Workforce center advice about unemployment benefits in Minnesota is a bad idea.
In fact, I would estimate most of the folks that contact me are doing so because they received horrible advice.
Here are a few examples:
Tell your story to the judge and everything will work out…
Applicants do not need an attorney for their case…
If an applicant looses, they can always appeal…
Workforce Center Advice: Talking to an Unemployment Judge
It isn’t the process of talking to a judge that is problematic for an unemployment claim. Instead, it’s what people decide to talk about that becomes the problem.
Talking with a judge is called testimony. Being nervous can impact testimony. Other times, I see applicants allowing the judge to lead them down a specific path versus having a clear goal or agenda.
As soon as a person knows what and why they are giving testimony, talking becomes testifying with a purpose.
Workforce Center Advice: You Don’t Need an Attorney
Finding out that the workforce center advice that a worker received was wrong is maddening. Not everybody needs an attorney every step of the way. Luckily, an ounce of help can go a long ways.
I am a strong believer in advising workers on how to handle their unemployment case on their own merits versus assuming an attorney isn’t needed every step of the process. Of course, there are situations that call for this type of attention, but not nearly as often most folks think.
Sometimes, knowing you have a weak case versus a strong case is valuable. Also, I think people find relief when they hear about alternatives to a denied claim.
Workforce Center Advice: Applicants can Always Appeal
Yes, workforce center advice claiming a person can appeal is right. On the other hand, the workforce center often forgets to tell folks that adding or changing the “record” after a phone hearing is extremely difficult.
If a person fails at addressing issues of concern or fact during their phone hearing, they risk never having a valid opportunity to correct the deficiency going forward. Of course there are exceptions, but the best time is during a phone conference with a judge.
