Records re robocalls to unemployment compensation recipients
| Tracking # |
2017-FOIA-06358 |
| Submitted | Sept. 28, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Brandon Smith
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act of 1974, D.C. Code Ann. § 2-531 et seq. ("D.C. Act"), I hereby request the following records:
Documents sufficient to show how often recipients of unemployment compensation from the Department of Unemployment Services miss their initial appointments for employment counseling sessions, each month, for the past 30 months for which there are records for that full month. (That is, starting in August 2017 and working backward.)
WRITTEN INVITATIONS: I also request documents sufficient to show the number of written invitations to initial appointments to counseling sessions, for each month you provide in the above request. If invitations are provided via email and via paper letter, please state how many invitations were provided in each of these two ways.
AUDIO INVITATIONS: I also request documents sufficient to show, per month for the past 30 months,
1. number of calls made for this purpose--the initial invite to a job search counseling session;
2. number of times when someone picks up the phone versus when someone doesn't;
3. number of voicemails left -- or maybe more specifically, however many times the system thinks it left voicemails
I also request a copy of the audio in the voicemail recording that the computer calls leave, or a sample such recording left to a person.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 15 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: Sapp, Tonya
Good Afternoon Sir/Madam, On behalf of Tonya Robinson, General Counsel/FOIA Officer, this email responds to your request received on September 28, 2017 in the Department of Employment Services (DOES), Office of the General Counsel, requesting public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Attached you may find the documents you requested. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding the attached DOES FOIAXpress Response, please contact Tonya Robinson at tonya.robinson@dc.gov or (202) 671-1195. Kind regards, Flora Findley Office of the General Counsel
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2017-FOIA-06358
From: Department of Employment Services
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
From: Brandon Smith
Greetings.
Thank you for your assistance on this matter. I would like to make a small request that also has to do with my previous request. (So if you can treat it as a followup, please do so; if you need to treat it as a separate and new request, of course do that.) I request a copy of one of the written invitations to one of these employment counseling sessions. Certainly any personally-identifying information will be redacted to protect the privacy of the individual. Alternatively, you may provide me with a template that does not include any personally-identifying information.
Sincerely,
Brandon Smith
From: Department of Employment Services
Good Afternoon Mr. Smith,
This email is a supplemental response to your request received September 28, 2017 as supplemented by your email of Oct0ber 27, 2017 in the Department of Employment Services (DOES), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), requesting public information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), D.C. Official Code §§ 2-531 et seq.
After an extensive search of its records, DOES located the attached document responsive to your request for a sample written invitation. Therefore, your FOIA request is granted, as to this request.
After an extensive search of its records, DOES located the attached copy of the audio voicemail recording that the computer calls leave or a sample of such recording left to a person. Therefore, your FOIA request is granted, as to this request.
After an extensive search of its records, DOES could not locate any documents responsive to your request for “AUDIO INVITATIONS: I also request documents sufficient to show, per month for the past 30 months,
1. Number of calls made for this purpose – the initial invite to a job search counseling session;
2. Number of times when someone picks up the phone versus when someone doesn’t;
3. Number of voicemails left – or maybe more specifically, however many times the system thinks it left voicemails”. Therefore, your FOIA request is denied, as to this request.
While FOIA does not require an explanation for the lack of documents, please note that DOES does not track the robocalls in the manner you requested.
Please be advised that pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 2-537 and 1 DCMR § 412, you have the right to appeal this response to the Mayor or to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
If you elect to appeal to the Mayor your appeal must be in writing and contain “Freedom of Information Act Appeal” or “FOIA Appeal” in the subject line of the letter as well as on the outside of the envelope. The appeal must include (1) a copy of the original request; (2) a copy of any written denial; (3) a statement of the circumstances, reasons
and/or arguments advanced in support of disclosure; and (4) a daytime telephone number and email and/or U.S. mailing address at which you can be reached. The appeal must be mailed to:
The Mayor’s Correspondence Unit
FOIA Appeal
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 407
Washington, DC 20004
Electronic versions of the same information can also be emailed to the Mayor’s Correspondence Unit at foia.appeals@dc.gov<mailto:foia.appeals@dc.gov>. Further, a copy of all correspondence regarding the appeal must be forwarded to the Freedom of Information Officer of the involved agency or to the head of that agency if there is no designated FOIA Officer there. A failure to follow these administrative steps will result in a delay in the processing and commencement of a response to your appeal to the Mayor or to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
If you have any questions, I can be reached by email at tonya.robinson@dc.gov<mailto:tonya.sapp@dc.gov> or by phone at (202) 671-1195.
Tonya A. Robinson
General Counsel
Department of Employment Services
4058 Minnesota Avenue, NE
Suite 5800
Washington, DC 20019
(202) 671-1195 (voice)
(202) 724-7472 (efax)
(202) 345-5808 (cell)
The information contained in this e-mail is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated recipients. This message may be an attorney-client communication, or attorney work product, and as such is privileged and confidential under applicable law. If the reader of this e-mail is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, use, dissemination, forwarding or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. Please notify me immediately by reply e-mail or telephone, and delete the original e-mail and all attachments from your system. Thank you.
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