Saga of the Missing 1099G

I never got my 1099 from the state for my unemployment from last year. I figured they didn’t technically have to be mailed until the last day of January, so I gave the statement until the end of the first week of February to arrive. It didn’t. I tried a couple of times last week getting through to the unemployment office, but was never actually able to get through their line.

I’m currently on hold with the state unemployment office. It took me four calls to get through; once again I kept getting one of those weird busy signals that you get when there is some sort of problem with the lines. When I finally got through I had to wait through nearly five minutes of announcements about things that had nothing to do with me (changes to filing, ending of extended benefits and I forget what else). Then I got a menu of buttons to press for various services, none of which were exactly what I needed. I finally punched “5” because that one at least was guaranteed to get me through to a real live person.

THEN I got the announcement that the average wait time was 40 minutes. I stuck my phone on “speaker” then ran upstairs to get my charger; there is no guarantee my cell phone battery will last for 40 minutes continuous use, and there is NO way I want to wait that long only to have my cell phone die the moment I get someone to pick up.

I figure I’ve been on hold for at least ten minutes now, so I’m hoping this means I’ve only got a half hour to go. I should have enough time to take care of this before I have to go into work today. I hope. I really don’t want to have to do this all over again.

I am taken by the irony of the situation. If the state has a 40 minute wait for someone to get through to a “customer service representative” in unemployment, then surely they are understaffed. They need to hire more people. THAT would help alleviate the unemployment problem.

Then again, why be part of the solution if you can be part of the problem?

The 1099 IS available on-line. All I need is my ID# and my pin. My ID# I have. My pin is supposedly on the bottom of the letter I got confirming benefits. I looked at the letter I got confirming benefits (from 2009). There is no pin there. Nor is there on on the top, or in the middle. I tried the pin that they assigned to the cash card that I had the option of getting my unemployment benefits through (but never used) but as I suspected, that didn’t work.

There is always a chance that I stored this pin number on my password document on my Acer. My poor little fried Acer. If so, that’s no help now. I hate to write down passwords and store them as hard copy – that’s why I had them stored in a protected file on my computer. I now see that there may be no way around keeping a print version of the file if I want to be absolutely sure of having access to them.

I have now heard the announcement that the 1099G documents were mailed on January 18th five times. Maybe six times. I’ve been assured that all I need to get a copy of these on line is my user ID and pin number. Thanks, guys, Really useful stuff you’re force-feeding into my ears here.

Fifteen minutes to go.

Back. As I typed that last line I got notice that I was being transferred to the next available customer service representative. I explained that I never got my 1099G, that I was aware that I could get it on line but that I did not have my pin number.

The dolt on the other end of the line said, “I don’t have your PIN.”

Well OK then. What exactly DO you have, that I was directed to call you?

Me: Well, I called the number I was directed to call when I attempted to get my 1099 on line. Can you do anything for me?

Customer Service: Well, I can request a new one from Harrisburg.

Me: That would be great. Do you have any idea how long it will take to arrive?

CS: Well no, not really. If I request it right now, it should come in about ten days.

Me: That will be in plenty of time for me to get the information together before I have to go get my taxes done.

CS: OK. Now you realize if you find the old one now it won’t work. You’ll need to wait for the new one.

Me: [A bit confused – If I found the old 1099, why wouldn’t it be valid? Then I realize – CS dude is talking about my pin. I thought he was talking about sending me a new 1099. What the hell is it with youth and pronouns anyhow?] That’s OK. I’ve already gone through my files twice. If I haven’t found my pin by now, I’m not likely to.]

CS: OK, I’m submitting for your new one now. Thank you and have a good day.

Well, my day could have been worse. They could have made me wait on hold for the full forty minutes.