Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Review

I tried calling over 25 times during the office hours and I never got any service at all. They need to connect better with the public.

I have exhausted all my unemployment and received a letter saying continue to file your weekly claims until the department determines whether I'm eligible for benefits under the cares act. The company I work for has had the majority of there jobs postponed until further notice due to covid-19. So I see no reason why I shouldn't be eligible and don't understand what takes so long to make this determination. I tried calling to see if I could get some answers, but can't get through, so the question I have is what am I suppose to do put my life on hold, I need to support my family which I'm unable to do right now because I don't have the money to pay my bills, I know there's other people in this situation also, I can only hope that u people can take care of this in a timely fashion, I mean it's been almost three weeks and I haven't heard anything back and I know of people that have waited 5 weeks or longer. So I hope that something can be done soon, I have no faith in government agencies or our government in general, in closing u need to step up and take care of people when they are in need .

I would give negative stars if at all possible. I called to file a claim and got put on virtual hold. Totally fine. They said they would call after 11:50 that day...I have now been on hold for 3 weeks going on 4 weeks. 4 WEEKS! These people are so disorganized!

Your IT services line AND your office numbers are both down. Please fix this immediately. When I call and I either get a dial tone or "sorry the number you have dialed was busy" with no option to leave a message or be put on hold. Really bad timing considering the current state of things.

8 weeks, 500+ calls, never once reached a real person. I know the plan is "let poor people die" but you can at least pretend you're there to help

LMFAO

I'm 13 weeks in and haven't received a single penny yet

Months without unemployment. People are suffering out here, going without, losing everything they worked for and no one in government sees a problem with this?!

I was on hold for approximately 15 minutes waiting on the Equal rights receptionist she slow

I cannot hire a competent IT person in Wisconsin to save my life. They all leave the state at graduation to get jobs that pay well in Minnesota or Chicago where the overall economy of those states will support the higher wage. They do not call Wisconsin the Mississippi of the north for nothing. The Personnel at the DWD were pretty much mean and angry though not necessarily at me. Angst?

If I could give a zero to this department of completely rude people, I would. Lies after lies about how they cannot access certain systems. Shame on the State of Wisconsin for not managing this unit better.

If there was an organization that doesn't have a clue, this is it.

I have been waiting several weeks to even get ahold of somebody on the phone about my pending benefits. I have been 8 weeks of unpaid benefits. I have a son to take care of/family to provide for. If I m being told I would get benefits and end up not getting anything, it really makes me think if this government is even trying to help the people. How is it my fault that I got let go due to COVID-19 and be told to file for unemployment and I would receive that PLUS an extra $600 weekly pandemic pay... AND I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE MY WEEKS WORTH?! I am BEHIND on rent, we energies, car payment, phone bill, don t have much food because since I m supposed to be getting my benefits I m not eligible for food stamps?! BUT I HAVEN T RECEIVED ANYTHING?! Trying to find care for my son and apply somewhere when I m told to not have to look for work since I m supposed to be going back to my job in July (hopefully). Why give false promises, why not return my 4 emails, I finally got ahold of someone after weeks of calling. This is very frustrating, depressing, and draining. Yes I just started working, but they owe me my back pay/benefits. It sucks.

They meed to be better prepared for things like a pandemic. I understand high volumes but why cant i get a que and wait my turn? I cant get ahold of anybody, no emails back. Been trying to get ahold of IT Cause i have some unknown error trying to collect unemployment. Been trying for a week and its just busy signal from 6am till close. They should keep the office hrs open longer. Just sitting here helpless not knowing when ill be able or if ill be able to collect the unemployment i need. They also disabled calling them and force you to go online. BS and this needs to change. Cant just sit around for weeks without getting any money

Most confusing, unhelpful, and downright unresponsive division of public support I've ever had to deal with. They are handling this pandemic awfully and it is going to cost people their lives.

One thing is for sure you have to do a better job with your online application in the drop box there is a square for other, for other income received, it doesn't give you a space to write where the other income is distributed from or a place for the amount. It took me for ever even get some one on the phone when I first filed my application and then they couldn't give me all the information I needed, So I write a letter to Madison and I got all the information I needed. I called again about another problem and the agent didn't know how to answer it so I 'm sending another letter today. I can imagine this is a horrible time because of the Pandemic and they most have needed more people to help with the millions of filings. It's just that some of these agents just don;t know all the difficult question that needed answering..

no faith in our DWD in WI.
11wks of unpaid ui clames here because my employment validation info was sent by dwd to an employer from 2yrs ago INSTEAD OF my most recent employer... Monumental INCOMPETENCE. Meanwhile, Cannot go bk to wk til my kid is bk in school and bills are piling up.

You have completely ruined my life! I'm going to be homeless in a week! You all should be ashamed of yourselves! 1000s and 1000s people and families are losing everything!

I've been given the runaround for 9 weeks now and starting to lose my patience. You'd think they could staff the office on the weekend after hiring a couple hundred new government bureaucrats to deal with the onslaught and start digging themselves out, but no. It's a tough situation but this appears to have been horribly mismanaged from the start.

My wife was laid off in early May from her job. She quit a part time second job on February 9th, 3 months before her layoff. Still haven't gotten paid because they're looking into why she's refused work at a job she no longer was at.

Call and you're lucky if it rings more than once before disconnecting or gives you a call could not go through tone. If you do get through, it gives an option to speak to directory receptionist.

Only to get dead air for well over ten minutes and still counting.

who is the idiot in charge of this system!!
cant even file a claim if you don't have a wisconsin drivers license!!
3 WEEKS OUT OF WORK AND I CAN'T REACH THE OFFICE BECAUSE THE NUMBER IS FORWARDED TO NOWHERE !!!!!!
IS THIS WHAT WE PAY TAXES FOR !!!!!
YOUR FIRED!

Been waiting since March for an answer no money yet what do they get paid for????

The combined IQ of every person that works here is about room temperature.

The building is closed to public, Security said that they don't have enough workers. So how will everyone get paid or processed? None of this is making any sense

Update 6/26- got a payment for two weeks in a row then for some reason it's been pending for almost 2 months again waiting on the resolution of some sort of outcome. Still can't get through on the phones, still can't get an email back. Thank God I was able to find another job so I can pay my bills and feed my kids. This unemployment system is an absolute joke. The one time millions of people need them the most, and they completely let us down.

cant get through on the phone, and the websites a joke. Only thing worse than this Covid 19 shutting down so many work places, is the lack of help from the one place you should be able to turn. Claim says accepted, but 4 weeks in not a single payment, and when I finally got through I was told I would get a call back. I've always worked my tail off to support my family, I'm quickly nearing desperation as Covid 19 still has so much shut down, and unemployment is breaking down due to volume, and it's already getting extended longer.

This office is a joke, I've been calling pretty consistently for the last couple hours and make a daily habit of it for the whole last week and sent out multiple emails regarding my unemployment status, they have no voicemail setup, the call just ends cause their busy. I was able to leave a voicemail at the job center and they had a specialist reach out to me who said they could help with my case, but when I started asking specifics about my account she said I would have to contact unemployment, why call if you can't help??

I think the people who work here are salty they are essential workers and that is why they are unhelpful and slow workers.

Incompetent. Totally unresponsive to requests for information by me, by my state representative, and by the Governor's office on my behalf.
If you have several hours (or even days) to call incessantly, wait in queue, and by some miracle get through to a person, expect them to be adversarial, unsympathetic, close-minded, condescending, unenthused, ill-tempered automatons who would rather argue than listen or think outside of their prescribed regimen.
COVID or no, it is painfully apparent that this department and its leaders have little to no empathy or concern for the citizens it is meant to serve.

Governor Evers has blood on his hands. They can't process requests at all so expect to be stuck in limbo.

This is a joke. Hours upon hours just to speak to a person.

I've been waiting for any correspondence from ajudication for over 10 weeks. I've contacted my previous employer and they did not contest the claim. How do they expect their citizens to live over 2 months without any help what so ever?

I missed 6 days of work because ofsof I wouldn't have even called in sick for if it weren't for this COVID panic. These people OWE me for that. 2 months and no call, no contact, nothing other than a notification that child support would be deducted from any benefits. They got right on THAT. The entire department should be fired

Impossible to reach for 4 weeks after the shutdown. Son filed weekly claims after being let go because of Lock down. Son on SSDI finally found out his claim was denied. Now he is supposed to live on less than $960/ month. Are the wealthy people that are laid off held to the same limit?

So...8 weeks now and i still havn't heard anything back. The phone system is archaic, and only allows for 100 people on hold at a time. It is an absoloute joke. People need to lose their jobs over this. -5 star lul

On May 12, 2020 I gathered all the information they said was necessary and faxed ALL 21 pages of it and got confirmation that it went through. It is now June 19, 2020 and not only cannot I get through to a live person, but the only message I have gotten, online and on their recorded message, is that my application was received but it has to be manually put into the system and that I have to wait until that is done to even find out if I am eligible for PUA since I am an independent contractor. I really hope no one that works for them ever has to go through this and have to worry how they're supposed to take care of three children, not knowing if the compensation they should qualify for, is taking so long to even find out if I qualify. On top of that, they messed up my daughter's unemployment application and decided to put it under a company that we clearly listed as a PREVIOUS employer instead of processing it under her CURRENT employer and then denied the claim, even after giving them the information for her CURRENT employer after they sent us a letter asking for it since they said that was what was delaying her claim. FOR SHAME!

Not only are a lot of the people extremely rude, they also will flat out lie to you. I have been told I had an appointment with adjudication 4 times, then I speak to the next person and they tell me that's not the case. Have been waiting for 4 months for 2 weeks pay. My phone got shut off, internet got shut off. This state is a joke and I'm really tired of getting the run around.

Disappointed in the service. I had gotten passed around to 4 case workers in 2 years. My case was quite complex and I had to start from scratch each time I received a new case worker. Which was a lot of work. The first case worker was great. Couldn't get a response or acknowledgement from any of the others. When I finally did get a response i was told the complete opposite of what I was told by my original person. I felt zero effort was put into my case and it was rushed through. Extremely disappointing.

Horrible service can't get ahold of anyone over the phone or email when calling the number seems to be disconnected no matter which one I use.

Cant even get threw 4 and half weeks out why im not getting my unemployment check.this is bull.i know theres alot of people out.they should have a call back set up.

After waiting 3 hours to get through to unemployment I was told to CALL MY EMPLOYER times three told my W2's are not proof of employment and
given zero help. The unemployment rep. was rude and very short with me. I
would give them a zero.Also I think they need to get it together and stop making excuses for an inefficient department.

WE ALL NEED TO GET A LAWYER THAT WILL WORK WITH US ON A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THESE PEOPLE. I have been waiting 16 weeks for my unemployment. I feel as if I have been given fake numbers to call and then there is no voicemail set-up.

Waiting on funds since end of March, almost 4 months ago. Really pathetic.

You can't get ahold of anyone during this pandemic. I've been waiting 7 weeks for my claim to pass adjudication problems. A new problem came up today after I sent them an email threatening legal action against them. Saying a possible concealment? What the hell does that mean? They are purposely holding up my claim. Time to get ahold of my Senators and hold them accountable.

I have been calling every day, all day for the past 6 weeks since i lost my job and have not reached a single person. After calling hundreds of times a day and getting through when the line is not giving the busy signal the system gives u no choice to speak to a person in fact it hangs up on you. I understand we are in a pandemic but our work force department should ve been more prepared than to just allow millions of Americans who have list their jobs down during a time like this. Money is scarce and i do not know when my unemployment will kick in.

ummm 15 weeks still pending. DWD doesn't care about working class in WI SMH

I waited for over 3 months for my claim to be processed. I was on hold for many hours trying to get through by phone, only to be disconnected. It was extremely frustrating. In the end, it was blamed on a computer issue. My claim was "stuck" and had to be manually released. That took all of 5 seconds. This is not acceptable.

Everyone at this office should be fired. They do not care about hard working taxpayers and make them wait 2 1/2 months for unemployment. Wish they would not get paid and see how they survive when bills are due and mouths to feed. System is broke and needs a major overhaul.

Can't get in touch with anybody i called at 7:30 they say that there open at 7:45 i call at the 7:45 sharp and they busy how already

I am owed 14 checks. I applied end of March and received a letter saying my claim had been accepted. Then on the website I was told I was disqualified because I receive Social Security Disability. I am 70 yrs old and receive SS retirement and have since 2014. All it would take is 1 phone call to Social Security. But I am told they do claims in the order in which they were received. If thats the case are you telling me they are still in early April??? I also feel a lawsuit is in order.

My story is just like everybody's else. Playing the waiting game. If Tony Evers really care about the people of Wisconsin he would do something to get the ball rolling.

been waiting since March 24th for adjudication. Not a dime.

There is no point in adding to many details as my story matches most everyone else. I have been waiting for months for any progress at all on my unemployment, none has come and in fact it has regressed. This is disgusting and truly a blight on our state that they cannot help the citizens of Wisconsin.

I have been trying to resolve a simple
Issue for 4 months. I have been directed to do several things by several claims specialist some of who have given me the wrong directions. My case went to appeals and the was thrown out and sent to as justification. I have waited months and no one has been assigned to my case. I have over 6 k in funds due to me. The people who answer the. Phone have no idea what they are doing this am I had to call 3 times to make an appointment with claims specialist because the 1 st 2 people told me I could not have an apt. Then the third one made me one. How are you training these people? They all
Have different info. And the advise I ve been given by several claim specialist is all wrong! Help! I feel badly for people who are depending on this money to survive!

Unemployed mid march 2020. Still have not received ANY unemployment. Have not even been able to reach anyone in the office!

I can t even tell if the listed number is connected anymore it just does the busy sound forever.

I called to report a concern. The agent asked my name. Red flag. I said my name...first only. Then I was given 2 numbers I could call to report info first...which I didn't call because it was obvious that this organization protects bosses n organizations and blocks true complaints from employees dealing w corruption. Gang stalkers ...waste of time. Get out of Wisconsin if you want a good government and not a lot of problems.

It is truly scary. You call, the line is busy, you call again, its busy, doesnt matter time of day day of week. Think have to be caller ten like in a radio contest, only, the prize is having your call answered, and then put on hold, then getting hung up on. I filed 75 days ago, claim is still being "processed". Zero contact from the DWD. Feels like the GOP is hoping this reflects poorly on Evers and he doesn't get reelected over this, feels like this is their plan and are engineering this insult to injury. I know the bills come on time, somehow this pandemic hasn't effected WE Energies ability to bill their millions of customers on time. I know the bank debits your account on time for charges. I know Trumps tweets are getting through on time. I know the gas has been going up to over 2 bucks a gallon on time to track with demand. God bless the DWD, give them the support and resources they need to get the help and support to all who need it on time from here forward. God bless everyone who is struggling. God bless us all.

My son Been waiting 27 weeks now they tell him be patient got evicted lost everything ...

Filed in mid April and still waiting for my claim to be processed. Called and never got ahold of anyone. Everyone involved with the DWD should be ashamed of themselves and what they re doing to the people in Wisconsin during this pandemic. There is no reason for this to be taking so long.

If I could give this agency negative stars, I would. I know this review doesn't matter but others should know how awful it is trying to deal with unemployment with these people. The website is a joke, won't accept usernames or passwords that you create. Then you try to reset them and you have to go through more personal info in order for them to accept the new credentials. Then, after all of that, they tell you it's not working!! When you call the number they give, they won't deal with you if its "not your day" and then you get to wait a day or two to call them to get help. It's a joke, and seems like they try and discourage people from getting unemployment. I think they want people to give up.

This service needs to get its stuff togather because it's a necessary service paid for by taxes no response never answer phone rude and unprofessional

Horrible....Imagine growing up with wages barley able to make it then turning your life around taking your disabled brother from family into your own hands at the age of 19 and getting to the best point you and your brother has ever had then to lose it all to a pandemic? I'm going on since April I have been waiting its almost JULY! That's 3 months I've been forced to draw out my retirement getting TAXXXED to survive. Imagine what others are going through.. A lawsuit should be started and if nothing gets fixed by august I'll be on front street of that lawsuit with the rest of my retirement behind me to back it up.

Horrible ppl. No help and they just tell you what you want to hear and don't have real answers

phone line is constantly busy. can never get in contact with anyone.
Update 5 weeks later. same

Absolutely awful. I have been calling and emailing for over 6 weeks. Every time the phone goes right to a message saying the queue is full and to call back later. Nobody cares if we don't get assistance. I filed on March 16th and today is June 8th!!!! They should all lose their jobs.

I applied for employment june 5, 2020 and file my weekly claim ever since, well its almost the end of September 2020 and yet I haven't received a determination or recieved any type of income!
This is ridiculous!!!!!! Someone is not doing there job at DWD , must be nice to have a job and get paid!

Lost my job and filed for unemployment April 15 my case is still unassigned and it's now July 20th they say they can't transfer me to an adjudicator or have the ability to do so this is just unacceptable.

adjudication..... Y'all still reviewing a company I wasn't trying to collect from gwizz........

9 weeks under review because I tried out a job more than an hour away, 3rd shift, that didn't work out. Phone is shut off so I cant even receive calls from them. About to lose car insurance. Case hasn't even been assigned to an Adjudicator despite it being "under review". Tier 1, 2, and 3 representatives are unable to help, suggest calling 211, have no info to give, and talk about how they have to hear sad stories all day but cant do anything. This pandemic has been happening for 5 months now and they are still completely unprepared and disorganized.

Filed for Unemployment on March 8th, havent received a dime. Thank you WI DWD for making me wait almost 5 months with Nothing! You guys at DWD out do yourselves! Shame On Yall

HIRE MORE ADJUDICATOR'S! no $ for 3 months
Filed for pandemic unemployment on April 24th. Haven't heard or received a penny. Spoke with (10) people in the last 3 wks. Who tell me what I can read myself, about my claim. The government let us down! Have you ever lived with no money for 3 months?! It's awful. I was suppose to start a new job April 1st. Would have made over $6,000 by now. TRUMP AND GOVERNOR's are not helping assist properly.

I lost my job March 25th. As of writing this on September 30th, I have yet to get a single penny. I recently graduated college this year in May, and am shipping out into the Navy OCS soon. Why it has taken this long is beyond me.

LAWSUIT LAWSUIT LAWSUIT!!

I've been trying to even get someone anyone since march 15. I have no money, lost my job,apartment and the cv axle blew. I need money to get a car and a job so I dont have to be on unemployment. I've tried the online option and my information doesnt match what they have on file so I cant even do it that way. Idk what to do. I thought the government was supposed to be helping bartenders/servers/. This is amazing to me. I dont know how I'm gonna keep my son and I in a home.

Their adjudicators are clearly worthless and getting paid to do nothing.

All I get when calling is a dial out ring, dosent go through. The lady I was on the phone with applying for un employment was super nice. She did a great job, however my un employment has been under review for over a month now. Without working or unemployment I have no source of income. Bills are expensive and right now is a time we could all use the extra help. Edit: I originally gave this place 2 stars, but I ve come to the conclusion they do not care. I was told by a state senator that I would receive a call from a claim specialist, I did not. I have around 10 weekly claims pending. I was litteraly eating eggs and romen in a cup, I finally got called back to work but I can t believe this system. I m struggling to get by now, and I worry that since I started work again I won t receive the back pay I am owed. I think there just waiting to tell a bunch of us we don t qualify

Nobody is willing to help, and they just try to make it confusing so they can take advantage of you and steal your money

I am so hurt words can't explan how my life fell apart. What good is unemployment if you have not bank account after wait to here if you get it?

Wisconsin doesn't care my kids are starving. This state should be executed with extreme prejudice.

I'm disabled. I mistakenly applied for unemployment hoping for some relief while I'm out of a job, but now after waiting for 3 months my job is opening up again without ever seeing a single dime of unemployment benefits. I cant even reach an associate to cancel my benefits, soon they'll begin charging me for money they never sent me, and money I cant recieve in disability payments because of it. I'm supposed to move in 2 months, I dont know whay I'm going to do.

I waited 8 weeks for any sign of hope and now my boyfriend is at 10+ weeks with absolutely no progress whatsoever on his claim. What is going on???!!!!! We've worked our a$$es off our entire lives to be ignored during this critical time of need?!! I know you are NOT working on claims in the order received...you are liars. I'm down to one last credit card, thanks a lot!

Still waiting on a adjudicator going on three months. Terrible work by our government,they don't care about us less fortunate.

Phone lines are always busy. Been waiting over 8 weeks to hear from an adjudicator.