It's no secret that my husband is among thousands of good people out there who have been laid off from their jobs.
For the last three weeks, he has been home with our daughter, job-hunting online while she plays or naps.
When he made his application for unemployment benefits, he received communications telling him to contact the hotline for further instruction on February 8th to find out the status of his claim.
He called the hotline yesterday. The automated hotline asked him if he had made his minimal five weekly contacts?
My husband wasn't aware that he should have been documenting his contacts to date, because he wasn't aware that his claim had been approved, and that he was officially "in the system", as it were. So, he replied in the negative.
The recorded voice let him know that he might not receive pay, and he should contact the customer service department for further assistance. They would reopen on Monday (today).
He called. After waiting 53 minutes on hold, his call was taken by Gloria, with Team 1.
He reports that Gloria was ascerbic, condescending, and actively hostile, abruptly putting him on hold at one point for twelve minutes.
It seems that she did not allow him to explain all his reasons for calling. He had more questions than just the proper process for documenting the contacts he makes.
All she asked was if he had made his five contacts. When he answered in the negative, and started to say, "I want to make sure that in the future, I do this properly--can you clarify the correct process for me;" she interrupted with a tirade:
"Well, you just aren't going to get paid, then. We aren't going to pay you to just sit at home." She also made other comments, "Now I have to take several minutes to send you a letter that you have to sign, so you know why you aren't getting paid."
She told him that he could appeal--if he thought that would be successful. She phrased it thusly, "You can appeal, too. If you want to. If you think it would do any good."
With this attitude, Gloria with Team 1 of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has gone way over the line. I question her suitability for the job she performs. Furthermore, I question the discernment of her immediate supervisor for hiring and maintaining such a person in customer service. In my opinion, by allowing such hostility to represent the CDLE, a message is delivered to unemployed Coloradoans who are desperately seeking work. The subtext could be read thusly: "You are a bad person for being unemployed. If you don't have a job, you must be lazy. Also, since something is so obviously wrong with you that you can't hold a job, we're going to treat you like a child, scolding you and condescending to you, in order to establish your inferiority."
S. and I are taking action. If anyone else out there is interested in making sure that the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment knows that Gloria's sort of reception is completely unacceptable, please join us in writing or emailing them:
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Executive Director's Office
1515 Arapahoe, Tower 2, Suite 400
Denver, CO 80202
Otherwise, follow the prompts at this link to use the On-line Form to email the Executive Director of the CDLE.
During such difficult times, people who are laid off, like my husband, do not need the extra stress of dealing with hostile unprofessionals. Regardless of the fact that Gloria may deal with a few deadbeats, it is not acceptable for her to treat all who call with such disrespect.
Should our actions result in a reassessment of her suitability for employment with the CDLE, I wish her luck in the days and months ahead. Let her pray that any experiences she may have as a member of the job-hunting public will be positive, instructive, and helpful.