Methodology

Goals

  • Learn how employers or their representatives interact with the UI system, including understanding employers’ level of knowledge around how their actions affect UI claims or payments, and what impact they aim for in those interactions

  • Understand the ways in which hiring and termination strategies are impacted by the UI system or vice versa

Process

Based on the goals above, an interview guide was created. First, personal networks were leveraged to reach business owners and HR representatives in California for 3 initial interviews over the phone. This allowed us to test-run the interview guide.

Some additional questions were added to the interview guide at this point, before using the online recruiting tool UserInterviews.com to recruit appropriate participants and schedule further interviews over video conferencing. Interviews were scheduled for hour-long windows, although some were shorter. We used digital research tool Lookback.io to host and record the video sessions and enable screen sharing from participants. In some cases, Zoom was used rather than Lookback due to technical difficulties.

Participants

Gender

Race

State

Age

Company info

Participant 1

Male

White

Georgia

32

10,001+, taxable, not seasonal

Participant 2

Female

Hispanic

Massachusetts

40

200-1000, reimbursable, seasonal

Participant 3

Female

White

Illinois, but also deals with UI in: AZ, CA, IN, MA, OR, PA, TN, WA, VA & others

37

200-1000, taxable, seasonal

Participant 4

Female

White

New Mexico

39

200-1000, taxable, not seasonal

Participant 5

Female

White

California, but also deals with UI in MI, NC, WI

27

50-60, taxable, not seasonal

Participant 6

Female

Black

Pennsylvania

59

200-300, taxable, not seasonal

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