Frustrations continue with NYS unemployment claims

Frustrations continue with NYS unemployment claims

OPERATE AT NORMALSTAFFING LEVELS.EVEN WITH A SYSTEMREBOOT..THE HEADACHESASSOCIATED WITHFILING FORUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS IN NEWYORK STATE ARE NOTMUCH EASIER THAN ITWAS LAST WEEK..7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILLYTAKES A CLOSER LOOKAT WHY PEOPLE LIKEBUSINESS OWNER ANDDOG GROOMERMICHELLE ZAK ... WHOHAS BEEN TRYING TOCOLLECTUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS FORWEEKS...FEELS LIKESHE IS FALLINGTHROUGH THECRACKS.."I NOT ONLY HAVEBILLS AT MY HOMETHAT I HAVE TO PAY,BUT I HAVE BILLS ATTHE SHOP I HAVE TPTO PAY BECAUSE IOWN THE BUILDING"AS THE SMALLBUSINESS OWNER OF"SUPER PAWZ PETGROOMING" IN WESTSENECA .

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MICHELLEZAK WAS ALREADYFRUSTRATED WHENBUSINESSES LIKEHERS WERE DEEMED"NON-ESSENTIAL"EVEN THOUGHMICHELLE FELT HERSHOP COULD HAVECONTINUED IN A SAFEMANNER - SHESTOPPED OPERATIONSON MARCH 12TH TOCOMPLY."I SHOULD BE TAKENCARE OF.

I WASDOING JUST FINE ANDTHEY CLOSED MEDOWN"WITH NO REVENUEBEING GENERATED .

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.MICHELLE APPLIEDFOR UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS A FEW DAYSLATER."I HAD TO BE ONE OFTHOSE PEOPLE WHOSPENT TWO DAYSONTHE PHONEMAKING 600 PHONECALLS TO FINALLY GETTHROUGH TOSOMEONE"AFTER SUBMITTINGINFORMATIONINCLUDING 2 YEARSWORTH OF TAXRETURNS .

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.MICHELLE WAS TOLDON MARCH 20 THATEVERYTHING LOOKEDGOOD TO GO."HE GAVE ME THE FAXNUMBER AND SAIDSTART CLAIMING YOURBENEFITS ONMONDAY"BUT OVER 3 WEEKLATER .

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THEBENEFITS ARE STILLNOT COMING IN.THEN...MICHELLERECEIVED THISLETTER YESTERDAYSAYING SHE NEEDEDTO SUBMIT MUCH OFTHE SAMEINFORMATION SHEALREADY HAD.

ANDINSTEAD OF 2 YEARSWORTH OF TAXRETURNS .

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SHENOW NEEDED TOSUBMIT 3 THREEYEARS.

THE FORMLETTER CAME IN THEMAIL WITHOUT ANEASY WAY TOCONTACT ANYONE."THEY COULD HAVEEMAILED THIS TO ME.IF THEY EMAILED IT, IWOULD HAVE GOTTENIT IN A DAY INSTEAD OFGOING THROUGHSNAIL MAIL.AT WITS'S END .

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THESMALL BUSINESSOWNER IS NOWSCRAMBLING TO FINDOTHER WAYS TO PAYHER BILLS."THE FACT THAT MYHUSBAND IS OUT OFWORL AS WELL, IT ISVERY TOUGH ON US"AFTER BEINGOVERWHELMED WITHAPPLICATIONS FROMPEOPLE AFFECTED BYCOVID-19 .

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NEWYORK STATEREVAMPED ITS ONLINEUNEMPLOYMENTSYSTEM WITH HELPFROM GOOGLE.1,000 ARE NOWASSIGNED TOPROCESS CLAIMS."THE GUY I SPOKEWITH SAID HE WASJUST TRAINED FORTHIS.

DID HE DOEVERYTHINGPROPERLY?

I DON'TKNOW"SOT: "THE NYS DEPTOF LABOR TELLS US ITHAS TO LOOK INTOMICHELLE'S SITUATIONTO SEE WHAT ISGOING ON.

THEDEPARTMENT ALSOSENT US INFORMATIONFOR SELF-EMPLOYEDINDIVIDUALS WHONEEDUMEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE.

WE PUT ALINK TO THATON OURWEBSITE.

IN WESTSENECA, ED REILLY 7EW