Press Release: Allegation of Ongoing Conspiracy Against Rights in Unemployment Insurance Appeals

Press Release: Allegation of Ongoing Conspiracy Against Rights in Unemployment Insurance Appeals

Hof Law - January 5, 2024

For Immediate Release

New York, NY – Hof Law, a law firm committed to civil and human rights, announces that the firm has formally alerted the State of New York’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Appeal Board of the belief that an active and ongoing violation of Federal law may be occurring in the administration of unemployment insurance appeals pending before the UI Appeal Board. The concern stems from a troubling pattern of interference in the processing of claims, particularly impacting self-represented claimants, which may violate rights under the Civil Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 241, the Federal statute prohibiting conspiracies to infringe on the civil rights by acting willfully with knowledge of each other's actions, when such acts have the affect of opressing those appearing in a self-represented capacity. Specifically, the firm believes certain actions of Federal officials acting in their capacity as attempted representatives of the Executive branch, in conjunction with parties within the private sector firm Equifax, (f/k/a/, Employer's Edge, LLC), may be acting to oppress self-represented claimants's fair access to the unemployment insurance appeals process.

Our firm has gathered credible concerns relating to Equifax’s role as a contracted representative of the Federal government in unemployment insurance appeals, particularly the reported lack of communication with self-represented claimants before the UI Appeal Board who contact Equifax to discuss Equifax's appeal of claimants' UI claims.

The firm represents a client with documented failed attempts to contact individuals at Equifax to discuss the matter of the appeal of his Unemployment Insurance claim. In fact, the last time he tried to speak with folks at Equifax about the matter, they abruptly terminated the phone call and hung up on him, giving him a sense of oppressive hopelessness with nowhere to turn.

The claimant feels oppressed, beause of the combined willful acts of folks acting in their official capacity at the Federal government, and folks at Equifax, even if such willful actions are not necessarily intentionally designed to make folks feel oppressed. However, even when notified of at least one case involving allegations of oppression, folks of the Federal government brushed off the accusation as irrelevant and unconcerning.

The result is that the claimant feels the precise kind of oppressive affect that the criminal code is desigend to prevent in the first place," the firm's Organizer was quoted as stating on the record.

Such lack of interaction creates an imbalance in procedural fairness and could disproportionately impact claimants who do not have legal representation, thereby undermining their right to due process. The situation is worsened if and when folks inside the Federal branch of government act arbitrarily to supplant their own legal representation of the Federal government. Their actions also interfere with Equifax's contract with the Federal government, because Equifax is precluded from performing when such arbitrary actions are taken.

We take these allegations seriously, and our decision to bring them to light is motivated by a deep commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness in government processes. While we hold the highest respect for the work of government and legal institutions, it is our duty to inform the public of any potential violations that could harm individuals, particularly vulnerable self-represented claimants. This release is not an accusation of intentional wrongdoing, but rather an earnest request for a thorough review and investigation into the practices that may be contributing to a systemic issue. We believe that bringing awareness to this matter is the first step toward ensuring that all claimants—regardless of their representation—receive fair and equal treatment in their pursuit of unemployment benefits.

The firm is dedicated to supporting positive change and ensuring that the unemployment insurance appeals process remains a fair and accessible avenue for all New Yorkers. We encourage public awareness of this issue and invite those affected by these challenges to reach out to legal professionals who can assist them in understanding and navigating their rights.

We trust that the State of New York will take these concerns seriously and work to resolve any discrepancies in the appeals process so that the integrity of our legal and governmental systems remains intact.

For further inquiries, please e-mail press@hoflawllc.com.

About Hof Law. Hof Law is dedicated to upholding justice and protecting the rights of individuals across New York. We care about focusing on ensuring that all individuals have access to a fair legal process, regardless of their background or resources.