  "LIGHTNESS AND AIR? " FEH! urlLink Kelly Services , an employment-slash-temp agency, was used by the urlLink Chicago Tribune to payroll me for two months while I was on a temp-to-perm job.
At the end of my 60 days, the Tribune chose not to hire me on as a permanent employee after reviewing their budget for 2004.
Last week I received a notice from the urlLink Illinois Department of Economic Security (our state unemployment department) that Kelly Services has disputed my claim to resume my benefits because I did not check in with them every five days for new temp assignments (I did leave two messages for Tom, one of their recruiters but never heard back from him. ) This is one of the loopholes some employment agencies use to avoid having to contribute to a former employees unemployment payouts. This afternoon I received a call from one of the Kelly reps: Beth: We have a long-term temp assignment that could last for over six months.
Ive submitted your resume for it and theyve narrowed it down to three candidates of which you are one. Each person will temp for one full day and then the client will make a decision based on performance. Are you available to work on the 21st? Wendy: Well, actually, I have a job interview that day. Beth: I know youve had some issues with this recently but unfortunately, Ill have to enter it into our system that you turned this temp job down.
Wendy: But I havent turned it down!
I have a job interview that day.
Will your client be willing to let me leave for two hours and then return? Beth: Well, this assignment could go for almost a year, Wendy. Wendy: But its a temporary assignment and Im interviewing for a permanent position on the 22nd, with full benefits.
Surely you can understand my position! Beth: I do but this is also an interview. Ill still have to enter it into our system that you are turning this temp opportunity down. Wendy: Like I said, Im not turning it down. Im just informing you that I have a job interview at 10 a.m. that day. If they are willing to be flexible, Ill consider your one day temp interview. Beth: Well, Ill call my client and see what they say.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER VOICE MAIL MESSAGE FROM BETH Beth: I spoke to the client and they are willing to be flexible and have you come in from 12 to five p.m. I didnt return Beths call; instead, I contacted Amy, the owner of another employment agency whom Ive known for many years and whom I consider to be extremely professional and knowledgeable about the recruitment industry. She told me that Kelly Services is playing hardball with me because they dont want to pay whatever it is that employers pay for an employees unemployment benefits.
Amy informed me that in her experience, disputes such as this usually are in favor of the ex-employee (again, I was never really an employee of Kelly Services as I never voluntarily signed up with them; rather, the Chicago Tribune used Kelly Services, their contracted staffing agency, to payroll me for 60 days until they decided whether or not to bring me on board permanently. I have a phone interview with the unemployment department on Thursday when Ill get to state my position.
What KILLS me is that Ive already spent over 5 hours on the phone with several Kelly Services managers and the Chicago unemployment department hashing this out with no resolution! All I want is my $330! The irony here is that the $330 will be the last check of my 2003 unemployment benefit claim and Ill have to wait another month before re-applying for a continuation. As the tagline of my Blog header states, I am truly Riding the Bourgeois Roller Coaster of Life! 
