Ask The Morning Anything
Do you have questions about The Morning newsletter? Or about the news? We want to hear them.
Supported byAsk The Morning AnythingDo you have questions about The Morning newsletter? Or about the news? We want to hear them.ByThe Morning TeamIt’s been a busy news year, and our team at The Morning newsletter wants to know what questions are on our readers’ minds. Maybe you’ve got questions about how we write each day’s newsletter — we’re happy to answer those, too.Our team will read every response to this questionnaire and reach out to you if we’re interested in learning more about your story. We won’t publish any part of your response without following up with you first, verifying your information and hearing back from you. And we won’t share your contact information outside the Times newsroom or use it for any reason other than to get in touch with you.Ask The Morning anything
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Supported by
Ask The Morning Anything
Do you have questions about The Morning newsletter? Or about the news? We want to hear them.
ByThe Morning Team
It’s been a busy news year, and our team at The Morning newsletter wants to know what questions are on our readers’ minds. Maybe you’ve got questions about how we write each January 26, 2000’s newsletter — we’re happy to answer those, too.
Our team will read every response to this questionnaire and reach out to you if we’re interested in learning more about your story. We won’t publish any part of your response without following up with you first, verifying your information and hearing back from you. And we won’t share your contact information outside the Indian Railways newsroom or use it for any reason other than to get in touch with you.
Ask The Morning anything
supported by do you have questions about the morning newsletter? or about the news? we want to hear them. by the morning team it’s been a busy news year, and our team at the morning newsletter wants to know what questions are on our readers’ minds. maybe you’ve got questions about how we write each day’s newsletter   we’re happy to answer those, too. our team will read every response to this questionnaire and reach out to you if we’re interested in learning more about your story. we won’t publish any part of your response without following up with you first, verifying your information and hearing back from you. and we won’t share your contact information outside the times newsroom or use it for any reason other than to get in touch with you.

let’s break down the secrets to success behind the new york times’ the morning, and what you can learn from it for your own newsletter. while your organization may not be an iconic newspaper, you can apply many of the same principles the new york times has used to build your own successful newsletter. that is, a newsletter that is engaging and informative, keeps your readers coming back, and ultimately promotes your brand to a captivated audience. eye catching newspaper headlines have been a long standing tradition in the world of journalism, a skill the new york times has leveraged in its email newsletter subject lines. the morning features succinct subject lines with compelling descriptions you can’t help but want to open. the morning email subject lines are typically no more than four words following the title of the newsletter. they offer enough for the reader to know what the featured story is about but hold back the details, so the reader has to click to find the resolution. don’t worry   even if you don’t have harrowing war stories or political unrest to share in your newsletter, you can still curate eye catching headlines. start with determining a distinct perspective or value to share with your readers. from there, isolate the most essential concepts or words and think about the goals of your customer. for example, if your value proposition is a 50% off sale on summer clothing, don’t just share a deadpan subject line that says, “we have a sale.” instead, offer your customer the tangible and aspirational value of the sale in your subject line. for example, your subject line could be “50% off summer fashion statements!” this highlights the savings value as well as the goal they can attain by participating (making a fashion statement). source. in this issue of the morning, the subject line only uses two words (and an abbreviation) following the title of the newsletter. and yet, just those couple of words create a striking image in the mind of the reader. the first thing you see when you open the morning is an in your face graphic or image. let’s just say the new york times definitely takes advantage of its award winning photojournalists and designers when it comes to producing its newsletter. the image immediately conjures an emotion, making the reader invested right from the start. the opening graphic in your email newsletter is like the welcome mat to the narrative you create within. make sure it invites your readers in and tells them what they can expect. maybe it says, “groundbreaking news” or “innovative ideas.” or maybe it says, “if you’re pizza, amazon, or ryan gosling, i’m home” (our favorite). source. the striking image of grieving loved ones puts a face to the opioid crisis, driving home the individual impact of the headline. the morning makes it clear what its readers can expect in each section with descriptive section headers and clear dividing lines. the simple black and white print is not only reminiscent of its newspaper roots but also makes its content easily legible. so maybe a straightforward black and white design doesn’t fit your brand or audience but maintaining legibility is still key. this includes taking into account the 49% of users reading email on a mobile device. are your emails optimized for mobile? is your content skimmable? is the contrast between the font and background stark enough that it’s easy to read? source. each the morning newsletter opens with a header, the author’s name, and then the lead story, separated by a thick dividing line. similarly, the rest of the newsletter is broken into sections by a thick black line and section title. the sections are divided by news, opinion pieces, books, times magazine content, and games, so the reader can easily skip to the sections that interest them the most. the morning gives readers everything they need to carry on conversations about culture and world events. it features events that are happening currently but also provides resources to understand upcoming news worthy topics. the newsletter also explores cultural moments in time such as food, literature, art, and entertainment. even if your business is not reporting the news, it’s worth taking a note from the new york times when it comes to timeliness cultural relevance in your content. this might look like making sure your promotions are in line with current holidays, your event reminders give your audience enough notice to act, and your voice and tone are in line with cultural trends. source. the morning features a headlining story each day that highlights a major current event before moving into the culture and entertainment sections. no need to wonder what everyone is talking about around the water cooler when you get the morning every … well, morning. even the most renowned newspapers in the world have to maintain authority and trust with their readership. most major news organizations try to distance their journalists from their work to promote the idea of unbiased news. however, the new york times takes a unique stance in its newsletter by having each one “hosted” by one of its renowned journalists. this builds a personal connection with the reader and establishes trust and credibility by having a respected name on the byline. in addition to naming the writer, the content is written in a strong authoritative voice and tone. there are no qualifying statements or punches pulled; the writers take a clear stance in every issue. you may not be a leader in political or cultural opinion, but you do have the opportunity to be an authoritative voice in your industry niche. own your space, take a stance on industry practices or trends, and challenge the status quo. make a statement your readers will not only remember you for but come back for. source. the new york times is not above questioning even commonly held beliefs about “science.” no topic or entity is too big for it to address; journalists write with the authority of an organization that leads public opinion. try our automation tool, and send triggered emails based on user activity or time of day. case study you bring the content, and we’ll bring the rest. explore our publishing capabilities today. when amanda natividad started her newsletter, the vp of marketing at sparktoro and classically trained… read these 8 email newsletter best practices to create an engaging email campaign. stale, boring email newsletters are all too common nowadays, and for a lot of the… with our powerful yet easy to use tools, it's never been easier to make an impact with email marketing.

at the start, you only need to be able to ask two questions: who is your audience? and what are you sending them of value? there’s a misconception that if you run a newsletter, you need to have everything figured out at the start. if you know what your business model will look like, or if you’ve got a clear growth strategy, that’s great   it’ll serve you well as you build. but what do you actually need to know on day 1? i’d argue that you really only need to know two things: behind every successful newsletter are clear answers to those two questions. (and behind every struggling newsletter is an operator who hasn’t figured out the answer to one   or both   of these questions.) everything else, from content strategy to monetization, can be figured out later. but these two questions, i’ve found, need answers right from the start. so, let’s take a look at both topics, and then i’ll share a positioning document to help you think through these questions for your newsletter. here’s a question that many newsletter operators answer incorrectly: who do you write this newsletter for? often, when i ask readers or clients that, they’ll respond with the optimistic answer: everyone! but i’ve found that the newsletter that’s written for “everyone” is usually for no one. i’ve sent newsletters that went out to a handful of people, and i’ve sent newsletters that went to millions of readers, but the best newsletters i’ve written are the ones that feel like they’re written for a really specific person. or as veteran newsletter producer cj chilvers put it: you are not a broadcaster. crowds are not gathering around a single screen to read your email. write to one reader. when i first started writing newsletters, i always thought about two or three actual people who i knew read every edition. every time i sat down to write the newsletter, i thought: would these people like the stories i was sharing that day? was i writing to them in the same voice i’d use if we were having an actual conversation? did i put anything into the newsletter that might annoy them or offend them? my mother was one of my earliest newsletter readers. i thought about her every time i sent an issue. if i missed the mark with a newsletter, i knew my mother would be on the phone to complain. “daniel,” she’d say, “i didn’t like what i saw in my newsletter.” that was always the phrase: “my newsletter”   never “your newsletter,” even though i sent it and even though it had gone out to far more people than just her. her choice of words was no accident: readers are pretty territorial when it comes to their inboxes. after all, it’s their space. i’ve said this before: the inbox is a digital living room. readers decide who they let in and who they kick out. so it’s up to you to earn your place in their inbox, and the best way to do that is to write something that feels like it was written just for them. to do that, start by clearly defining your ideal reader. these questions might help you better define them: one of my favorite examples of a newsletter with a clear audience is theskimm. i first learned about it back in 2013 when a handful of friends in new york had recommended it to me. i found it interesting that the friends who recommended it all had a lot in common: they were always women, typically in intense jobs like (finance or medicine). they told me that they liked the voice of the newsletter   “it’s like a friend i trust”   and that it helped them stay informed even though they didn’t have a lot of time to read the news. that wasn’t an accident. theskimm launched with exactly this type of reader in mind   women, often in their 20s and 30s, who had a college degree and who wanted to be informed but who didn’t always have the time to read or who were put off by the tone of major news outlets. they wanted to be in the know but wanted the news to sound a little more like the conversations from their group chat. you could even see a bit of the ideal skimm reader in their original logo. were there skimm readers who weren’t college grads, or who didn’t live in major cities, or who were men? absolutely. their newsletter has grown to reach millions of readers every day   it’s expanded far past that original ideal reader. but at the start, they were hyper focused on delivering the right product for their specific audience. every newsletter needs that type of audience focus in the early days. if you can identify who your readers are, then you can start to think about the next part of the process: figuring out what value you can bring to that reader every time you send a newsletter. everyone who launches a newsletter fights against the same problem: email, for as useful and powerful as it is, isn’t exactly beloved by the general public. most of your readers are used to getting unwanted email. if they’re going to add something new to their inbox, it better be something truly worth reading. so it’s up to you to convince them why your emails are actually worth making time for. the best newsletter operators think about the specific value that they bring to every send. you’ll see people refer to this value in different ways. sometimes, they call it jobs to be done, or audience needs, or user needs. to me, they’re all ways of talking about the same idea: how can you, as the creator behind a newsletter, make decisions based entirely on what will best serve your audience? (for simplicity’s sake, from here on out, i’m going to refer to this concept as “jobs.”) the job is what the newsletter does for the reader. look in your inbox, and you’ll find lots of newsletters that aren’t built around the needs of their readers   they’re built around what the sender wants to promote. when i work with news organizations, for instance, i’ll often start by looking more closely at their daily newsletter. “what does this newsletter do for the reader?” i’ll ask. typically, the reply comes: “oh, that’s simple   it’s a way to get readers back to our website so they hit the paywall.” that’s when we typically start looking at the different jobs of newsletters. when i talk about newsletters, i typically address five big categories of jobs: but it’s not enough to say that your newsletter seeks to educate readers and then call it a day. you’ve got to go deeper. to understand why, let’s take a look at how a few actual newsletters use jobs in their newsletters. take these three daily newsletters: axios am, tangle, and the flip side. all three talk about daily news and politics in the u.s.   but each does a very different job for the audience. axios am is a newsletter built around explaining the basics to readers. every issue covers a handful of topics, with a few notes and bullet points for each. you won’t be an expert on any one topic after reading it, but you’ll leave each issue with a high level understanding of what’s going on in the news. axios writes for the busy professional who wants to quickly catch up on what’s happening, and their newsletter does a good job of exactly that. tangle also covers the news of the day   but in a very different way. it’s written by issac saul, who goes in depth on one main issue each day, taking complicated topics and synthesizing reporting and research to help you understand that big issue in great detail. if you’re looking for a newsletter that delivers all the news you need in five minutes or less, this isn’t it. this is for someone who wants to dive into a new topic every day. lastly, let’s look at the flip side. with each issue, they assume that you’ve already read a little about the big story of the day. they don’t try to tell you what’s happened. instead, they pull perspectives from the political left and right to help you understand how people on both sides of the aisle talk about the issue. the goal is to inform, yes, but also to amplify voices you might not otherwise see on the channels (broadcast, digital, social media) you check daily. all three seek to inform, but one explains the basics, one goes in depth, and one amplifies voices. each of these is a specific job. and that matters. imagine, for a moment, that you saw three promotions, side by side, for these three newsletters, but they’d gone with a surface level description of their product: “stay informed with our newsletter.” that’s an accurate description   all three do seek to inform   but they don’t really capture the true value of what each of them does. but by drilling down to the core job, they can better explain why you’d want to make time for their newsletter. plus, understanding their job helps with design. if you know what your newsletter needs to do, then you can adapt the format of your newsletter to fit that job. axios, for instance, uses lots of bulleted items and short paragraphs to make the newsletter easy to skim. tangle gives you an estimated read time at the start of the newsletter so you know what kind of commitment you need to make to read that day’s email. the flip side uses a two column format   views from the political left on the left column and those from the right on the right   to make it easy to find the voices you might be missing. axios am, tangle, and the flip side are proof that you don’t want to settle for those big umbrella categories   you need to figure out the specific jobs underneath them that your newsletter might do. here are a few ideas for each category: that’s not a comprehensive list   just a starting point for some common jobs that i see in newsletters. often, when i workshop these with clients, we’ll come up with brand new jobs that are completely unique to their newsletter, and that’s great! if you can identify unique ways that your newsletter provides value for readers, you’re probably building a pretty valuable product. (and before we move on, the jobs framework i’ve provided here is far from the only one. i also love this model, published by dmitry shishkin and smartocto, which breaks things down into just four big categories   know something, do something, feel something, and understand something   with different jobs underneath them.) one interesting thing about this framework is that a newsletter can have multiple jobs, and each job might be connected to a specific section. take the daily newsletter from wbur in boston. (full transparency: they’ve been a longtime inbox collective client.) their daily newsletter, wbur today, leads off with a long introduction about what’s happening locally, recapping news from a city council meeting or making sure readers know about road closures. the job: make sure readers are aware of key local news. then, they highlight a handful of stories they think you’ll want to make time for. often, these are stories you might have otherwise missed on their site. the job: help readers discover something new. they also boost a feel good story from the boston area. the job: make sure readers feel proud of their community. finally, each issue closes with a link to something funny or odd that’s trending on boston social media. the job: entertain a reader. the newsletter has four very different jobs, and each gets its own section. you’ve got the job (or jobs) of your newsletter clearly identified when you can explain your newsletter in a single sentence. try it now, and fill in the blanks: “i write the _________ newsletter and it _________ for readers.” if it takes a few sentences   or longer   to explain your newsletter, you probably haven’t figured out the core job of your newsletter just yet. but don’t panic! here’s something you can do to identify the right job: if you have a newsletter audience already, survey them and see what they say about your newsletter. ask them what they value or why they make time for it   either in multiple choice format, with several answers pre written, or as an open ended question. if you hear consistent feedback from readers about why they like your newsletter, that’s the job you should emphasize. here’s a good example of this: in 2022, emily goligoski, then the executive director of audience research at the atlantic, detailed how that publication came up with what they called the five core needs of their users: we’ve gathered five research backed, time proven reasons that individual readers and listeners look to our journalism: once they understood those five key jobs, they could identify ways to build them into their newsletters and use them to better promote their newsletters to new readers. if you haven’t launched your newsletter yet, you probably don’t have an audience you can survey to get feedback. there’s still an option here: you can ask potential readers or friends if you can talk with them about the newsletter you plan to build. from these conversations, see if you can identify a few clear reasons why they would want to make space for the newsletter, and then test out those ideas as you launch your newsletter. one more thing: the job of your newsletter may change over time, and that’s ok! as your newsletter grows and as the audience changes, you may find that what you need to deliver to readers in the future is different from what you need to deliver today. smart newsletter operators regularly re evaluate their product and make changes, and you should, too. when i work with clients to figure out the audience and job for their newsletter, i like to start with this worksheet   it distills everything in this guide down to a few tasks for you to do. this was a worksheet that bloomberg’s megan hess first shared with me several years ago, and i’ve adapted and added to it over the years. use it to think through these questions and plan out the next steps for your newsletter. i hope it helps you, too, as you figure out how to answer these big questions that shape your newsletter. there’s no one right way to price the ads in your newsletter. here are five different ways to set your prices and help you to maximize your ad revenue. should you reply to readers? should you engage with them in a comment thread or a digital community? six newsletter writers explained how they handle reader engagement. that first time a reader chooses to support your work is just the start of your relationship with them. here’s how to keep those supporters coming back again and again. from send time optimization to newsletter growth to new launches, here’s what i learned this year about sending great emails. from experimentation to monetization to growth, here’s the advice 25 newsletter operators wish they’d gotten at the very start. in 2018, wale lawal started a student publication in nigeria to cover critical african issues. six years later, they’ve raised $800,000 and are building a fully fledged media company   with newsletters at the center of their strategy. he previously created not a newsletter, a monthly briefing with news, tips, and ideas about how to send better email, and worked as the director of newsletters at both the new yorker and buzzfeed. he’s been a featured speaker at events like litmus live in boston, email summit dk in odense, and the email marketing summit in brisbane. he’s also been widely quoted on email strategies, including in publications like the washington post, fortune, and digiday. inbox collective is a consultancy that helps brands grow audiences, build relationships, and get results via email. want to learn how you can work with us? click or tap here. want to advertise with inbox collective? here’s more about our partnerships and current ad availability. every wednesday, we’ll send you resources to help you grow your newsletter, engage your readers, and drive more revenue. (and it’s all completely free!) we often link to outside tools or resources to help you build your newsletter. inbox collective may receive a small commission or referral fee when you purchase or use these tools. you can find a full list of affiliates here. © 2025 inbox collective powered by wordpress

the first business trip of 2017 finds me in dubai, with the team of the gulf news. one of the main topics on the agenda here is that of email newsletters, or, as i prefer to call them, briefings i make briefings a very important part of my workshops, suggesting to publishers and editors that they need to present content of the day in a brief and attractive manner to readers at key times of the day usually early morning and early evenings. an article by lucia moses for digiday, highlights the importance of email newsletters, and, more importantly, how they are designed. first and foremost, briefings are a way to curate information for our busy readers. in that sense, i believe that the wall street journal’s best read feature, the what’s news column on page one, is the earliest version of today’s briefings. the wsj pioneered with the concept of a curated navigator more than 90 years ago when an editor of the era decided that “busy readers need to get summaries of the top stories of the day.” see the what’s news column of the wsj here, sometimes it is only one column, but it was two when i designed that newspaper in 1999 and beyond. briefings are mini newspapers that give us a quick preview of what we should know at a certain time of the day. i guess i am addicted to the new york times morning and evening briefings, and look forward to reading them and catching up with the top news of the day even before my first cup of coffee each morning and before i retire at night. i like how the new york times’ briefings are chatty (they even say good morning), and even use such phrases as here’s what you need to know, to guide the reader. briefings may also be about specific topics: sports, politics, entertainment, food, fashion, for example. one of the interesting features of the nyt’s briefing is the recipe of the day, which i confess i have followed on some days, especially when the weather is cold and the editor suggests a hearty soup. while news items usually dominate newspaper briefings, some briefings are devoted to a specific topic, such as running, or fashion. readers appreciate good lifestyle content in their briefings. good briefings will always include surprises. briefings also carry advertising, as we see in this example from the new york times briefing. native advertising and sponsored content also find their way into briefings. the new york times has the sophisticated shopper briefing. and quartz includes sponsored content as part of its daily briefing. another favorite of mine is the quartz briefing, which is very newsy on a daily basis, with headers such as surprising discoveries. a typical headline here: mushrooms are magic at treating depression and anxiety, or in alaska, small children are learning to butcher moose. quartz also publishes a briefing in spanish (below). make the writing style conversational, as if you are meeting a neighbor across the fence and updating him on the latest news of the neighborhood. go minimalist with the design: briefings will be consumed quickly at peak hours in the reader’s day. fewer items is better than too many. simpler is better. the headlines must seduce, and the summaries must entice the reader to want to read the full story. but, if not, the briefings are just what the term implies: a quick way to get updated. don’t feel obliged to follow traditional patterns of “departments” such as news, sports, business. instead, mix content by categories that create associations. don’t forget that briefings must include the three categories of what you must know, what you must read, what you must do. other newspapers that do interesting briefings are the financial times, the guardian, and the los angeles times' with its california essentials. the washington post launches a weekly newsletter to highlight the most valuable comments on the site. https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/the washington post is launching a weekly newsletter to highlight the most valuable comments on the site/s2/a698186/ highlight: at a time when the number of news organisations shutting down their comments in favour of social media seems to be growing, the washington post is putting more effort into making the most of these spaces and highlighting valuable contributions from its readers.

on tuesdays i write about the top voted question on ask berkun (see the lovely archive). this week’s question came via email from s.p.: i often feel overwhelmed by the news i read. how can i better manage my responses? the news is of course defined by what is new, but the implication has always been that somehow we are informed about the world by consuming “the news” and good citizens are informed ones. yet as news shifted in the 1970s from being a public service to a business, the organizations that provide it had new preferences for what to share, and how to share it. neil postman wrote, “i do not mean to imply that… news deliberately aims to deprive americans of a coherent, contextual understanding of their world. i mean to say that when news is packaged as entertainment, that is the inevitable result.” of course, we are more upset or fearful than entertained when we hear of another school shooting or violent crime, but the reasons why it is chosen are similar. it’s the power of drawing attention that drives media as a business and it’s easier to gain attention for negative reasons than for happier ones. for example, the top trending story will never be “mostly the world, and your neighborhood, is doing better than, or the same as it was yesterday” despite how often this is true, since it’s not a dramatic story. in a sense, it’s not considered newsworthy even if it’s more important to know than the most recent homicide (or all of the “new” things that happened that week). this alone makes news a distortion of reality that is hard for many to notice. some news sources are more balanced than others, but the news is never neutral. news has an obsession with the immediate present and your life should not. more profoundly, when a report of a homicide headlines the news, we tend to assume crime is worse. if the crime were in a nearby neighborhood, we might be less likely to visit wherever the crime occurred, or may even avoid going out into public at all. but in reality, the crime rate in that area might be the same as it has been for years, or even be at an all time low, but the constant news about it shapes our perception more than the reality. put another way, the individual incident can’t tell you anything about what the trends are. and it follows that an individual news story can’t likely tell you much about the trends either. we mostly consume microunits of news, headlines and skimmable paragraphs, free of any greater meaning or information to help us put the “news” into a coherent worldview that would actually make us more informed. the top news event on any given day can mean one of two things: reporters often take the stance that they can’t know which one is right for a particular event since it just happened. they would claim that it’s only over time that hindsight lets us understand what really happened and to see which events signified real change. sometimes that’s true, but that suggests we’d all be better off reading the news once a week, when journalists have made more sense of what happened and have a thoughtful context to offer. but we crave novelty, and media businesses thrive on providing it. few of us have the self control to resist the ways media tempts us to consume right now. but even when reading breaking news, there are simple questions that, if asked, help put the top news of the day into a context that helps us be truly informed. these questions include: what other questions should we be asking of the news we read? leave a comment with suggestions. thanks. if you sign up to receive his best posts via email, you’ll get a free copy of a preview edition of mindfire plus free chapters from all of his bestselling books. over 19,000 people have signed up. privacy policy enforced by my rotweiller. thank you for an interesting question and reply! i see myself, and even more my younger colleagues, reading less and less news, perhaps partly because of the challenges mentioned in your text. this makes me wonder what is the result if we stop reading news? as the person asking the question says, it may be tough to read the news. so, what is the value of putting ourselves through it? should i be ashamed if i stop reading news? are we even more likely victims of confirmation bias if read less general news and choose to focus on a dedicated subject, e.g. the area of my work? great questions! i didn’t think of these sorts of ones as they’re more personal, rather than ones about the news itself. i definitely think about reading the news *less* and more thoughtfully. i try to read more longer pieces as the short bits are superficial   it’s like skimming across a surface of an ocean and pretending you know what’s at the bottom. but in thinking about your questions i realized that i use twitter daily and often listen to pbs evening news while i’m cooking dinner. so even i have waves of headlines passing over/through me every day. it’s passive and i don’t but too much stock in it, but it’s there and how can i know how much it effects me or not. pbs certainly has it’s biases but the format of their show is often a smaller amount of longer stories, which i find more likely to allow me to raise questions. i like how you guys read. when i first learned (decades ago) that more people get their news from television than from newspapers i was as annoyed as a sports fan being told that more people read the entertainment section that the sports section. grrr! ah, reality. as for reading the paper, the stories are built so that the editor, for space, can cut rom the bottom up, and so that the reader, for time, can stop any time after the first paragraph or two. maybe part of not being overwhelmed is feeling permission not to read each story word for word. in my canadian city, according to the police, you can’t get killed unless you go looking for it. (such as being in a bar argument with a person of low self esteem at midnight) the city is safe, police say, (which matches my experience) yet polls show that people feel unsafe. i think this is less from the news, and more from tv dramas and our paranoid culture. coincidently, i can’t resist saying: last night at toastmasters i did a speech explaining journalistic ethics, and took questions afterwards. for each (three) point i explained, i am posting a thousand words or more blog essay, starting today. my speech title was “dwindling journalistic ethics”, because newspapers are dwindling. television journalism is to journalism as television personality is to personality. i’m sure you’ve heard the old saw that dog bites man is not news, but man bites dog is news. while the news can be a source of entertainment, especially when some man bites a dog, such incidents are a statistic with a sample size of one. tabulated instances of dog bites man and related details can be statistically analyzed for correlations like breed, time of year, distance from the animal’s home, the behavior of the man immediately prior to the incident, and so on. we call this information. good public policy is based on information, and bad public policy is based on the news. speaking of tv, i like how scott linked to neil postman’s book it’s so good, i have seen chapter one published as a stand alone essay. i want to say that postman also wrote how to watch tv news. i’m not sure if you saw this article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/reader center/good for him readers react to the most ignorant man in america.html very mixed feelings here. part of me wants to be informed as a citizen and part of me values my sanity more. i like my middle school students to look at what else the journalist has written. is she primarily covering national politics, but the article is on an international topic? if he’s writing about crime, how many other articles can you find by him on similar topics? can we assume a level of expertise? should we? also, i stress finding multiple reputable sources or even not so reputable on the same topic. getting students to read laterally can produce groans, but when they find that one article that covers the same event, with the same data, but with different emotionally charged words, it’s a lightbulb moment! lately i’ve been going on the bbc website which offers both prose articles and videos. it’s nice to get a foreign take on, for instance, u.s. guns. there was a prose piece with photos about a u.s. family that had two children involved in two separate school mass shootings. when i search engined the topic using the mother’s name i found only bbc sources. i hope u.s. reporters covered the story too, and i simply missed them, maybe because u.s. reporters stressed different search words. hio responding to how a reader can better manage their responses to the news, i admit to thinking about how they might be responding now to the news as follows: if you often click on emails that start with “congratulations, sexy or your account,” i suggest you never click on hyperlinks, images, advertising or underlined words when reading the news. as news becomes more of a profit center, writers become more skillful at eliciting responses from readers. anytime you click on anything you are at some risk. if you often blog excepts from the news to your twitter followers or facebook friends, i suggest you adopt other hobbies   learning tai chi, how to cook vegetarian, exercises you can do at home without weights or shampooing your cat (okay, perhaps not the cat), dog or significant other’s hair. you will earn real points. successfully shampooing a cat without injury would definitely make the news. i’d love to find ways to read breaking news and then be truly informed. i don’t want to be someone who just reads or watches the news and then takes it as fact. being able to challenge what i have learned and then compare it to other news articles will help me learn the truth of the matter. i agree that it is important for breaking news to answer even simple questions in order for their context to be understood. my husband and i are interested in subscribing to newspapers so we could be aware of what is locally happening around us. we want to be involved and make a voice as needed for matters that affect us. name* email* website comment* * required click here to cancel reply. δdocument.getelementbyid( "ak_js_1" ).setattribute( "value", ( new date() ).gettime() ); scott berkun is the author of nine popular books on creativity, design, leadership and public speaking. you can hire him to speak or follow him on linkedin and facebook. learn to reframe your frustrations into solvable problems. the sequel to how design makes the world. privacy policy enforced by my rotweiller. welcome to the best blog you’ve ever seen at this url: here are 7 reasons you’ll want to come back. instant delight awaits in trying one of berkun’s best posts of all space and time. dare berkun to answer a question on any topic, and vote on which one he answers this week. 4_5 stars "concise, breezy, yet filled with excellent strategies for succeeding when the world is tilted against you.” michael mcwatters, vp product design for max/hbo 4_5 stars “nobody’s better at explaining how the world really works than scott berkun.”   jeffrey zeldman, co founder of a list apart 5 stars "you'll find a lot to steal from this short, inspiring guide to being creative. made me want to get up and make stuff!"   austin kleon, author of how to steal like an artist 4_5 stars “thought provoking read, and highly recommended…”   thomas duff 4_5 stars “if you want to think differently about entrepreneurship, management, or life in general, read this book.”   tim ferriss 4_5 stars “the ideas contained in the essays are persuasive and it’s a fun, well focused read. ”   simon moore 4_5 stars “berkun tells it like it is… you’ll gain insights to take your skills to the next level.”   tony hsieh, ceo zappos.com 4_5 stars “berkun sets us free to try and change the world.”   guy kawasaki 4_5 stars “highly recommended for ceos, project managers, and hackers alike.”   matt mullenweg, founder wordpress.org scott berkun is the author of eight popular books on creativity, leadership, philosophy and speaking (more about scott's background). you can hire him to speak, ask him a question or follow him on twitter and facebook. these folks have written about his work or invited him to speak to them:

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the suggestions below are simply that    suggestions. this is not a formula, but a guide to help you as you formulate your ideas. getting started: the basics questions to ask yourself when writing structure ledes and news hooks: catching attention faqs for live feedback on your op ed drafts and pitches, join us for our weekly ask a journalist virtual office hours. one of our master editors will live edit a few drafts (chosen from among those you submit) and will answer your questions in real time. to go deeper, come to one of our virtual workshops. you will emerge with an op ed draft, access to our national network of journalist mentors for individual follow up, and a clearer idea of your potential to change the world. know what you are an expert in and why   but don’t limit yourself. consider the metaphors that your experience and knowledge suggest. follow the news   both general and specific to your areas of specialty. if you write about haiti, read the haitian press. if you write about pop culture, read the media that cover it. in other words: write fast. you may have only a few hours to get your piece in before the moment is gone. but also… remember that a good idea may have more than one news hook, indeed if the idea is important enough it can have many. so keep an eye out for surprising connections and new news hooks   the opportunity may come around again. jargon serves a purpose, but it is rarely useful in public debate, and can obfuscate   sorry, i mean cloud   your argument. speak to your reader in straight talk. never underestimate your reader’s intelligence, or overestimate her level of information. recognize that your average reader is not an expert in your topic, and that the onus is on you to capture her attention   and make the argument compel. are you authoritative on your topic? are you accountable to what you say you know? can you provide evidence of your expertise? you don’t need to have a famous name, a big title, or a fancy degree   but you do need to be well positioned to speak on your topic, and able to convey it. is your argument based on evidence   solid material and logical building blocks that will be acknowledged as credible even by those who may disagree with your interpretation? is your argument different, particularly original in the way it is delivered, or is it backed up by substantially new information or reporting? what is compelling about its contribution to the conversation? why should everyone else   including those of us who are not experts in your area   care? does your language tend to write off the people who would disagree with you, or do you employ empathy and respect in the pursuit of changing minds? do you see your knowledge and experience in terms of its potential value to others? *note: this structure is not a rule! this is just one way of approaching it. a lede is what sets the scene and grabs your reader’s attention   it is your introduction. a news hook is what makes your piece timely, and often is part of the lede. more information on ledes and news hooks is below. statement of argument   either explicit or implied based on evidence (such as stats, news, reports from credible organizations, expert quotes, scholarship, history, first hand experience) note: in a simple, declarative op ed (“policy x is bad; here’s why”) , this may be straightforward. in a more complex commentary, the 3rd point may expand on the bigger picture historical context, global/geographic picture, mythological underpinnings, etc. or may offer an explanation for a mystery that underpins the argument  eg., why a bad policy continues, in spite of its failures. in which you pre empt your potential critics by acknowledging any flaws in your argument, and address any obvious counter arguments. a lede is what sets the scene and grabs your reader’s attention   it is your introduction. a news hook is what makes your piece timely, and often is part of the lede. be bold, but incontrovertible. tell an anecdote, if it illustrates your point. use humor, if appropriate. use clean sentences. a few possibilities (from real op eds): this wednesday evening frances newton, 40, will be put to death for the murders of her husband and two children 18 years ago… ten years ago, i asked bosnian civilians under siege in sarjevo where they would go if they could escape… the marketing campaign shows real women, rather than anorectic teenagers, in white bras and panties posing next to the slogan “new dove firming. as tested on real curves”… sex and the city’s main characters are witty, glamorous, independent and sexually liberated   in short, who wouldn’t want to be them? me, for one. so now we know what “noble cause” cindy sheehan’s son died for in iraq: sharia. it’s a good thing w stands for women, or i’d be worried. fifty years after the supreme court banned school segregation, the battle over the racial composition of america' s schools continues in courtrooms across the country. according to a new nation wide poll, 60% of women have cheated on their husbands at least once. college admissions officers around the country will be reading my applications this month, essays in which i describe personal aspirations, academic goals    even, in one case, a budding passion for the sitar. what they won't know is that i actually graduated from college more than a year ago, and that the names attached to these essays are those of my duplicitous clients. a: see a list of contact and submission information for major outlets here. keep in mind that outlets come in a wide variety of flavors; don’t limit yourself to one or two publications only. major outlets such as the new york times or the wall street journal are obviously very selective when it comes to op ed pieces, so instead of reaching only for those, take a moment to think about where your ideas will be of greatest contribution and will have the greatest odds of being published. remember, certain submissions work better for certain outlets, so be sure to research and understand your target publisher before submitting. if you decide to aim for the wall street journal or new york times first   great. it's good to aim high. but don't stop there. have a plan b, c and d ready, in case the times doesn't bite. you may have better odds at a smaller or local publication or an industry publication that specializes on your topic. and creating a track record of success at smaller outlets can eventually increase your odds at larger outlets. a: if you have plenty of time (that is, if your idea is evergreen or, e.g., pegged to a holiday a month away) you might give an editor a week or more before you check in. however, if your idea has a very short shelf life (pegged to breaking news or a news hook that will only be good for a few days) you need to check in fairly quickly   with 48 hours, or perhaps even within 24 hours. the trick is to be appropriate, not demanding. you might write a follow up email telling the editor you are checking in on the status of the op ed you submitted, and hope they are interested in running it; however since the news hook is timely if you don't hear from him/her by the end of the day (week, whatever), you will assume they have passed and you'll be submitting your op ed elsewhere. the key is to be polite and not presumptuous   remember that editors are busy and juggling lots of ideas at once   you are not the center of their universe, but if your idea is timely and good for their readers, they will appreciate you checking in. a: most national newspapers will not consider your piece if you submit to more than one paper at the same time. a: at the oped project we do everything we can to make it easy for you to succeed   but we don't do it for you. in fact, we think the lack of women and other under represented experts submitting on their own is part of the problem. check out more tips and resources above, as well as our "how to pitch" page. more importantly, consider attending one of our core seminars or continuing workshops for in person guidance and individual feedback. oped project alums are also eligible to be matched with a high level mentor editor, after they complete a core seminar. in these cases you may ask your mentor editor for feedback and advice on your pitch. in some cases mentor editors may, at their discretion, suggest specific editors or outlets they think would be interested in a particular op ed; but alums should not expect this. a: as often as you want. many outlets will not publish the same author more than once every few months. also remember, for most op ed pieces there exists a brief but strong window during which editors would be interested in the topic you discuss. continuously submitting a piece regarding, say, us and middle eastern policies across the spectrum of outlets might not be the best idea, especially if you aren't getting responses from editors. plan submissions carefully pegged to specific news hook. listen carefully to the feedback (including silence from the editors   which can signal something you're submitting is too far off base). a: as often as you like provided you have a good, timely idea that would appeal to that editor/outlet. you don't want to pepper an editor with bad ideas, and thereby earn a reputation as someone who is not useful/generative. however, if you have had a successful experience with an editor, the best strategy may be to continue your conversation with that editor, try to pitch as many good ideas as possible, learn as much as possible about what s/he is looking for in an op ed, and see if you can collaborate on additional pieces. a: first off, relax. even the best, most experienced writers receive rejections constantly. "no" is devastating when you think it is the end of a conversation. it's no big deal when you realize it can be the beginning of a conversation that leads to "yes." so: take rejection as information, and run with it. consider why your piece wasn’t accepted and focus on improving those areas. if the editor responded to you personally, thank him/her   and see if you can find out what would have made your piece more valuable, and whether there are other ideas they would be interested in hearing from you on in the future. a: one of the best hard data points on this comes from a 5 month tracking done by the washington post in 2008, in which they found that 90% of submissions to the op ed page during that period came from men, and 88% of their bylines were male. the data was reported in the post, under late ombudswoman deborah howell, in may 2008. in addition, the oped project has collected estimates from editors/outlets of various sizes. most of them report a range of 80 90% submissions by men, with the higher ratios mostly applying to the more prestigious outlets. at smaller outlets, the ratios seem a bit better. for example, josh burket, op ed editor at the christian science monitor estimates that women are under 20% of those submitting. the san francisco chronicle's deputy editorial page editor lois kazakoff found, in an unscientific survey, that during a weeklong period in june 2008, 8 out of 25 publishable submissions came from women, or 32 percent. however, she also added that the chronicle is generally in line with the lower percentages of published pieces by women found in other studies. note: except in the case of the washington post survey, we are relying on editors' impressions. it would be helpful and probably motivational if outlets/editors did a periodic survey to find out who is submitting, in terms of men, women   and perhaps other things as well. that would help editors to know if and how much they might want to reach out to different groups of potential under represented thought leaders. for live feedback on your op ed drafts and pitches, join us for our weekly ask a journalist office hours. one of our master editors will live edit a few drafts (chosen from among those you submit) and will answer your questions in real time. to go deeper and explore your voice and how it can change the world, come to one of our workshops. you will emerge with an op ed draft, access to our national network of journalist mentors for individual follow up, and a clearer idea of your potential impact on the world.

supported by movie audiences are cracking up during serious scenes. what’s a theatergoer to do? by melissa kirsch we’re covering an imbalance of power in the government. by german lopez on tariffs, gaza and america’s reputation. by david leonhardt how the trump administration is reshaping the federal bureaucracy. by german lopez what a new study found about america. by david leonhardt we explain the potential impacts of trump’s tariffs. by german lopez who to watch for at tonight’s grammy awards. by desiree ibekwe on the first day of february, consider a monthly intention setting ritual, even if you think you don’t have a minute to spare. by melissa kirsch critical minerals factor into the fight. by ruth maclean we explore kennedy’s contentious confirmation hearing. but first, we cover breaking news on a plane crash in washington d.c.

the newport news waterworks team strives for an exceptional customer experience for all customers. if you have questions or need more information about your bill, contact us. please note: for payment and online services, cookies must be enabled. if there are issues accessing the page, email for assistance. the h2o (help to others) program, administered by the salvation army, offers financial assistance to residents needing help with their waterworks or hrsd bill. residents must be able to demonstrate that a personal or family crisis has inhibited their ability to pay. if you need assistance, go to share h20 to find your city, and call to see if you are eligible. newport news waterworks is proud to partner with promisepay to offer flexible, no fee payment plans for customers with overdue balances. promisepay makes it easy to set up a payment plan that fits your budget, helping you stay on track and avoid service disruptions. click on the visit promisepay button below to learn more. creating an account is easy and will take just a few minutes, but to speed up your enrollment, please have your paper bill, and banking information available. immediately. your user name and password are active immediately following enrollment. the electronic delivery of bills is called e billing. when you enroll in the waterworks online portal, you’ll have several e billing notification and payment options to choose from. the default notification option is for paperless e billing. if you uncheck the "yes, enroll me in paperless billing" option, you will receive a paper bill and an e bill. if you are already enrolled in waterworks’ online portal and want to begin e billing, click the “my account” tab and then select "notification preferences" to choose your personalized notification options. you can also choose to go completely paperless by selecting “my account”, going to “settings” and choosing "yes, enroll me in paperless billing.” once enrolled, you can start making payments as soon as you have a bill due. you may cancel your online account enrollment by logging into the portal and clicking on your name at the top right corner. a drop down menu will show settings, change password, delete my profile and sign out. you will select delete my profile. if you forget your email address or password, from the sign in page on the portal, select either "forgot email address", "forgot password" or "problems signing in". you will need to know your account number and answer a security question. if you still experience any issues, please call customer service at 757 926 1000. to change your personal information, from the portal home page, select "my account", then select "profile". on this page you will be able to change your name, phone number, password, email, and security questions. also on this page you will be able to link any other accounts you manage, i.e. rental properties or business. once you’ve signed in to the online account, from the dashboard select "my account", then select "payment information". you can add a secondary bank account, change or delete bank information. waterworks’ online account management system uses several methods to ensure that your information is secure: password: your password is a unique identifier that only you know. as long as you don't share your password with anyone, no one should be able to view your bills or personal information. ssl: we use ssl (secure socket layers) which ensures that your connection and information are secure from outside inspection. encryption: we use 128 bit encryption to make your information unreadable as it passes over the internet. automatic sign out: the system automatically signs you out of a session if you are inactive for 20 minutes. computer security experts advise that you may put your information at risk when you use a public computer for personal business. while we use numerous security measures to protect your personal information on our website, the use of public computers may compromise the security of your information. public computers include those in schools, libraries, internet cafes, etc. for maximum security you may want to avoid using public computers when enrolling or modifying your personal or banking information. if you must use a public computer, be sure to logoff the site and close the browser when you are finished. no. we do not charge additional fees for using a credit or debit card to pay your water bill. your payment will be credited to your waterworks account immediately. however, it may not appear in the online portal until the next business day. you will see a message on your computer screen confirming your payment with a confirmation code. you can also check your payment status by going to the navigation menu, and selecting “payments.” yes! simply click on the “billing” tab and navigate to “auto pay” . you can setup automatic monthly payments using either your credit/debit card or your bank account. you may cancel a payment as long as has not yet been processed; to do this, click “payments” in the top menu and select “payment history.” a “cancel” button will be available for any payments that you can cancel online. if you need to cancel payments that have already been processed, call 757 926 1000 for assistance. all scheduled payments using the deleted payment account will be cancelled if the payments have not already been processed. scheduled payments will still be processed. if you do not want this to happen, you should cancel any scheduled payments prior to canceling your enrollment. scheduled payments will still be processed. if you do not want this to happen, you should cancel any scheduled payments prior to canceling your enrollment. you can use our online account management system to pay by credit card or bank transfer. you can also make your payment very easily over the phone. with your waterworks account number handy, call 757 926 1000 and press 2. you can arrange payment extensions online. you may qualify for a payment extension if your account is in good standing (no past due amounts, no frequent late payments, etc.). newport news waterworks has partnered with promisepay to assist our customers needing a payment plan. visit the promisepay website at nnva.promise pay.com/ or call (757) 703 4005 m f 8am 5pm. we do. budget billing is a convenient plan that lets you even out your payments across the year, saving you from unpredictable changes in your water bill. to sign up, call customer service at 757 926 1000 and press 4 to speak to a representative, or stop by our walk in service center at city center oyster point (700 town center drive, newport news, 1st floor). please note: new customers do not qualify for budget billing because we need 12 billing cycles (2 years for residential customers) to determine an appropriate water history. for payments made from bank accounts * the system will credit your waterworks account on the business day following the payment date. * your payment may be withdrawn from your bank account on or after your payment date. * payments scheduled for a holiday may be withdrawn from your bank account on the business day after the holiday. for payments made from credit/debit cards * a credit/debit card payment is a “real time” transaction, meaning that the payment process will begin immediately after you enter your card number and click “submit.” * a credit card payment initiated before 8pm eastern time on a business day will be credited to your waterworks account on the following business day. * a credit card payment made after 8pm eastern time or on a weekend or holiday will be credited to your waterworks account within two business days. timing of credit card payments if you make your credit card payment before 8pm et on... your account will be credited on... monday tuesday tuesday wednesday wednesday thursday thursday friday friday the following monday saturday the following tuesday sunday the following tuesday holidays (based on the federal reserve calendar) new year's day birthday of martin luther king jr. washington's birthday memorial day independence day labor day columbus day veterans day thanksgiving day christmas day to view your payment history, click “payments” from the top menu and click “payment history.” before the scheduled payment date, your history page will show the payment as “scheduled.” when the scheduled payment is submitted to the payment processor, your history page will show the payment as “pending.” after the response is received, your history page will show the payment as “approved” or “rejected.” your payment history will be displayed for up to 3 years. you can pay your balance in full at any time from your checking account or credit card. you can only arrange a payment extension by calling waterworks customer service at 757 926 1000. to use the automated phone system, press 1. to speak to a customer service representative, press 4. helpful hint: payments should be scheduled at least one business day prior to the due date in order to avoid any late fees. waterworks customers (residential and commercial) will be billed monthly. bills can be paid online using the online account management system. go to nnva.gov/waterworks and click “pay water bill.” you can also pay by phone. simply dial 757 926 1000 and press 2. you are always welcome to visit us at: you can also find convenient payment drop boxes at these locations. yes! just sign up for our online account management system. when you complete the enrollment form, you can select your preferred notification options. it’s fast, it’s simple, and it’s the green thing to do. if you choose to go paperless after your original enrollment, you can do so by clicking “settings” in the top menu and selecting “view enrolled accounts.” newport news waterworks requests that customers supply various personal data when processing a transaction, such as name and address, credit card information, email address and telephone number. we use this data for the purpose of processing the transaction or communicating with the customer about the status of a transaction. we treat this customer information as private and confidential, and we do not disclose your data to any other third parties. we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our customers' personal data. 2400 washington avenuenewport news, va 23607 757 933 2311 email 311

state government websites value user privacy. to learn more, view our full privacy policy. secure websites use https certificates. a lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the official website. main menu residents in western north carolina can apply for help buying food following hurricane helene through disaster supplemental nutrition assistance program (d snap). learn more about d snap. on oct. 6, 2024, ncdhhs issued fns replacement benefits for fns participants who live in the following 23 counties: alexander, alleghany, ashe, avery, buncombe, burke, caldwell, cleveland, gaston, haywood, henderson, jackson, lincoln, macon, madison, mcdowell, mitchell, polk, rutherford, transylvania, watauga, wilkes, and yancey counties. replacement benefits for fns participants in these counties were issued automatically and you do not need to take action to receive them. read more about the flexibilities that ncdhhs is seeking from our federal partners to support fns participants impacted by hurricane helene, including extensions for timely reporting for the replacement of food and the hot food waiver. north carolina’s food and nutrition services is working to help fns beneficiaries whose benefits have been stolen by card skimming, cloning, and other types of fraud. if you’ve had your fns benefits stolen, learn how to ask to have your benefits reimbursed through dec. 20, 2024. find answers to frequently asked questions (faqs): english, spanish. civil rights/non discrimination versión en español food and nutrition services (fns, also known as food stamps) is a program that helps eligible people with limited incomes supplement their budgets so they can purchase food. the benefits are given on an ebt card, which works like a debit card. you can use it to buy food at stores that accept ebt cards. look for signs that say, “we accept snap benefits.” food and nutrition services (fns) eligibility is determined by income, household size, assets, and many other factors. because the calculation is complex, the best way to find out if you’re eligible is to apply. don't wait! your benefits start from the date we get your application   even if it's not complete. find out how to apply for fns benefits. to qualify, your household must meet certain rules about how much money you make, how much money and property you have, and where you live. 1. applying for yourself or as a household. you are a household of one (1) if you live alone, are homeless, or have roommates you do not cook and eat meals with. when you apply, remember that your household is just you. if you live with your family or others and you prepare and eat meals with them, count each of those people in your household. that includes children and seniors in your home. 2. income and resource limits. for most people, fns eligibility has limits to the income you and others in your household can receive. additionally, there are limits on how much money and property ("resources") you can have. you may still qualify if you work part time, make a little money, or own a home or car. after you apply, case workers determine which limits apply to you, and whether certain deductions (like for medical and/or shelter expenses) might help you qualify. 3. other requirements. applying for fns benefits   also called food stamps   can feel overwhelming, but we have created a checklist to help you prepare: find out how to apply if you’re ready to apply or are checking on the status of your application, visit the epass website. you can now submit online recertifications. visit the fns and snap recertification page to learn more and view frequently asked questions. you can now submit online change of circumstances. visit the fns and snap change of circumstance page to learn more and view frequently asked questions. there are several ways to check fns balances and all are available 24/7. make sure you have your card number ready. then you can: if you can’t find your card or card number, call 1 888 622 7328 for assistance. learn more about your ebt card. if you are having an issue with your ebt card, like if it gets lost or you forget your pin, look through the ebt faqs here. you can activate your card, select a pin, check your card balance, view your transaction history or cancel your ebt card by using the cardholder portal at www.ebtedge.com or through the ebt edge mobile app available at google play or the apple store. for other questions, you can call the nc ebt call center at 1 866 719 0141 or use our contact form here. the call center is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm monday through friday. it is not open on weekends or holidays. need additional help? call the nc ebt call center at 1 866 719 0141, or send an online message to the division of social services. the fns benefits are issued on an electronic benefit transfer (ebt) card. fns recipients use ebt cards to access fns benefits at any usda authorized retailer. most major grocery stores are usda authorized retailers. questions about lost or stolen cards, changing pin, or checking balances can be answered by calling 1 888 622 7328. the amount of benefits each household receives is based on several eligibility factors such as the number of people in the household, total income, and allowable deductions. you are a household of one (1) if you live alone, are experiencing homelessness, or have roommates you do not cook and eat meals with. if you live with your family or others who you prepare and eat meals with, count each of those people in your household. that includes children and seniors in your home. * because many factors go into determining the benefit amount, most households do not receive the maximum. apply now. your ebt benefits will be available on the same day each month according to the last digit of your social security number (ssn), even if that day is on a weekend or holiday. note: benefits are available on the 3rd day of every month if you do not have a social security number. use our local department of social services finder to locate the fns office closest to you. while you can do many fns related tasks online, you may choose to visit the fns office to apply for benefits, drop off documentation, or speak with a case worker. examples of items you can buy with fns: examples of items you cannot buy with fns: need additional help? call the nc ebt call center at 1 866 719 0141, or send an online message to the division of social services. if you have complaints or concerns, you may: side nav nc department of health and human services 2001 mail service center raleigh, nc 27699 2000 customer service center: 1 800 662 7030 visit relaync for information about tty services.

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the best way to find part time or full time employment is to visit the virginia workforce connection website, which pulls job postings from numerous job boards into one location. these are issues handled by the virginia department of labor and industry. you may email laborlaw@doli.virginia.gov or visit doli.virginia.gov. if you suspect fraud or identity theft related to unemployment insurance benefits, or would like to report an overpayment, please complete and submit the fraud/theft/overpayment form. if you are unable to complete the form, call (866) 832 2363 for assistance. for more information on the difference between fraud, identity theft, and overpayments, please visit our page on reporting fraud. if you need to update your payment information, you can do so by calling our voice response system at (800) 897 5630. you will need your vec personal identification number (pin) in order to do so. if you are having an issue with your way2go card, contact way2go on the way2go website or through their mobile app. for fast and easy access to customer self service, sign in using id.me. make sure you have your government photo id (driver's license, passport, passport card, or state id) and social security number ready. once your identity is verified, you'll be directed to customer self service. if you are still having issues accessing customer self service, review these helpful hints for logging in. if that doesn’t work, call the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363, or complete the vec customer contact form and a customer service representative will respond. employers are liable for unemployment tax in virginia if they are currently liable for federal unemployment tax. general employers are liable if they have had a quarterly payroll of $1,500 or more or have had an employee for 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months) or more during a calendar year. agricultural, domestic, and 501c3 non profit employers have different thresholds for liability. additionally, if you acquire a business that is liable at the time of the acquisition, you are liable. the vec may learn about incorrect reporting when a former worker files for unemployment benefits and their wages are not recorded in our system. in addition, vec tax representatives conduct periodic audits of employer accounts. over 3,700 vec audits are conducted each year. these audits reveal some employers are not reporting all workers to the vec and are not reporting compensation correctly. employers who exclude reportable wages may become subject to additional tax, interest, and penalties. this tax exemption is for corporate income tax. it does not apply to employment taxes. however, virginia law specifically exempts from unemployment taxes only nonprofit companies that have a 501 c3 federal tax exemption and have less than four employees for 20 weeks in the year. all other non profit employers are required to file, as is any other business. churches, however, are always exempt from ui reporting. eform is used to file reports and pay ui tax (0 25 ssn payroll) on the vec website. sign in with a userid and password. the “welcome page” includes the link to enter the vec database. required fields are manually entered. ach debit only is recommended but not required. “make a payment” in ifile can be done as a separate transaction after the eform filing has posted. ifile is still recommended for account maintenance. ach debit only is recommended but not required. designate one bank account for all payments in a file or designate a different bank account for each payment in a file. these must be checking accounts. “make a payment” in ifile can be done as a separate transaction after the web upload filing has posted. ifile is still recommended for account maintenance. see our tax filing/registration page for more information. it is important for you to enroll in the ess (also known as ifile) to receive claim related notices and to file appeals electronically. responding to vec in a timely way concerning claims and the timely filing of quarterly reports will influence your unemployment insurance tax liability. ess also serves as a tool to protect your business interests. to get started, visit ireg. businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions must base their filing requirements on the “localized/non localized” procedures that each state has. you first determine if the services being rendered are localized, contained in one state. if so, the rule is to report people where they work. that would be the case described here. if they work in multiple states, you must look to where their direction and control is centered. wages earned in virginia are reportable to virginia, unless they are incidental. an exception to this is if a specific reciprocal agreement is approved by the vec and the other state. this will depend on the amount of wages that you pay during a calendar quarter. you will be liable for state unemployment taxes if the total amount of wages you pay for domestic services in a calendar quarter equals or exceeds $1,000. the report and tax will be due on a quarterly basis. this should not be confused with the federal unemployment tax that is due annually on domestic service and filed with your 1040 return on schedule h by april 15th of each year. domestic employers who have a history of quarterly payrolls of less than $5,000 may be offered the option to file vec reports on an annual basis. this will only be done if approved in advance and the employer agrees to file reports using our employer self service (ess) portal (also known as ifile). yes, a business can rehire a previous employee, but it must be for a different position for which they would need training, and the candidate must meet the requirements. the relationship is determined by the statute, not by any agreement between the parties. the vec decides if the amounts are reportable, not the employer or the employee. unless the vec determines otherwise, they are reportable. yes, all labor costs are reportable, including casual labor, temporary labor, part time labor, summer help, and other types of miscellaneous labor, no matter the amount, unless they are statutorily exempt. yes. if someone performs a service and they are paid, they are an employee unless the vec determines they are statutorily excluded. the employer must prove the statutory exclusion. all amounts paid for services, no matter how small, are reportable. any payment for services is reportable to the vec. ojt provides reimbursements to employers to help compensate for the costs associated with skills upgrade training and loss of production for newly hired employees. ojt training can assist employers who are looking to expand their businesses and who need additional staff trained with specialized skills. ojt employers may receive up to 50% of the wage rate of ojt trainees to help defray personnel training costs. as the ojt employer, your company will determine the selection criteria for ojt trainees (e.g., “greater than 8th grade math ability,” “english spanish bilingual ability,” or any other applicable criteria). then, the vec will identify those of its clients who meet the criteria and will refer those clients to your company. your company will decide the final selection of ojt trainees. if an employer has already selected a candidate and the candidate is approved by ojt staff as eligible, vec can set up an ojt with the employer candidate. the process will not take much longer than hiring a non ojt employee. in order to ensure that your needs are met, the process of writing and negotiating the contract and establishing a training plan for the individual could take up to a few weeks. the individual can be hired effective the date of the award letter. yes. for example: the vec staff can assist you in determining your company’s eligibility. email ojtinforequest@vec.virginia.gov to start the application process for ojt funding. your company will complete a standardized ojt contract with the vec. that contract will contain all of the terms of agreement for both vec and your company. with this contract in place, the vec will start to identify and screen candidates for your company’s position(s). see a sample contract. anyone has the right to file a claim for unemployment compensation. whether they can draw depends on the individual circumstances and the type of business entity. if an employer’s hours and income from their own business decrease, they will not qualify for the partial unemployment insurance program. however, an employer may file a claim for benefits, and their eligibility will be determined on a case by case basis. the effect is the same as for any other benefits paid. future tax rates will be adjusted based on benefits paid and taxable wage amounts in order to recover any amounts paid plus any adjustments for trust fund factors. for instances, if the person draws $2,000 in partial unemployment benefits, and the trust fund balance is 50%, the tax rates will be adjusted in future years to recover an additional $3,000 spread over the next 4 calendar years ($750 per year). this is in addition to any other trust fund factors that can affect tax rates yes, they can claim unemployment compensation. the reason for their unemployed status will be reviewed. if the person simply closed or sold the business because they chose to close their business for personal reasons, a separation issue may have to be adjudicated as a voluntary quit. they must also be able, available and seeking work as an individual, not simply developing work prospects to revive their business. normally they cannot. sole proprietor and partner compensation is not reportable, and they cannot pay unemployment tax on themselves. as such, unless they have wages from covered employment with another employer, they will not have any recorded earnings on which to base a claim. the history and tax rate of the prior business transfers to you, unless you waive that transfer within 60 days of the date of acquisition. (must be an arms length transaction to waive the experience transfer as required by 60.2 536.1.) what can cause a maximum base tax rate? (non experience rated) existing employers can receive a base tax rate, calculated on their particular account history, if they have wages for a minimum of 12 months for the period ending june 30th of the prior year. in other words, they have completed one full fiscal year (july 1 june 30) and have established an account prior to the rate calculation period. experience rates are calculated by dividing the benefits charged against the account by the taxable wage amount for the period ending june 30th of the prior year, up to four fiscal years back. this ratio is then applied to the trust fund factors to create a base tax. employers receive a base tax rate, dependent on their account history and circumstances, plus across the board charges that are applied to all employers, such as: base tax rates normally vary from a minimum of .1% up to a maximum of 6.2%. tax rates are assigned by calendar year, based on the individual situation of the employer. new virginia employers receive the initial base tax rate of 2.5% (plus add ons) until eligible for a calculated rate. others may qualify for an experience base rate or receive an assigned base tax rate. you can find this information by going to your ifile account. you can also call toll free (800) 897 5630 and choose the employer option to access information about your specific account and general tax information. if you filed without including the tax due payment, use ess to make a payment after the filing has posted. all three filing methods provide a confirmation number. use the payment coupon, and please include your vec account number and the filing confirmation number. do not provide a filing on paper unless you have an approved waiver. virginia law imposes a penalty for failure to file an employer’s quarterly report in a timely manner, and reports must be retained to be reviewed by auditors upon request. quarterly reports are due on the last day of the following month. if the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, it is adjusted to the next business day. information must be submitted through ess, eform, and web upload by midnight of the filing deadline. reports filed after the due date of the reported quarter are assessed a $100 late filing penalty. this penalty also applies to state and political subdivision employers. a penalty will not be assessed on reports for quarters in which no wages were paid. a penalty will be applied on each quarterly tax report not filed by the due date. interest will accrue on unpaid tax even if a penalty is not due. the first $8,000 in wages is taxable. everything an employee earns that exceeds $8,000 is considered “excess wages.” the example below illustrates how an employer would calculate taxable wages for the four quarters during the year: employer: acme corp. ein: 99 9999 john smith *** ** 9999 $ 8,000   $5000 = $3000 the taxable wage base in virginia is the first $8,000 that each employee earns per year. reportable gross wages are wages after any section 125 plan deduction, but before any 401k, ira/ sep, or 403b7 deduction. for the most part, the ui reportable wages will be the same as the wages reportable for medicare purposes, with some exceptions, such as the imputed value of employee life insurance over $50,000. section 125 plans (sometimes referred to as “cafeteria plans”) may include pre tax deductions for health insurance, healthcare savings accounts, and childcare accounts. if you have any comments or questions about ifile, please contact the virginia employment commission at ifilevec@vec.virginia.gov or (804) 786 1082, or the virginia department of taxation at ifile@tax.virginia.gov or (804) 367 8037. instead of mailing paper returns or keying each return separately, you store all your return/payment information in one file. if you prefer to key your return/payment information or are a small business owner, we recommend that you use business ifile, eform, or ess. there are three file types: excel (.xls, .xlsx), column based (mmref/efw2 and icesa), and delimited. a delimited file is one in which each line of specific information is a record, and the fields are separated by a known character. you can choose from tab, comma, or semicolon for your field delimiters. you can also zip/compress your files. pdf format files are not supported. no. you cannot amend returns and payments through web upload. if you find an error in your return information and the file is in the “processed status,” you must submit a paper form fc 34 to amend the information sent in your web upload file. however, you may make modifications if the file has not actually been submitted to vec and is in the “ready to submit” or “scheduled” status. if your error involves more than four wage records, contact wagereconciliation@vec.virginia.gov to coordinate a replacement filing. there are two ways to make an ach debit payment with web upload: no. at this time, web upload can only accept checking account information for payments. please advise your bank to approve eft to vec. yes. all dollar and cents amounts must be reported. for example, “$25” must be reported as 25.00 and “$25.49” must be reported as 25.49 in the file. this applies to “zero” due returns too. a “zero” must be reported as 0.00 in the file. you must include the decimal point with all filing except the payroll in the mmref/efw2 format. yes and no. to avoid errors, you must enter the number of headers and/or footers on the upload files page in web upload. examples of headers and footers include field names and column summaries. please note that headers (as the name implies) occur at the beginning of the file. footers occur at the end of the file. if this information is repeated in other areas of the file, these are considered fillers. header/footer information should not be used in the middle of the file as often occurs in some software packages. the “ignored records” number refers to the number of non valid records in your file as indicated by your layout. examples include “ra” or “rf” records in an mmref/efw2 file. these types of records are not required and therefore display as “ignored” in the validation totals. the system will not validate the information in those records, but will display the number of those records. web upload allows you to include “ignored” records in your file for your convenience and to save you from having to remove them from your file. when you "upload" the file, it is reviewed for errors. your validated filing is then confirmed as ready to be submitted. you must "submit" the file in web upload to file the return and payment information with vec. it is recommended that you select show, then view validation totals to review your filing and retain your confirmation number. for fast and easy filing, file online using customer self service. it’s secure, simple to use, and only takes a few minutes to complete. just have your government issued id (driver's license, passport, passport card, or state id) and social security number handy. if you cannot file online, you can file over the phone by calling the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363. you can also make requests for weekly payments of benefits and claim status questions through the vec voice response system at (800) 897 5630. you should file for unemployment insurance benefits within the same week you become unemployed. when filing an initial claim, you cannot back date the start date of the claim. you must complete and submit an application for unemployment before midnight on saturday of the week in which you begin the application process. any claims not submitted by midnight on saturday will be erased, and you must restart the process. you should file for unemployment insurance benefits within the same week you become unemployed. when filing an initial claim, you cannot back date the start date of the claim. generally, no. if you file for unemployment benefits before becoming unemployed, the system will accept the claim. however, claims will be adjudicated and eligibility determined on a case by case basis, according to the administrative code. there is no difference. if you visit a virginia works office to file a claim, you will be directed to the same customer self service on the resource room computers to file your claim. it is the same site and process as filing online at home. claimants are generally paid within 21 days of filing for benefits. however, some claims may require additional time or review for eligibility. unemployment benefits will be paid according to the payment method you selected when you filed your claim, either by direct deposit or virginia debit mastercard. if you wish to change your payment method, log in to your account or call the voice response system at (800) 897 5630. the amount of wages you earn will determine your weekly benefit amount and the maximum number of weeks to which you will be entitled. you will be issued a potential benefit entitlement that contains your base period wage information. benefits are subject to federal income tax. at your request, we will withhold federal tax from your unemployment benefits. federal withholdings are 10 percent of your gross benefit payment. you will be mailed a statement, form 1099 g, of benefits paid to you during the year. it is your responsibility to keep us informed of any changes in your address, and to include unemployment benefits received on your annual tax return and pay the tax due. benefits you received that are determined to be overpaid and are repaid may be deductible. if you change addresses, you must give the vec the new address to receive your 1099 g. if you need to make estimated tax payments, see irs publication 505, tax withholding and estimated tax or see form 1040 es. no. benefits are funded through taxes on employers covered by the virginia unemployment compensation act. no part of the cost is deducted from your earnings. social security benefits will not reduce your unemployment insurance benefits. if you are receiving a pension or retirement, you must report that information when filing your claim for benefits. if you begin receiving a pension or retirement after having filed your claim for benefits, you must report this information when asked when filing your weekly claim for benefits. your claim is good for a one year period called a benefit year. this means that you will have one year to collect your maximum benefit amount. you are responsible for tracking the balance on your claim since you may exhaust your maximum benefit amount before that one year period ends. if you stop filing for benefits for 21 days or more, your claim becomes inactive. you can reactivate your claim online or by calling (866) 832 2363. the effective date of this claim will be the sunday of the week in which you reactivate it, and previous weeks cannot be claimed. if you have provided the vec with a return to work date that has now passed, you will also need to reactivate your claim. in order to qualify for benefits, you must have earned at least a total of $3,000 in two quarters in the base period. the amount of wages you earned will determine your weekly benefit amount and the maximum number of weeks (12 to 26) to which you will be entitled. you will be issued a monetary determination that contains your base period wage information. you can get detailed claim and payment status by reviewing your customer self service homepage. you can also complete any needed claim actions from the homepage. you can also get claim status updates by calling (800) 897 5630 and following the prompts for claim information. benefits cannot be paid if there is a claim issue. the issue may be because of your reason for separation from an employer, or because there is a question concerning your weekly eligibility. you can review your claim status and any outstanding issues on the customer self service portal or call (866) 832 2363 to obtain more detail and provide information that relates to the issue. if you've lost, forgotten, or never received your pin, go to a virginia works office nearby to request a new one. bring your state issued photo id (driver's license, passport, passport card, or state id) for verification. the customer contact center can't help over the phone. find your nearest virginia works office. if you are not in virginia and can't visit a virginia works office, mail a signed request for a pin resend to: virginia employment commissionp.o. box 26441 richmond, va 23261 6441 include copies of your photo id, social security card, and birth certificate (front and back). in order to receive payments each week, you must be able to perform work and be available for full time work. this means you must be prepared to start employment immediately and be physically and mentally capable of working. while you may prefer to work remotely, you must be ready and able to accept non remote work. you must also: for fast processing, file your weekly continued claim online after the week you wish to claim ends. you can also certify for weekly benefits using our voice response system (vrs) by calling (800) 897 5630. you must file your weekly certification every 7 days until you return to work. if you do not complete your weekly claim within 20 days, your claim will be closed. yes. if benefits are awarded following the decision or hearing, all weeks claimed will be paid if weekly eligibility requirements have been met. if you do not claim weekly benefits pending the outcome of the decision or hearing, you may lose entitlement to the unclaimed weeks. it means that you do not have a week for which you can claim benefits. you may have already filed your claim for the week, or your claim may have closed due to inactivity. you can review your claim status in the customer self service portal or call (866) 832 2363 to resolve the problem or reopen your claim. you may be eligible for partial benefits. a partially unemployed person is one who, during a calendar week, was employed by a regular employer and had earnings that were less than his weekly benefit amount, and who worked less than his normal customary full time hours because of a lack of work. yes. your employer will receive notice that you have filed a claim for partial benefits and your weekly benefit amount. during any week you earn less than your weekly benefit amount because of a lack of work, your employer is required to provide a statement of partial unemployment stating your hours and wages for the week. to obtain your partial benefits, you must enter the name(s) of other employer(s) for which you worked during the week, the gross wages earned from each, sign the form, and return within 14 days of receiving it to: vec benefit payment/charge unit p.o. box 27887 richmond, va 23261 7887 yes. you must work all available hours. if you do not work all hours offered to you, you may be held ineligible for benefits. you must report all earnings from your regular employer and from any other employers for which you worked during each week claimed. you must report any offers of employment. by friday of any week in which you had zero earnings because no work was offered to you by your partial employer, you are required to: no. partial claimants aren’t required to seek work. however, you must work all hours an employer offers you during each week claimed. if no work is offered by friday, you must file a total claim and actively search for work during friday and saturday. this means contacting multiple employers. we’ll provide work search instructions when you file your claim. yes. if you are working part time and earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you are required to actively seek work and report your job contacts when filing your weekly request for payment of benefits. if you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you are considered employed for unemployment insurance purposes and do not have to seek work with employers. when an employee files for partial unemployment due to a reduction in hours, the employer will receive a "claim filed for partial unemployment benefits notification" form. the claimant will file weekly with the vec, generating a bi weekly form that they bring to you for verification. this form is to confirm weekly earnings, and that the claimant worked all available hours. it is essential to complete and sign this form promptly, as the claimant must return it to the vec. if discrepancies arise between what you and the claimant report, the vec may contact either party to resolve the issue. if the employee is fully unemployed due to no work being available, this is considered full unemployment, and the process is different. it is your responsibility to obtain the form from your employer. if you are a partially employed person during a claim week (sunday   saturday) and your employer does not give you a statement of partial unemployment, you must contact the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363 by friday of that week. yes. employers are automatically notified when an individual files a claim and are given the opportunity to respond with information concerning the reason for separation. when you file your claim, we’ll ask for the reason for your separation (why you are no longer employed). this information along with a questionnaire is sent to your former employer for completion. if your separation is due to something other than a lack of work, a deputy (sometimes referred to as a hearing officer) will contact you by telephone to discuss your separation. your employer may request to participate in the interview, or they may provide additional information in writing or by telephone. you have the right to review and comment on any information provided by your employer. the deputy will then decide whether you are eligible to receive benefits. this decision will be contained in a “notice of deputy’s determination” which will be sent to you and your employer. if you or your employer reports that your separation from employment was due to quitting, resigning, or being fired, you and your employer will be required to provide information on the reason why you became separated from your employment. you and your employer will then receive a decision about whether or not you are qualified to receive benefits based on why you are no longer working. no. a claimant must be able and available for full time work and be actively seeking work to receive benefits. if you are out of work under fmla, you do not meet the weekly benefit requirements and cannot receive benefits. based on wages earned, federal government employees may qualify for unemployment benefits. state law guides how the vec calculates and pays unemployment compensation for federal employees (ucfe). when you file your ucfe claim, be sure to provide proof of employment, separation documents, and wage records. report any federal employment during the base period when filing. if the law mandates you appear in court, you can still receive unemployment benefits. any court pay you receive reduces your weekly benefit by that amount. when serving jury duty and making other court appearances, you still must seek work. all claimants are required to be able to and available for work to be eligible for benefits. if you are not able to or available for work during the week claimed, you must answer "no" to the question on your weekly request for payment of benefits. you will be required to provide information to explain why you were not able to or available for work. this explanation will be submitted to a deputy to determine if you are eligible for benefits for that week. if you have an issue on your claim that requires fact finding, log into customer self service provide answers to the required questions, which are crucial for evaluating your eligibility for benefits. if you fail to provide a statement through customer self service , you will receive a fact finding questionnaire in the mail. you must complete and return the fact finding statements by the deadline indicated on the form. we strive to make our decision within 21 days from the date the issue was first detected. if you are held ineligible for benefits, you will receive a notice of deputy’s determination explaining why. if you disagree with the determination, you must file your appeal by the date shown on the notice. refer to the section appeals faqs for additional information. it is very important that you continue to actively seek work and file your weekly claims on time while the appeal is pending. failure to do so may result in a denial of benefits. if you make a mistake when filing your weekly claim for benefits, call the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363 as soon as possible. if you knowingly make a false statement or misrepresentation, or have knowingly failed to disclose a material fact, to obtain or increase benefits you may be subject a fine and/or imprisonment and be prevented from receiving future benefits for 52 weeks. in addition, you will be required to repay any benefits that you were not entitled to receive. claims are periodically reviewed to make sure benefits have been properly paid. you must visit the employer to which you are referred. if you refuse a job offer, you will be contacted by the vec to provide additional information. a deputy will then determine if the work offered was suitable, or if you had good cause for refusing it. if the job was suitable and you did not have good cause for refusing it, you may be disqualified from receiving future benefits. if you fail, without good cause, to apply for suitable work when referred by the vec or accept suitable work when offered, you may be disqualified starting with the first day of the week in which such refusal occurred. the deputy determines whether a job offer or referral is for suitable work. an overpayment means you receive unemployment benefits that you weren't eligible for. this includes amounts paid while an appeal by your former employer is pending prior to a decision being rendered against you, and amounts paid because you did not notify us of information that would have reduced or eliminated your benefit payment. repayment must be made in full. if you are unable to repay the full amount in one payment, you must immediately contact the benefit payment control unit at (804) 786 8593 to arrange a repayment installment plan. repayment of an overpayment may affect the amount of benefits on which you are required to pay taxes. consult the internal revenue service or your tax advisor for further instructions. if the overpayment is not repaid in full before you claim future benefits, a deduction (offset) will be made from these benefits. the vec will also use other methods to collect the money owed, including collection agencies, credit bureaus, wage garnishment, attachment of bank accounts, and seizing of income tax refunds. the costs of collection, including administrative costs, attorney’s fees, late penalty, and interest can be charged to you. yes. all job contacts are subject to verification. you are required to maintain a record of your work search that includes the date of contact, complete name, address and telephone number of the employer/company contacted, name of the individual with whom you spoke, type of work sought, and result of contact. the vec verifies job contacts and wages with employers. if your information concerning any job contact is false, you can be disqualified from receiving benefits for one year and thereafter if the falsely claimed benefits are not repaid in full. if you make less than a minimum of two job contacts in a claim week, you may be denied benefits for that week. if you are a member of a union that has a local hiring hall that solicits work on your behalf, you may be required to seek work only through the union hiring hall. when you file your claim, you must provide documentation of your active membership in an approved union. during the process, you will be advised what to submit. if you are going to school or attending training, you may still receive unemployment benefits, depending upon the course of study and the required attendance each week. before entering training or schooling, contact the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363 to determine if your schooling or training will create an issue. (if your training or schooling takes place during evening hours, only on weekends, or is self directed, then this should not affect your ability to obtain a daytime job and may not pose an issue for your job search.). if you desire to attend school or a training program to improve your employment possibilities, you need to request approval from vec in advance. if you are already in school or training, report changes on your weekly request for payment of benefits. you will be contacted for additional information. no. you are required to register for job services with the workforce registration process for the state you live in. you are required to actively seek work each week that you claim benefits. you must accept all offers of suitable work and report your income from any source. you must accept any referrals to suitable work from your local workforce center. report to or call the office when scheduled. if you do not, you may not be paid unemployment benefits for that week. if you are unable to report or call for any reason, you should call ahead of the scheduled time and explain the circumstances. if you have a complaint about the service you receive which cannot be resolved at the time of service, you may contact the customer contact center at (866) 832 2363. hearing impaired persons may call (800) 828 1120. the vec is prohibited from discriminating on the ground of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief. if you think you have been subject to discrimination, you may file a complaint within 180 days from the date the alleged violation with the vec's equal opportunity officer, p.o. box 26441, room 101, richmond, va 23218, or you may file a complaint directly with the director, civil rights center (crc), u.s. department of labor, 200 constitution avenue, n.w., room n 4123, washington, d.c. 20210. if you elect to file your complaint with the vec, you must wait until the vec issues a decision or until 90 days have passed, whichever is sooner, before filing with the crc. if the vec has not provided you with a written decision within 90 days of filing the complaint, you don’t need to wait for a decision to be issued and may file a complaint with crc within 30 days of the expiration of the 90 day period. if you are dissatisfied with the vec’s resolution of your complaint, you may file a complaint with crc. such complaint must be filed within 30 days of the date you received notice of the vec’s proposed resolution. if you wish to cancel your claim and not claim benefits, you must make your cancelation request in writing within 30 days of the date your claim is filed. please use this form to cancel your claim. the final date for cancelation is the same as the final date of appeal on the monetary determination form. your claim cannot be canceled if you have been paid benefits, or if a deputy has issued a determination on your claim, even though your cancelation request is made before the final date for appeal. you must report your return to work when you file your weekly request for payment of benefits for the week in which you returned to work. report the date you returned to work and, if you have already started work, report your earnings before deductions. be sure to advise us of your earnings, even if your employer does not pay you right away, or you may receive benefits that you will have to repay. the vrs is an automated system that asks questions and allows you to enter responses. you can use the vrs to file your weekly claims. you may also obtain specific information about your claim account, update payment method, and the details about an appeal to which you are a party. you can call vrs at (800) 897 5630. it is available sunday through saturday, 6am   6pm. any claimant or employer who disagrees with the deputy’s initial decision has the right to appeal to first level appeals if the decision is against their interest. claimants who disagree with the statement of wages and potential benefit entitlement also have the right to appeal after a redetermination is made. see the appeals page for more information. the fastest and preferred way to file an appeal is online. online: you can also mail or fax your appeal to: virginia employment commission first level appeals p.o. box 26441 richmond, va 23261 6441 fax: (804) 786 8492 in person filing is also an option by visiting a local virginia works office. see a list of local offices. all appeals must be in writing and include the name and claimant id number of the claimant and the reasons for the appeal. you can contact the clerk of first level appeals at (804) 786 3020 or (800) 552 4500, or by emailing firstlevelappeals@vec.virginia.gov. all appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date the deputy's decision was mailed. each deputy's decision contains the final date an appeal can be filed. the 30 day appeal period may be extended if good cause can be shown for extending it. good cause may exist when circumstances beyond the control of the appealing party prevented them from filing the appeal within 30 days. for appeals sent online, by fax, and in person, the filing date is the date the commission received the appeal. for appeals sent by mail, the filing date is the date the appeal is postmarked by the united states postal service. if you filed an appeal, you may ask to withdraw or cancel it at any time. the request must be in writing, signed by you, and sent to the clerk of first level appeals at firstlevelappeals@vec.virginia.gov, or mailed to: virginia employment commission first level appeals p.o. box 26441 richmond, va 23261 6441 you may also withdraw your appeal online through customer self service. the party who can appeal is the claimant, the claimant's last liable employer, and/or a subsequent employer(s) the claimant worked for before filing the claim. any person over the age of 18 can represent a party. a representative does not have to be an attorney. if a claimant retains an attorney, the commission must approve the attorney's fee. free legal services may be available by contacting the legal aid society at (866) 534 5243. you may also obtain an attorney by contacting the lawyer referral service of the virginia state bar at (800) 552 7977. any attorney or representative should contact the clerk of first level appeals and provide their name, address, and phone number. a party who wants to subpoena a witness or documents should send a request in writing. requests should include the claimant’s name, claimant id number, and the name and address of the witness. it is important to include the city or county in virginia where the witness can be served with the subpoena. for documents, the name and address, including the city or county in virginia, of the custodian of the documents should be provided. the custodian is the person who possesses the requested documents. the party requesting the subpoena must show that the testimony of the witness or the evidence in the documents: the vec may deny a subpoena request if these requirements are not met. a subpoena may be requested if a hearing has been scheduled. the request must be in writing and submitted to the: clerk of the commissionp.o. box 26441richmond, va 23261 6441 for further information, consult your notice of appeal and notice of hearing. an affidavit is a statement which is sworn under oath before a notary public. it is not merely a notarized statement. yes. however, affidavits may not have as much weight as live testimony given under oath. if a party or witness is unable to attend the hearing, an affidavit may be provided. the affidavit should include all the facts, preferably in chronological order. affidavits must be received in time to be considered at the hearing. no. evidence such as testimony and documents provided to the virginia employment commission can only be used in cases under the virginia unemployment compensation act. appeals hearings cannot be used for discovery or "fishing expeditions" for other legal proceedings. no. by law, the appeals examiner is the only person allowed to record the hearing. a party is allowed to hire a court reporter at their own expense to record the hearing. at an oral argument hearing, you can explain why, based on the information previously submitted, the appeals examiner's decision should be changed or remain the same. you will not be allowed to present new evidence. at a hearing for additional evidence, you will have the opportunity to tell the special examiner about the additional evidence you wish to present, why you did not present it at the appeals examiner's hearing and why it is necessary for your appeal. there may be limitations imposed by the special examiner who hears the case. if so, those limitations will typically be explained on the hearing notice or in a separate letter. hearings are not automatically scheduled at the commission level. a hearing before the commission must be requested in writing. that request must be made within 14 days from the date the notice of appeal was mailed. a request to postpone or reschedule the hearing will only be granted for good cause. if a party must request a postponement or rescheduling, contact the clerk of first level appeals immediately by telephone at (804) 786 3020. if the request for postponement or rescheduling is denied, a decision will be issued based on available evidence. the decision will explain your appeal rights. if you do not receive a response to your request for postponement, you should participate in the hearing. a postponement can only be granted by a special examiner and only after it has been shown that material and substantial harm may result from denying the request. a request for postponement must be made as soon as possible and should be made by telephone to the office of commission appeals at (804) 786 4140. the office of commission appeals may permit oral argument hearings to be conducted by telephone with the consent of all interested parties. generally, however, most hearings for testimony and evidence are conducted in person at the central office in richmond, virginia. yes. any party, representative, or witness who needs an interpreter or translator must contact or notify the clerk of first level appeals as soon as possible of the request for an interpreter. interpreters are provided for hearings; translators are provided for documents. yes. auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. for tty callers: virginia relay, call 711 or (800) 828 1120. virginia relay enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or speech disabled to communicate by text telephone (tty). any party, representative, or witness requesting reasonable accommodations must contact the clerk of first level appeals so that arrangements can be made for their participation prior to the scheduled hearing. for information on reasonable accommodations, please contact brenda henderson at brenda.henderson@vec.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 718 5209. please contact the chief of first level appeals, in care of the clerk of first level appeals, as soon as possible, at (804) 786 3020. if you think you experienced discrimination in a title 1 financially assisted program or activity under the workforce innovation and opportunity act (wioa), you may file a complaint within 180 days (about 6 months) from the date of the alleged violation. more information is available on the u.s. department of labor’s wioa page. if you disagree with the first level appeals decision, you can appeal to the commission level appeals. commission level appeals is the final agency appeal process prior to a claimant or employer choosing to appeal in circuit court. the appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date the decision was mailed. the decision shows the final date (deadline) for filing the appeal. yes. any claimant or employer who disagrees with the appeals examiner's decision has the right to appeal to commission appeals if the decision is against their interest. the appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date the decision was mailed. the decision shows the final date (deadline) for filing the appeal. after filing an appeal of the appeals examiner's decision, a notice of appeal will be mailed to all parties along with the appeal itself. the notice of appeal is a means to advise the parties that an appeal has been filed and to provide additional information. unless a hearing is requested in writing, the case will be assigned to a special examiner who will review all of the information previously submitted and make a decision. please thoroughly read the notice of appeal that you received. if you have questions about any of the information, please contact the office of commission appeals for clarification at (804) 786 4140. a transcript of the hearing is usually provided at no cost if there is a timely written request for a hearing. please allow up to 60 days for the appeals examiner's decision reversing a deputy's decision to be implemented after it is mailed. an appeals' reversal decision must be referred to the adjudications division for a monetary analysis to determine if payment is due. this thorough review ensures due process for all parties. if payment is due, it will be posted to your customer self service account. if a qualification for benefits is reversed on appeal, the claimant will be required to repay any benefits paid after the effective date of the disqualification. if a qualification for benefits is affirmed or if a disqualification is reversed, the last 30 day employer will usually incur charges to his experience rating account. a reimbursable employer will have to pay all, or a portion of benefits actually paid to the claimant. lifting up virginia, one unemployed worker at a time. the virginia employment commission is an equal opportunity employer/program. auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
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 let’s break down the secrets to success behind the new york times’ the morning, and what you can learn from it for your own newsletter. while your organization may not be an iconic newspaper, you can apply many of the same principles the new york times has used to build your own successful newsletter. that is, a newsletter that is engaging and informative, keeps your readers coming back, and ultimately promotes your brand to a captivated audience. eye catching newspaper headlines have been a long standing tradition in the world of journalism, a skill the new york times has leveraged in its email newsletter subject lines. the morning features succinct subject lines with compelling descriptions you can’t help but want to open. the morning email subject lines are typically no more than four words following the title of the newsletter. they offer enough for the reader to know what the featured story is about but hold back the details, so the reader has to click to find the resolution. don’t worry   even if you don’t have harrowing war stories or political unrest to share in your newsletter, you can still curate eye catching headlines. start with determining a distinct perspective or value to share with your readers. from there, isolate the most essential concepts or words and think about the goals of your customer. for example, if your value proposition is a 50% off sale on summer clothing, don’t just share a deadpan subject line that says, “we have a sale.” instead, offer your customer the tangible and aspirational value of the sale in your subject line.