Laid off workers describe days-long struggle getting through to NY Labor Department

Laid off workers describe days-long struggle getting through to NY Labor Department

CERTAINLY HELPTHOUSANDSWESTERN NEWYORKERS NOW OUTOF A JOB.

BUT THATMONEY WILL GO FAST.UNEMPLOYMENT ISSUPPOSED TO HELP --BUT ASK ANYONE WHAS TRIED FILING FORIT RECENTLY ANDTHEY'LL PROBABLYSAY IT WAS ANIGHTMARE.ASHLEY'S IN THENEWSROOM -- AS WEFOLLOW SOCIALDISTANCINGPROTOCOL -- WITHMORE ON THIS.ASHLEY.KEITH -- WE'REHEARING STORIES OFVIEWERS TRYING FORHOURS AND DAYS ONEND TO FILEUNEMPLOYMENT.

THELABOR DEPARTMENTIS SIMPLY BEINGINUNDATED.

BUT ONERECENTLY LAID OFFWORKER -- ISREMINDING US ALLTHAT PATIENCE PAYSOFF.THIS IS WHATRAYMOND KREUZERHAS BEEN HEARINGOVER AND OVERSINCE HE GOT LAIDOFF FROM HISBARTENDING JOB ATAPPLEBEESRESTAURANT.RAY: "IT'S TRYING GETTHROUGH TO A RADIOSTATION, IT FEELSLIKE."KREUZER IS TRYINGTO REACH THE NEWYORK STATEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR TO FILE ANUNEMPLOYMENTCLAIM.

DOZENS.SOMETIMESHUNDREDS OFCALLS A DAY TO THEDEDICATED 888NUMBER.RAY: "A LOT OF THETIME THE AUTOMATEDSYSTEM BREAKSDOWN"WHEN IT DOES WORK,HE HEARS THIS:VIDEO SOTTHE UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE PHONELINE HAS BEENCLOGGED WITH CALLSSINCE THE STATEMANDATEDWORKFORCEREDUCTIONS TOCOMBAT COVID-19.FOR PERSPECTIVE,THE LABORDEPARTMENT IS USEDTO GETTING ABOUT10-THOUSAND CALLS ADAY.

ON MARCH 20THTHREE DAYS AFTERGOVERNOR CUOMO'SINITIAL WORKFORCEMANDATE IT SAYS ITRECEIVED 475-THOUSAND CALLS.

INALL, LAST WEEK THELABOR DEPARTMENTRECEIVED 1.7 MILLIONCALLS.RAY: "YES,ABSOLUTELY I CAN BEUNDERSTANDING TO APOINT BUT WHEN I'VEMADE 400 CALLS ADAY, IT GETS OVERTHE TOP.EXCRUCIATINGLYPAINFUL, IF YOU WILL."THAT PAIN,ESPECIALLY BEINGFELT AT THE BANK.WHERE KREUZERJUST DEPOSITED HISLAST PAYCHECK."RAY: $43.56 TO BEEXACT.ASH: YOU NEED THISPHONE CALL, YOUNEED TO GETTHROUGH TO AREPRESENTATIVERAY: YES, ME AND I'MSURE HUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OFOTHER PEOPLE."INCLUDING ASHLEYPALADINO.

WHO, LIKEKREUTZER, SPENTLAST WEEK TRYING TOFILE UNEMPLOYMENTBY PHONE ANDONLINE.ASHLEY: "I'M REALLYSCARED.

LIVING AS ASERVER EVERYDOLLAR YOU PUTTOWARDS YOUR BILLSAND FOOD, AND NOW IHAVE NO MONEYCOMING."JUST AS KREUZERWAS ABOUT TO LOSEHOPESOUNDBITEEXACTLY A WEEKAFTER HE WAS LAIDOFF HE GOTTHROUGH AND THELABOR DEPARTMENTHAS COMMITTED TOGETTING HIM HIS FULLBENEFIT IMMEDIATELYTHE LABODEPARTMENT SAYS ITIS BEEFING UP ITSCALL CENTERS AND ISGUARANTEEING,EVERYONE WILLRECEIVE THEIR FULLBENEFIT BACK TO THEDATE OFUNEMPLOYMENT.

ANDKEITH -- I MISS YOU INSTUDIO -- BUT WE'REALL TRYING TO DOOUR PART TO FLATTENTHE CURVE.

BACK TOYOU.