When Gwen applied for unemployment during the early days of the pandemic, she never thought she’d still be waiting for her benefits years later. Despite hours on the phone, countless emails and even a court appearance, Gwen is haunted by her inability to get the money she was approved for. On this episode of How To!, co-host Amanda Ripley brings in Marina Nitze, author of Hack Your Bureaucracy. Not only does Marina help Gwen find shortcuts in her state’s unemployment system, but she has useful advice for untangling any bureaucratic nightmare.

If you liked this episode, check out: How To Fight Outrageous Medical Bills.

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Podcast production by Derek John, Rosemary Belson, Kevin Bendis, and Jabari Butler.

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How To!: Hack Any Bureaucracy