Wisconsin unemployment initial claim takes months

[Rmay635703]

One of my friends had his contract end from a temp agency that is apparently actually based out of Texas and he has been actively applying to jobs.

Getting an initial claim started in Wisconsin appears to have gone automated where you really can’t go calling or in person asking questions and a process that should take 7 days no matter what seems to take months for everyone without an pre-existing claim.

.gov is claiming he didn’t send in a “questionnaire “ in the mail that was mandatory to go back in 7 days “or else” that he never received and at this point nobody I’ve seen in online discussions that has attempted to make an initial claim this year in Wisconsin seems to ever get said form (common complaint online making this seem like a scam)
The state is also claiming that the Texas company he contracted through isn’t sending necessary information for their review and they therefore can’t process the claim. (Bs)

He hasn’t gotten “rejected “ from receiving unemployment but this is almost worse because it appears the state has bungled up the internals to the point of being non-functioning where they just never finish review and approval.

Does anyone else know anyone that has recently (2025) navigated the Wisconsin unemployment system?

It was made pretty pathetic on purpose way back around 2009 but appears to have been made even worse based on the large number of folks having problems getting their initial claim started despite a simple case of being laid off.
It’s like Wisconsin is slow walking all claims.

 

[97prizm]

Colorado made their unemployment way more difficult. I was layed off a couple years ago. It used to be that you had to sign up then they'd process your request. You had to apply for a number of jobs which they'd verify randomly. Now you have to go through their website and hump through hoops. I think this stemmed from fraudulent job application or moochers that hust wanted a check.

 

[eljefino]

Now you have to go through their website and hump through hoops. I think this stemmed from fraudulent job application or moochers that hust wanted a check.

Or the perception thereof.

Remember, kids, unemployment benefits are from insurance you pay into, they're not welfare. If you qualify you should get them.

 

[Urshurak776]

I think most states want you to lose everything and be on the streets for a couple of months before they will step in and give you anything. That's what it seems like. They should just state that at the top of the application.

 

[KrisZ]

The flow of money is easy only in one direction.

 

[K-Man]

One of the excuses, and it's a poor one, is fraudulent use of Social Security numbers to get unemployment benefits. During the unpleasantness in 2020, states abruptly ended benefits to legitimate beneficiaries because someone else in another state had also applied using the same Social Security number to get fraudulent benefits. No one was explaining this at the time, and some people had to wait literally years to get what they were due.

I suspect this will be one of the reasons Wisconsin and some other states will use to explain slow-walking unemployment applications.

 

[97prizm]

I think most states want you to lose everything and be on the streets for a couple of months before they will step in and give you anything. That's what it seems like. They should just state that at the top of the application.

In Colorado apparently if you just don't work you can claim a ton of freebies. My friend dated a girl like that. She'd start "trying " to take community college courses but ultimately would drop the classes. Her rent was a little over 100 a month food stamps, a local church gifted her not one but two vehicles and offered free maintenance etc.

 

[PandaBear]

I applied for unemployment the year before last year in California. The application is a bit clunky and took lots of reading, but in the end seems fair.

One thing they did was they make sure you are at least looking for a job and had to detail who you interviewed with, where you applied, did they go well, etc. I can see that not everyone doing physical labors may know how to deal with it and that's why they had people helping them. I am sure this is to prevent as many fraud as they can. I'm sure the people's salary to help them probably cost more than the check the unemployment paid too.

We don't pay a lot into unemployment benefit programs to begin with so we don't get much out of it, nothing to live on obviously. Some people I know didn't even apply because they were afraid that would impact their credit score or insurance rate.

$900 every 2 weeks still help, but nothing like having a real job even as a janitor. I don't know what people are talking about when someone says a lot of people would rather not work and collect handouts (at least in my area).

 

[Dave Hess]

One of the excuses, and it's a poor one, is fraudulent use of Social Security numbers to get unemployment benefits. During the unpleasantness in 2020, states abruptly ended benefits to legitimate beneficiaries because someone else in another state had also applied using the same Social Security number to get fraudulent benefits. No one was explaining this at the time, and some people had to wait literally years to get what they were due.

I suspect this will be one of the reasons Wisconsin and some other states will use to explain slow-walking unemployment applications.

Crazy amount of fraud in 2020. Tons of people abusing the system and hurting legitimate unemployment claims.

Cash handed out to criminals like Halloween candy.

Some inmates in prison were getting unemployment benefits / Covid PPP loans / stimulus cash / disability payments / etc….

 

[Rmay635703]

Crazy amount of fraud in 2020. Tons of people abusing the system and hurting legitimate unemployment claims.

Cash handed out to criminals like Halloween candy.

Some inmates in prison were getting unemployment benefits / Covid PPP loans / stimulus cash / disability payments / etc….

Most all of the fraud was due to electronic filing by professional actors.

.govs solution to wire fraud is to remove in person filing, sounds effective

 

[Wylie6G72]

The flow of money is easy only in one direction.

Yep, the process of setting them up to take their share out of your paycheck is quick and easy.