Encounters with Monster and the Wisconsin DWD

I have a Monster login, last used about three years ago. So, when a search found a possible job in Janesville right next door, I eagerly clicked on the "apply" button. The Monster login screen appears.

I enter my user name and what I think is my password - it's been a long time. Monster tells me I must have made a mistake - I am trying to access the job seeker's page, and do I want to go to the employer's page instead?

The employer's page is just that - where employers go to post job opportunities. I have never been an employer unless you count the time I paid my two older kids to assemble military battery pack control prototypes for a customer. They learned surface mount soldering, and I got my 25 prototypes built while I worked on other things.

Tried logging in with my Google account, as they suggest. Same result.

So, Monday I'm going to contact the company directly. If they are paying Monster to post jobs, at least Monster should ensure that the website allows job-seekers to log in correctly.

Next stop is the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. As much as I detest asking for government aid, I like to keep my wife fed and housed, and I've paid enough self-employment taxes to think I'm entitled to get something back.

I log in, using the same credentials I had three years ago. It lets me in. So far, so good.

Answer all their questions. No trouble.

Now, they want my work history since I last had gotten a UI check. OK, I'll fill out the forms.

"When did you start this job? If you can't remember the exact date, be as close as you can.". I enter a date in MM/DD/YYYY format, as that is what they asked for in an earlier question - the slashes are mandatory. Tab to the next question - and my entry disappears.

Try again - same result.

Try answering the next question - "When did you end this job?". Same result.

Try clicking on "Next" with both questions unanswered. "You must enter a valid starting and ending date". Also, the website informs me that claim entry will close in 45 minutes. It's a quarter after 6.

Start looking for the "contacts" tab, so I can ask for help or tell them their website is broken. Get a nice list of phone numbers that Ii can't call until next Monday during normal bureaucracy hours.

Fun way to start the weekend.