know that you have to be considered that to get the UC, but Florida Statute says that condition is waived when in an approved training. I called the 800# about 10 times one day to make sure I was in the system correctly, however only the last 2 people knew what it meant and the very last person said it was in the system and not to worry, just claim my weeks "normally". Hopefully this was all the correct info. I am about to move into in EB about 8 weeks - have you done EB & did you have any problems claiming? How do you fill out the paper when you are WIA?

TY!!

I had no problems with EB. At one point I had to fax my letter again. I can't recall when though. Your paper should say something to the effect that you need to fill it out unless you are in an approved training program. You are, so you just sign & date it and leave the work searches blank. I was looking for a job too but so as not to confuse them I never added them. It would have goofed it all up.

I will say they rejected me several times since someone didn't bother looking up my info! So you may want to adjust your budget accordingly so you aren't caught short.

I was able to get reimbursed for mileage. Hopefully you get that too or a bus pass or something.

Thank you! I get so nervous even though I have done everything WF said to do and they've already paid out a ton of money sending me for my ADN to retrain as an RN. Still have semesters to go and UC won't cover all of it, but it's a blessing to have it and hopefully will never need it again after all of this schooling.

Hope all is well for you and you are working soon (I see now your status says 99er) and thank you so much for the advice! Hope your Cardinals have a better season than I suspect my Mets will have....ugh...

Ah a Mets fan eh? Do you remember back in the 1980's when Cardinal Nation referred to the Mets as "pond scum"? Looking back it's hilarious but our teams were brutal rivals.

I know exactly what you are going through as I am the very same way and wanted to make sure I was at least one step ahead.

If you have any further questions feel free to ask. I edited my post, so you want to read what I added.

Oh yes....I sure do. The rivalry sure was fierce! Would love another year like '86 though. I was 12 that year they won the WS. I'd like to see them win another before I am eligible for Medicare!!!

Thank you so much. I try to keep a little emergency fund in case that happens. I have always been worried since that letter says "able and available to work" I wish they would have put the part in about approved training too...I have copies of the statute, copies of what being able and available means in terms of approved training, copy of the letter from WF, etc. It's crazy that I have gone through so much research in case they ever challenged me and that some of their employees don't even have a clue about the training.

Glad you remember as can you imagine trying to explain that to a Mets fan???


http://redbirdchatter.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/07/playing_with_pond_scum.html

Ha ha ha! I miss the good ol' days. Tonight, I am just pleased we are ahead of the Rockies in the bottom of the 2nd. For however long that lasts