Sunday, February 15, 2009

Another Day in the Hatch

In order to receive unemployment benefits in the state of New York (and, I assume, anywhere), claimants have to log into the Department of Labor's website every Sunday and answer a series of questions regarding the previous week. They're easy questions that don't change, and while the answers always suck (How many days did you work? 0), there's a certain element of monotony to the process. This morning I realized what it felt like:



Typing in numbers every 108 minutes in order to save the world.

Rob

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's depressing how much that time in the hatch reminded me of stuff like this-not to mention life in the cubicle. But I have been where you are, and yeah, the weekly visit to say, "No work yet" hurts. I hope you can get work soon, so you do not have to face the weekly frustration of the (online) visit to the state. My sympathies.

Rob S. said...

Thanks, Thom. The one nice thing is that sometimes I *do* get to vary my answers. I've done some freelance editing for my old magazine group, and I'm set up to start doing a little freelance copy editing at the Village Voice in a few weeks, too. So every once and a while I get to say "Yes, I worked this week." Sooner or later, one of these contacts will lead to a full-time job. Hopefully before the smoke monster gets me.

KBaby said...

It's the same in NJ but on the phone - press 1 for yes, press 2 for no and I guess hang up if you're ears startbleeding. And no added feeling of accomplishment for putting off the end of civilization with each key punch.