If any of you have ever had to file an Unemployment Claim, you know how difficult it is; especially in California where the Unemployment rate just recently dropped to 11.3% from 11.7%. Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2011 our wonderful family at Saint's & Sinner's were all let go, so they could re-vamp the bar with new bartenders and new clientele. Apparently that didn't work considering Saint's & Sinner's officially closed at the end of April. Alas, Oakfield's has been opened in it's place. I have yet to visit, as it's still too hard because of the memories, but will go in at some point and give it a fair shot.
Filing for Unemployment last year felt like a nightmare! It took weeks before I heard anything, they had the wrong information, and when I did finally get it, the amount I was getting barely covered my rent, not to mention any other bills I had! I feel incredibly sorry for the families that have to go through tough times, trying to send their children to school, or visit the doctor when they're sick, because insurance is even more expensive, if they can even afford that.
Since I'm no longer at Cabo, I re-applied for unemployment, hoping for the next month or two that I could at least have some sort of income coming in while I'm looking for a new Bartending job, while still giving myself time to concentrate on Acting. Clearly, my focus on Acting is working since I've had a slew of auditions, and finally booked a nice well-paying job! I do love to keep busy though, so I need to get back to Bartending a few shifts a week.
Instead of an Unemployment Check, you now receive your benefits on a Credit Card, which is automatically updated every 2 weeks with your payment. It seems like a good idea, but I can't pay my rent with a credit card so you have the option of having them transfer it to your bank account.
Just recently, I received a pay stub saying that was my last check as my claim was expired. Expired? I just applied a month ago. How is that possible? (I'm pretty sure they just continued my claim from S&S, and didn't re-file for Cabo) but I was about to find out...so I call the Unemployment Office on Wednesday. They are closed at 4 pm. What? Seems pretty early to close, but I make it my mission on Thursday to get it taken care of. From the hours of 10 am until 4 pm, I spend every 20 minutes calling the Office. Sometimes I get 'We are currently receiving a high volume of calls, please try again later.' And then the line goes dead. Then other times, I get all excited because I get to press 1 for English, 6 to Speak with a Representative, 7 to get Through to a Representative, and 3 to Talk to a Representative about General Information, and then 'We are currently receiving a high volume of calls, please try again later.' Damn you for tricking me into thinking I was really going to get to talk to someone that time! That happened for 6 hours yesterday. I try again today and the same thing continues. Apparently, us unemployed folk need to work at the Unemployment Office so they have enough people on staff to take the calls!!
So yes, Unemployment Office...you have fooled me this week. But next week, it's on...
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