7 Eyewitness News helps Hamburg medical massage therapist to get back unemployment benefits

7 Eyewitness News helps Hamburg medical massage therapist to get back unemployment benefits

THE REOPENING CANNOT COME SOONENOUGH FOR THEMILLIONS OFAMERICANS NOWWITHOUT A JOBBECAUSE OF THISPANDEMIC.ANOTHER THREEMILLION PEOPLE FILEDFIRST TIMEUNEMPLOYMENTCLAIMS LAST WEEK.THAT BRINGS THETOTAL NUMBER OFNEW JOBLESS CLAIMSTO 36 AND A HALFMILLION PEOPLESINCE MID MARCH.BUT THERE IS HOPENOW FOR THOSE WHOHAVE FILED BUT ARESTILL WAITING FORTHEIR FIRST CHECK.ONE WOMANRECENTLY REACHEDOUT TO 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS... AND THEREBOUND BUFFALO..TO MAKE SURE THESTATE IS DOINGWHAT'S RIGHT.AND TONIGHT - AS 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILLYSHOWS US -- SHE'SFINALLY GETTING HERMONEY.I FEEL HAPPY ANDJOYFUL AND I HAVEN'TFELT THIS WAY IN SOLONGLISA PLASTER IS ALICENSED MEDICALMASSAGE THERAPISTWHO RUNS A SMALLBUSINESS INHAMBURG CALLED"ADVANCED MASSAGETHERAPY."WE TOLD YOU HERSTORY YESTERDAY -BECAUSE AFTERBEING SHUT DOWNFOR NEARLY 9 WEEKSUNDER THE 'NY ONPAUSE EXECUTIVEORDER' .

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PLASTERWAS STILL UNABLE TOGET HERUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.YOU TRY NOT TO LET ITSTRESS YOU OUT BUTIT DOESWITH BILLS TO PAYAND AN OFFICE TOMAINTAIN .

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THETHERAPIST WASGETTING DESPERATE.THERE WAS ONE DAYWHERE I CALLED 48TIMES AND IT EITHERHANGS UP ON YOU,DISCONNECTS, ORTELLS YOU IT IS BUSYBUT AFTER 7EYEWITNESS NEWSCONTACTED THE NYSDEPARTMENT OFLABOR ON HERBEHALF .

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THINGSCHANGED.THIS AFTERNOON, IGOT A CALL FROM THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR THAT MYUNEMPLOYMENT WASAPPROVED AND I WILLBE GETTING ALL OF MYBACK BENEFITSDEPOSITED NEXTWEEKUNFORTUNATELY THENEWS WAS NOT ASHOPEFUL REGARDINGHER PATIENTS - MANYTHEM HAVEPRESCRIPTIONS TOUSE MEDICALMASSAGE TO HANDLECHRONIC PAIN.PLASTER IS TRYING TOGET A WAIVER TOOPEN SAFELY TO HELPTHEM.EMPIRE STATEDEVELOPMENTRESPONDED TO OURQUESTIONS SAYINGMASSAGE THERAPY ISSTILL CONSIDEREDNON-ESSENTIAL.AND IT RECOMMENDSBUSINESSES CHECKITS WEBSITE ATFORWARD-DOT-NY-DOT-GOV TODETERMINE WHENPARTICULARBUSINESSES IN THEWNY REGION WILL BEABLE TO OPEN.I AM GETTING PHONECALLS FROM LOCALMASSAGE THERAPISTSAND MASSAGETHERAPISTS IN NYSSAYING THEY HEARDABOUT ME BEING ONTHE NEWS AND SEEINGME ON FACEBOOK.HOPEFULLY, YOU ARETHE VOICE FOR ALL OFUS.

THANKS FORDOING THIS.MANY VIEWERS HAVEASKED US ABOUTTHEIR RETROACTIVEUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.

WELL,TODAY THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR SENT US ANOTER REMINDINGPEOPLE THEY NEED TODO THE REQUIREDCERTIFICATION.

ANDTHAT CAN BE DONETHROUGH A NEWSTREAMLINEDPROCESS ON THEDEPARTMENT'SWEBSITE.

AND ONEMORE THING, WHENTHAT BACK MONEY ISFINALLY RELEASED ITWILL PROBABLY NOTSHOW UP AS ONE BIGPAYMENTS .

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BUT ASMULTIPLE PAYMENTSTHROUGHOUT THECOURSE OF THE DAY.ED REILLY 7 EWN