The dole office queue

Tzetze

I know the early bird gets the worm, and if you want to be seen quickly in the dole office, you'll need to be queueing from the crack of dawn. Well, I was in town this afternoon (crazy traffic indeed), and thought I'd call down and grab a ticket anyway and maybe queue up if it wasn't too bad so as I could ask about a query I have with regards BTEA.

So, I walked up to the ticket machine, pressed the blue button and read the number 805 on the ticket. Glanced up at current claims to see what number they were currently serving... 591! I think I'll be giving them a phonecall tomorrow instead.

So, what's the longest anyone's been waiting in there lately?

pleasant Co.

Tzetze wrote: »

I know the early bird gets the worm, and if you want to be seen quickly in the dole office, you'll need to be queueing from the crack of dawn. Well, I was in town this afternoon (crazy traffic indeed), and thought I'd call down and grab a ticket anyway and maybe queue up if it wasn't too bad so as I could ask about a query I have with regards BTEA.

So, I walked up to the ticket machine, pressed the blue button and read the number 805 on the ticket. Glanced up at current claims to see what number they were currently serving... 591! I think I'll be giving them a phonecall tomorrow instead.

So, what's the longest anyone's been waiting in there lately?

My Ticket number: 561

Ticket number onscreen: 564

So basically would have had to wait for the counter to tick over, that's how backlogged they were (was about 3mths ago now)

Tzetze

Wow, I thought today was a bad backlog - what you experienced was soul destroying.

JONJO THE MISER

Id bring a tent and sleeping bag if i were you.

JohnCleary

I just do a bit of work instead, saves with all that Q'ing

*ducks before chairs are thrown in my direction)

ronnie3585

JohnCleary wrote: »

I just do a bit of work instead, saves with all that Q'ing

*ducks before chairs are thrown in my direction)

Dude.

Krieg

Yeah I had to wait nearly 4 hours (this was 3 months ago), although I got my ticket and buggered off around town for a while and came back. Its not something you can do over the phone.

Acoshla

Good luck calling them, they don't answer the phone anymore. I needed to contact them before (am receiving the Casual Work Allowance thing), due to work hours I couldn't make it into the office, I ended up calling the main office in Dublin 3 times, who eventually transferred me to the Galway Office, it's unreal.

Lucky for me I then moved out of the city into the wilds of County Galway, my local office is a pleasure now, just stroll right up to counter!

dec25532

Spadina wrote: »

Good luck calling them, they don't answer the phone anymore. I needed to contact them before (am receiving the Casual Work Allowance thing), due to work hours I couldn't make it into the office, I ended up calling the main office in Dublin 3 times, who eventually transferred me to the Galway Office, it's unreal.

Lucky for me I then moved out of the city into the wilds of County Galway, my local office is a pleasure now, just stroll right up to counter!

You'd learn a lot from this post!!

JohnCleary

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Dude.

Where's my car?

pleasant Co.

JohnCleary wrote: »

Where's my car?

Robbed by some unemployed person

mike kelly

I remember being unemployed in the late '80s. Bad atmosphere in the dole office back then. Bullies pushing their way to the head of the queue, knackers stealing butter and meat vouchers, fights 8sometimes with weapons)...

how's the buzz there these days?

Nuggles

I was half an hour waiting on a monday morning, not the worst.

Waiting, to go to a booth and get an appointment.Surely I could have just rang and gotten an appointment that way.

ukgalwaymcguire

JohnCleary wrote: »

I just do a bit of work instead, saves with all that Q'ing

*ducks before chairs are thrown in my direction)

dont bash the unemployed, its hard getting a job out there took me 18 months of working on it everyday, cold calling with c.vs and allsorts
its not that easy, and if you are in work consider yourself lucky but dont bash thoose who are so lucky

Xiney

A couple weeks ago, I had a dentist appointment and I also had to go visit the dole office to see what the hell was taking them so long (been waiting for my means test since March)

So I took a ticket at 11:45, went down to the dentist's office, got my teeth cleaned & polished (no cavities! woo!) and then went back down to the dole office.

Still had a while until my number... so I went next door to the library, took out a book.. and got a good bit in while waiting. 3.5 hours total, but at least I feel that I utilized the time more or less efficiently :P

skelliser

was in there a few months ago. Waited nearly 2 hours, iirc my number was 562.
When my number was finally called i went up, set down and gave the officer my ticket. A guy comes running up and says "im no. 562!" , i turned around and glared at him, get ta f*ck ur 562.
Officer asks for his ticket, looks at it and says "this ticket was taken at 9.20, almost six hours ago!" guy goes " oh, sorry" and walks off after being found out. i started laughing but i was fairly pissed off tho.

I set and queued for hours while this fool came in in the morning, pressed the button and took loads of tickets and then just fecked of for the day. If you are one of these gob****es and reading this, you are scum. IMO if you cant be bothered to queue you dont deserve the dole.

galah

maybe I sound silly (and I don't mean this in a condescending way, don't get me wrong!), but what exactly are people queueing for? Is this just to sign on, or collect the dole 9actual payment), or what?

Surely there must be a more efficient, less degrading way of getting this sorted?

Xiney

you'd think there would be.

But if you ring the office they don't answer.

And they don't have an email.


So if you have a question (such as, "Dude, where's the money, it's been 4 months since I applied?") you have to go in and queue.

Tzetze

JohnCleary wrote: »

I just do a bit of work instead, saves with all that Q'ing

*ducks before chairs are thrown in my direction)

I need to know if I should submit a copy of last year's results to ensure a smooth transition to BTEA when the new semester starts. Do you suggest I wash the dishes or mow the lawn? *resists rolleyes temptation*

biko

I think what John meant was he's busy working on the Leaving Cert

Madame Razz

I have a direct line number if anybody needs it.

It *usually* works.

They rang me about sick pay ages ago, and I saved the number.

PM me if you want it, it might be worth a shot.

Zzippy

Tzetze wrote: »

I need to know if I should submit a copy of last year's results to ensure a smooth transition to BTEA when the new semester starts. Do you suggest I wash the dishes or mow the lawn? *resists rolleyes temptation*

Definitely wash the dishes. No point mowing the lawn when it's still wet from all the rain. Plus you might get caught in one of those nasty showers.

Mrs OBumble

galah wrote: »

maybe I sound silly (and I don't mean this in a condescending way, don't get me wrong!), but what exactly are people queueing for? Is this just to sign on, or collect the dole 9actual payment), or what?

Surely there must be a more efficient, less degrading way of getting this sorted?

Signing is a different queue, and (though it's sometimes long) it doesn't involve numbers and moves fairly quickly.

Current claims is:
- dude, where's my money/means-test-results/etc (as per Xiney's post)
- I'm going on holiday for a week, please can I have a form to fill in
- I've got a job, please can I sign off
- I've got some temp/part-time work, can I go on dockets please
- The dog ate my docket, can I have a spare please
- Why didn't I get paid for last week
- Why are you overpaying me? (Yes, I really did say this to them!)
and a zillion other similar things.

"They" have done some things to make it better, eg you can now enrol for an eCollege.ie course without having to get the form stamped by Welfare (who's have thought, FAS can just check your registration/eligibilty all by themselves).

Oh, the joys.

FYI, there is a way to avoid massive waiting. My last two visits, average waiting time was 45 mins. I'm not telling what it is, or you'll all start doing it but it's not rocket science to figure it out.

JONJO THE MISER

Aye the best time to go in is at 3.50pm because they close at 4pm and will put on extra staff to deal with everyone before 5pm:D Its common sense really.

DonnieScribbles

I was waiting about 20 minutes at about half twelve onwards this afternoon, not too bad
When I was signing on first I was expecting the dole office to be an incredibly depressing place, but whenever I'm there people are surprisingly chirpy!

dloob

Magnus wrote: »

I think what John meant was he's busy working on the Leaving Cert

He was working on it this year, but isn't it done now? Picture in the paper geting the results and all.

Xiney

That's assuming he doesn't have to resit in order to get into his course.

Mrs OBumble

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Aye the best time to go in is at 3.50pm because they close at 4pm and will put on extra staff to deal with everyone before 5pm:D Its common sense really.

Shhh!!!! We don't want them all to know!!!

JohnCleary

ukgalwaymcguire wrote: »

dont bash the unemployed, its hard getting a job out there took me 18 months of working on it everyday, cold calling with c.vs and allsorts
its not that easy, and if you are in work consider yourself lucky but dont bash thoose who are so lucky

It was a joke ffs, relax

mikom

ukgalwaymcguire wrote: »

dont bash the unemployed, its hard getting a job out there took me 18 months of working on it everyday, cold calling with c.vs and allsorts

Here's a tip......... most employers hate licorice.

emeraldstar

Went in today at 14.30, out 2 hours later :rolleyes:

banshee_bones

Dude! Everyone knows ya dont sit down with a ticket between 12 noon and 2.30 pm!
Its frikking lunch time! and you know how those lovely civil servants all love to go at the SAME time! So one minute theres three maybe four hatches open...then BAM! all closed..theres only one hatch open and at least 90 numbers in front of you!