MERIDIAN, Idaho — As the month of April comes to an end, Idahoans across the state are still wondering about their unemployment benefits.
“I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place,” says Dan in Meridian.
Dan is not alone, across the state of Idaho, people filing for unemployment say they are still waiting.
However, the Department of Labor has paid millions out to Idahoans in need.
“We’ve paid over $45 million in benefits since the pandemic. We’ve also payed over $63 million in federal benefits that were offered through the CARES act, since the pandemic, “said Leah Reeder with the Idaho Department of Labor.
By the end of April, laid-off Idaho workers have filed at least 117,811 claims for unemployment benefits.
Dan in Meridian, one of those people. He says he has been waiting patiently for weeks.
“I haven’t worked since March, the middle of March,” Dan said.
During that time, Dan’s bills haven’t disappeared. He is more than happy to go back to work as a truck driver so he can earn a living. His health though, won’t let him.
“The problem I have is that I’m 60 and have asthma Doctors advised me not to,” Dan said.
Reeder says they understand the frustration, they too want to pay people who are eligible as fast as they can.
Idaho COVID-19 latest: Latest news | Map of confirmed Idaho cases | Stay-at-home order details | COVID-19 resources | Testing sites | Employers hiring | Essential business list | Closings | School closings | Help nonprofits| Golf info | Full COVID-19 coverage
The simple truth is they have a lot of claims to get through.
“In a matter of weeks we went from record low unemployment insurance claims to record high unemployment insurance. So, it taken us a bit of time, because it is unemployment it is a difficult program, it’s taken us time to get folks on board to retrain people who maybe worked in unemployment before. We have all hands on-deck,” Reeder said.
Still though people like Dan are waiting for a call.
“They are telling us to be patient, but I feel like I’ve been forgotten,” Dan said. “I haven’t been contacted by them in three weeks.”
It is Important to remember that unemployment rules were not thrown out because of a pandemic, there is still a process that takes some time.
“We have to speak to claimants and employers to determine if they are truly eligible for benefits,” Reeder said.
Connecting with all of those parties takes time, and conversations are not usually quick ones.
If you are a person who is waiting for a call back, don’t give up. The Department of Labor says you should keep filing your weekly reports. They understand, people are going through a very tough time.
“They are in a really tough situation, and sometimes we have our reasons behind it, but it doesn’t make it any easier for folks that are waiting to be paid,” Reeder said.
The Department of Labor wants to remind you, there are great community resources for those in need.
Click here to learn more about some short-term resources including food, housing and other emergency needs.
Times are tough, but some employers are hiring.
If you are out of work and looking for a new job, click here for links for job seekers/claimants and employers.
At KTVB, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the virus. To see our full coverage and the latest COVID-19 case numbers, visit our coronavirus section here: www.ktvb.com/coronavirus
Facts not fear: More on coronavirus
See our latest updates in our YouTube playlist:
Coronavirus resources:
Closures: