Unemployment mail from the office in Minnesota is horrible. First, it never shows up. Second, it often gets lost. Third, their letters can sometimes bring bad news.
Now, imagine getting a letter in 6-8 years telling you that the once lost letter has reappeared. For this group of people, this can feel worse than falling of a bike.
Because I field a number of phone calls inquiring about their rights, I wanted to offer a public service announcement about unemployment mail: open it.
Unemployment Mail: What does it look like?
Regardless of the letter's color, open it.
Unemployment Mail: Why am I getting duplicates?
A common complaint I receive comes from folks suggesting they received the same letter on more than one occasion or their questionnaire was duplicated.
In my experience, a duplicate letter often means a person has more than one unemployment issue assigned to their claim. Even though the claim might stem from the same job, each claim should be approached as a different problem.
For those wondering whether they have more than one claim, I encourage folks to log into their account and look for long numbers under the "determination and issues" tab. What might look like a serial number or a number that doesn't look important is actually a significant clue in reducing confusion.
Thus, do not let duplication prevent you from opening it.
If this was the case, then none of us would be on the hook for our bills. Just because a person doesn't open their mail sent by Minnesota's unemployment office, doesn't mean it was never sent.
Yes, I see this problem too, which means it definitely happens. For those who truly never received a letter, I believe seeking due process or demanding proper notice from the unemployment office is necessary.
Improper notice is a breach of our constitutional rights.
Thus, a person cannot open what you never received.
Unemployment Mail: What do I do with it?
Like many others, reducing clutter often starts with a stack of mail. Regardless, we live in a world that almost demands proving our every step. Personally, I love the idea of keeping copies of every letter sent by the unemployment office.
Really, this is easier than it sounds. I encourage folks to keep their notices and communications in the same spot they might keep tax forms. For those that do not keep their taxes or unemployment mail, today is the day you are going to start, right?