I consider myself fortunate. My family and I are healthy, we have food stocked up, and I can work from home during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. My employer is a small but stable company, yet they decided to close for two weeks to navigate the economic downturn. In a Zoom meeting, they assured us that we would be able to file for unemployment during this period.
In New York, the standard weekly unemployment benefit caps at $504. However, thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed in March 2020, an additional $600 per week is available in enhanced unemployment benefits. Adding those together means I would maintain my usual income level, although I braced myself for a delay in receiving those funds.
Typically, it takes about 3-6 weeks to receive your first unemployment check. For me, that timeframe is manageable, but for many others needing immediate assistance for groceries or bills, it’s a different scenario. I can’t help but think of the countless individuals in America who are less fortunate—those whose businesses are closed, those struggling to put food on the table, and those caring for the sick or battling the virus themselves. They require these enhanced benefits urgently.
I navigated to the Department of Labor’s website and found the online application for new claims. Thank goodness for that, I thought, knowing how chaotic phone lines would be with 6.6 million people scrambling to file. The site indicated I could submit my claim starting at 7:30 AM, so at that precise moment, I filled out the form and hit Submit. Simple, right?
Not quite. After processing my submission, I was routed to a confirmation page stating, “To finalize your claim, you must call the Telephone Claims Center (TCC) and speak with a claims specialist.”
So began my marathon of phone calls. Busy signals. More busy signals. Then a recorded message: “Thank you for calling the New York State Department of Labor. We are currently experiencing higher than usual call volume… Please try calling back later.” Click.
I would have happily waited on hold—listening to the music while making breakfast, cleaning up, or watching an educational video with my child. But no, each attempt ended with “Please try calling back later” followed by a disconnect.
Over nine grueling hours, I redialed more than 200 times, only to end the day without completing my claim. I resigned myself to trying again the next day.
I understand that the influx of calls isn’t anyone’s fault. This is a crisis of monumental proportions. We’re witnessing the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression, and the Department of Labor is inundated with calls.
As reported by Governor Cuomo on April 9th, 810,000 unemployment claims were filed in New York within the preceding month, yet data suggest that twice as many people attempted calls during the last week of March. Similar chaos is occurring nationwide, with unemployment websites crashing and phone lines overwhelmed.
As I’ve mentioned, I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I expect to return to work on April 20th, so I won’t be relying on unemployment benefits in the summer, when the enhanced funds are set to expire.
However, many applicants for unemployment aren’t as fortunate. Numerous individuals will require those enhanced benefits beyond July 31st, and many can’t afford to spend their days dialing the Department of Labor 200 times. They are juggling household responsibilities, homeschooling kids during school closures, and hunting for new jobs.
The intent behind the CARES Act is to provide financial aid to those in need promptly. Congress acted quickly to pass this relief bill, aiming to deliver help without delay. Yet, the effectiveness of this package hinges on the capabilities of federal, state, and local agencies disbursing the funds. If state systems aren’t equipped to handle this volume of claims, the enhanced benefits fall short of their purpose.
Just as Congress acted swiftly to pass the CARES Act, the Department of Labor must also respond promptly to rectify this situation. Workers who have been laid off, furloughed, or otherwise displaced by this crisis are struggling to meet their financial obligations. They cannot afford to spend endless hours on the phone wondering when—or if—they will receive their checks.
State agencies, especially unemployment offices, must coordinate with federal authorities to ensure that every unemployed worker can keep their heads above water. If they fail, the economy—and the real families within it—faces even deeper challenges.
In case you’re interested in further insights, check out this post on how to navigate financial challenges during crises, or visit resources like Make a Mom for expert guidance on insemination. For additional information on health and medical research, Science Daily is an excellent resource.
Summary
My experience highlights the struggles many face in accessing unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 crisis. While I consider myself fortunate, countless others are left without immediate support. The system must adapt swiftly to meet the needs of those impacted by this unprecedented economic downturn.
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