Millions of Americans frustrated by delayed unemployment checks – By Sylvan Lane (The Hill) / June 3 2020
Millions of Americans are still waiting for their first unemployment checks after months of waiting for state systems to clear unprecedented backlogs.
More than 40 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits since late March as the coronavirus pandemic forced thousands of businesses to close and lay off workers.
The surge in jobless claims has overwhelmed state processing systems that experts say depend on outdated technology and have long been underfunded, leaving as much as a third of applicants without their owed benefits.
State governments are facing increasing pressure to send out checks while facing their own financial crises as Congress struggles to find common ground on providing financial assistance for unemployed workers at a time of falling state revenues. Congress approved federal funds to provide an additional $600 a week.
The shortfalls in state budgets have left thousands of vulnerable Americans who qualify for unemployment benefits facing immediate pressure and financial issues that could persist long after the pandemic.
“There are states that have actively been trying to improve their systems but for some reasons workers are having more trouble accessing benefits than they had historically,” said Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, a non-profit that advocates for stronger labor protections.
Continue to article: https://thehill.com/policy/finance/500806-millions-of-americans-frustrated-by-delayed-unemployment-checks
