Aetna & The NYS Dept. of Labor are Busy

our first post

I was laid off in January 2025. My media company's CEO sent an email that read: We are making staffing reductions that affect 143 people across multiple offices and added we are as confident and optimistic as ever in our brands, our people, and our prospects.

Really motivating.

After the layoff I found it impossible to reach anyone at the Dept. of Labor to find out how I can get my unemployment benefits. I called every possible number I could and the D.O.L. took me through mazes of automated voice messages or outright hung up on me, never allowing me to reach a live person. I've had awful experiences with private health insurance over the years as they've made it impossible to reach anyone who can help either.

I imagined that the Dept. of Labor and private healthcare (Aetna for me) were in cahoots in some way, having a romantic dinner together, dancing, just profiting and ignoring the peoples’ needs for help.

This illustration above is drawn by Nathan Place (@nathplac) who has his own excellent Instagram comic strip, “Golthar, Terror of the Deep”