Sick of the shit. Warning, this post is a rant. Explicit language to follow.

You always get bad news on a weekend when you can't do anything about it. So last Saturday I got 2 letters from MN Unemployment Insurance accusing me of fraud. Two counts of fraud to be specific, and 2 penalties which add up to 40%. As it turns out, my case was audited by the state, and when asked about my earnings in January, the old Diamond Mine (who's real name I'm SOOOOOO fucking tempted to use) filled out the papers wrong. It said "To aid in the detection of possible unemployment insurance fraud, MN Stat. 268.186(b) requires employers to provide a weekly breakdown of an applicant's gross earnings when requested. Employers must provide wages earned Sunday to Sunday as indicated whether or not their payroll period is different. Please provide the wage information requested below for the applicant listed. Thank you in advance for your assistance in ensuring the integrity of Minnesota's unemployment insurance program. Please be advised that Minnesota Law provides for a $100 penalty if you do not provide the information in the manner requested and within 10 days of the mail date above.

So, the weeks I didn't work at all, but received my vacation pay, (which I disclosed to the State of MN when I filed for unemployment) they listed that I was working not just receiving pay previously earned....um that ISN'T what the state was looking for, and now they think I worked for another month longer than I did. The douchebag who filled it out, (Steve) didn't work there when I did, and since then, the company has filed bankruptcy, so it's not even the same company. After filling out everything wrong, this idiot has the balls to write, "Note: this payroll information was taken from the records for "DiamondMine Corporation" which is no longer in business." Ok, so basically you did NO research into it, and just put whatever fucking answer you felt like...and I get charged with fraud. Nice. Really nice.

So I called the State on Monday morning after stressing out over it all weekend, and Carol at MN UE, was really nice and told me that this wasn't my fault at all, that my employer filled out the paperwork wrong and I should have no problem appealing it and winning. I appealed it, and get this: I had to appeal and receive a hearing with a judge for EACH charge of fraud and each penalty. I have a total of FOUR hearings. What a bunch of bullshit. Seriously.

So I called the old Diamond Mine and spoke with Steve thinking that if I can get him to fix the paperwork and send it back to the state, I could avoid the 4 hearings. He said he went off the payroll records. I told him I didn't work there then. He said he would check my time card. I told him I was salary. His response then was that I should ask Grumpy or Dopey to sign an affidavit that I didn't work there past 12/30/09. I called Grumpy and of course she always is a delight to deal with. She said that since I already appealed, she'd wait until the state sent her paperwork and fill it out right this time. Uh...my point, which I reiterated to her several times in the course of the conversation, was to NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOUR MOTHER FUCKING HEARINGS TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE, YOU STUPID FUCKING CUNT! So as usual, she was of no help. So, I have a hearing August 24 at 2:15, August 25 at 10:45 and 2:15 and August 26 at 8:15. What a pain in the ass.

I guess what makes me mad is that I didn't have any chance to defend myself. I've been convicted based on what these idiots wrote, and now have to appeal to try to prove my innocence after the fact. It makes me mad that their incompetence has screwed me over one more time. It makes me mad that I have a great job, and this company won't go away and leave me along. Let me live my life without ever having to deal with them again, and I'll be happy. And you wonder why they went bankrupt when this is their attention to detail? Ugh.

I wonder what the legality of it is...can I sue them? I'm not a litigious person, but I feel I'm owed some damages, goddamn it. I feel they should owe me some punitive damages for defaming my character like that. Also, at this point after the last 9 1/2 years of misery, this was the straw that broke the camel's back. I want to sue them and be the nail in their coffin. I'm not sure I have a case, but if people can sue McDonald's and win because they weren't smart enough to know hot coffee is...HOT, then I feel this is definitely something with more merit than that.