Governor Sisolak responds to PUA struggles

As lawmakers work Carson City to shave $1.2 billion dollars from the state budget, there's another painful offshoot from the shutdown.

Thousands of people laid-off and not being paid unemployment checks.

Jeremy Chen reports.

AS STATE WORKERS TRY TOPROCESS.... THEIR CLAIMS..13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER....JEREMY CHEN IS LIVE...AND JEREMY..WHAT IS GOVERNOR....STEVE SISOLAK TELLING THESEFAMILIES....TONIGHT?IN SHORT...GOVERNOR SISOLAK SAYS DETR, OURSTATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT AGENCY ISDOING ITS BEST BUT STILLFOLLOWING GUIDELINES.BUT A MOTHER I SPOKE WITH SAYSSHE HAS DOUBTS."EVERY NIGHT I GO TO BEDCRYING, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOWWHAT ELSE TO DO." IT'S AFEELING OF DESPERATION FORCINDY JONES- STILL WAITING TOGET HER CHECKS FOR PUA.SHE WAS APPROVED TO RECEIVEPAYMENTS- BUT STILL HASN'T SEENMONEY COME INTO HER BANKACCOUNTFOR WEEKS.JONES TRIED CALLING DETRMULTIPLE TIMES A DAY TORESOLVE ISSUES."NOBODY CAN HELP YOU.THEY SEND YOU BACK AND FORTHAND BACK AND FORTH." SHE SAYSOTHER MEMBERS OF HER FAMILYARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES- NOTWE'VE LOST OUR CAR.WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF LOSINGOUR HOME." "I'M SORRY.I WISH WE COULD GET TO THEMQUICKER.GOVERNOR STEVE SISOLAK SAYS HEUNDERSTANDS THE FRUSTRATIONS OFSOME APPLICANTS- BUT SAYS MOSTAPPLICANTS ARE BEING PAID ANDDETR IS DOING ITS BEST."NO PROGRAM WAS SET UP ANDPOSSIBLY AND REMOTELYANTICIPATED THIS KIND OF ALAWSUIT OVER THE LACK OFPAYMENTS.THE JUDGE HASN'T RULED BUT SAIDHE EXPECTS BETTER.GOVERNOR SISOLAK SAYS THEPROCESS HAS TAKEN SOME TIME ASDETR INVESTIGATES ABOUT 10THOUSAND CASES OF FRAUD.HE SAYS THE FILING ATTORNEY'SSUGGESTION TO JUST SIMPLY PAYALL ACCEPTED APPLICANTS AT ONCEAND THEN TRY TO GET MONEY BACKFROM POSSIBLY FRAUDLENT CLAIMS,COULD VIOLATE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR REGULATIONS.SISOLAK "IF WE DON'T FOLLOWTHOSE RULES, WE JEOPARDIZEEVERYBODY'S PAYMENTS AND THAT'SNOT SOMETHING I'M WILLING TODO.WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ON THIS.YES, I WOULD LIKE TO GET TOPEOPLE FASTER, BUT WE'RE DOINGIT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, AND WECONTINUE TO BRING MORE PEOPLEON BOARD." JONES SAYS SHE WANTSTO SEE MORE ACTION FROM THEGOVERNOR."HE NEEDS TO BE MORE INVOLVED.INSTEAD OF MAKING US FEEL HEDOESN'T CARE.THAT'S HOW MY WHOLE FAMILYFEELS BECAUSE HE'S GETTING APAYCHECK."JONES SAYS SHE'LL BE PART OFTHE LAWSUIT HERSELF- IF SHEDOESN'T SEE PAYMENT SOON.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWS.DEVELOPING TONIGHT..