Viewers ask: "Why are my unemployment benefits not being paid?

Viewers ask: "Why are my unemployment benefits not being paid?

MADISON.NOW TO THEUNEMPLOYMENTNIGHTMARE FORTHOUSANDS OFPEOPLE HERE INWESTERN NEWYORK.... STILL....MANY ARE STILLWONDERING WHERETHEIR MONEY IS?SINCE THE BEGINNINGOF THIS OUTBREAK --WE HAVE BEENLISTENING TO YOURCOMPLAINTS... ANDWORKING TO GETANSWERS.TONIGHT -- 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILLYIS MAKING SURE THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR IS DOINGWHAT'S RIGHT... FOR ANUMBER OFFRUSTRATEDFAMILIES.IT IS A MESS ALL THEWAY AROUND AND NOWTHAT I AM IN THESITUATION, OF COURSEIT IS 'OMG!'WHEN SCHOOLSCLOSED THIS PASTMARCH .

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.JACQUELINE NICHOLSWAS UNABLE TO DOHER JOB AS A BUSDRIVER.SHE APPLIED .

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WASAPPROVED .

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ANDSTARTING GETTINGHER UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS .

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UNTIL AMONTH AGO WHENTHE MONEYSUDDENLY STOPPED.THE RECORDING TOLDME THAT MY BENEFITYEAR HAS ENDED AND INEED TO FILE A NEWCLAIM, WHICH I IN TURNDIDWITH BILLS PILING UPAND UNABLE TOCONTACT THE STATELABOR DEPARTMENT ..

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THE 54-YEAR-OLDBUFFALO WOMANASKED 7 EYEWITNESSNEW FOR HELP.TO ME, THIS SHOULDHAVE BEEN AN EASYSWITCHALFREDA HEATH WASWORKING AT ABUFFALO DELI BEFORETHE PUBLIC HEALTHCRISISUNBELIEVABLE, SAD.STRESSFUL.

WITHTEARSSHE DID GET A LETTSAYING HER BENEFITSWERE APPROVED -BUT 9-WEEKS AFTERSHE LAST WORKED -THE MONEY HAS STILLNOT COME IN.I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MYCAR IF I DON'T PAY FORIT.

I HAVE BILLS, HOME,FOODAND THEN THERE ISRICHARD CARPENTERFROM LONG ISLAND.I TRY OT CALL ANDNOBODY ANSWERS.ACTUALLY, THEANSWER BUT THEYJUST HANG UPHE LOST HIS JOB INFEBRUARY AND HAD APENDINGUNEMPLOYMENTCLAIM BEFORE THEPANDEMIC .

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BUTHAS HEARD NOTHINGSINCE.DO YOU THINK IT GOTLOST BECAUSE OF THEVOLUME OF PEOPLEWHO APPLIED?

IT HASTO BE, HAS TO BE.THERE IS NO OTHERPOSSIBLEEXPLANATIONWITH A WIFE DEALINGWITH BREAST CANCERAND DESPERATE FORANSWERS .

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HE TOOCONTACTED 7EYEWITNESS NEWSAFTER SEEING THEONLINE STORIES WEPOSTED ABOUTPEOPLE TRYING TOGET UNEMPLOYMENTANSWERS.10 WEEKS.

COME ONGUYS, LET'S GET YOGUYS, LET'S GET YOURACT TOGETHERTHE STATE LABORDEPARTMENT TOLD USIT WOULD LOOK INTOTHESE SITUATIONS.BUT OVER THEWEEKEND .

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.THEDEPARTMENTANALYZED ITSBACKLOG OF CLAIMSAND FOUNDTHOUSANDS CANNOTBE PROCESSEDBECAUSE THEY HAVEMISSING ORINCORRECTINFORMATION .

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AREDUPLICATES IN THESYSTEM .

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ORWHERE ABANDONEDBY THE CLAIMANT.THE LABORDEPARTMENT TOLD USIT IS CONTINUING TOTRY AND CONTACTPEOPLE WTHOUTSTANDING CLAIMS. .

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TO EITHERCOMPLETE THEIRAPPLICATIONS ORCLOSE OUT THE CLAIM.ED REILLY 7 EWN