Unemployed struggle to get through to Workforce Solutions

January 21, 2011

We're hearing from an unemployed Albuquerque man who, like thousands of other unemployed New Mexicans, is finding it almost impossible to get help from Workforce Solutions - even get them on the phone. For Al Lucero, things have become desperate. "Here I am gathering some of the last CDs I have just to try to get 20 bucks, 40 bucks or whatever I can," he said. Before his layoff, Lucero was a highly paid information specialist: he had his own country club home, car - everything. Now he's living with his sister and is preparing to sell off what little he has left. "I have to just keep keeping my head up. That's hard - I've lost everything and I want to work," said Lucero. His calls to Workforce Solutions have gone unanswered all week - he says he's maxed out the minutes on his pre-paid phone. "Are they laying off everybody? Do they have one person working the telephone? I don't know it's horrible," he continued. KOB Eyewitness News 4 went to Workforce Solutions to get answers. They tell us it has to do with the volume of calls. "This week alone, we were closed Monday because of the holiday but: Tuesday, Wednesday and half of today we received 20,000 calls," said spokeswoman, Joy Forehand. They tell us they are expanding service hours and budgeting more overtime. "January and February tend to be our peak season for unemployment claims. As we see in January we have the seasonal layoffs in retail, we have some layoffs with bus drivers and agricultural layoffs as well. We have that as well as the federal extensions that were passed by Congress and signed by the President in December," Forehand continued. "If they know this is the busiest time, what are they doing to prepare for it?" asked Lucero. Lucero says he has no choice but to keep on calling - just to find out if he even qualifies for assistance. "It's demoralizing and you just keep at it and wonder 'Am I going to end up sleeping under a bridge?' - I mean that's always on my mind," he said. Workforce solutions tells us their hotline is the best way to handle most claims and they're working to answer all calls. > New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions