I've seen a few discussions on here so I thought I'd give you guys a glimpse into our experience over the past few weeks. We both live and work in Tennessee. My wife's company closed March 20. Her final paycheck was March 27. She started the process of applying for unemployment around March 21. To say the system was bogged down with traffic is an understatement. It took a few days just to finish the process. She had hours waiting just to speak with someone only for the call to drop unexpectedly. At one point she filed an appeal because the process had gotten so screwed up. She was having trouble certifying on Sundays because the system had so much traffic on it. Finally they asked people to certify on specific days determined by the last number of your ssn. This Saturday she did get her first benefit which was also back paid to two weeks after her final paycheck so three weeks in total 4-13, 4-20(!), and 4-27. Finally, the numbers. The notion that she is benefiting more from not working is 100% false in her case. Who knew unemployment was taxed? Not me. Even considering the taxes her weekly benefit is only a net of $684, broken down $540 federal gov't and $144 state gov't, I think. What it does is it gives her options when looking for employment. She doesn't have accept the first job offered or go back to the position she had. The company has been letting folks go and restructuring. Which sometimes means a job with a new title and lower wages. We'll see. Good luck and GO VOLS.
