Unemployment 1.8.21

Danielle Saitta introduces us to a woman who has yet to receive unemployment payments since August

Now..

2,856.

New federal benefits could be coming to people out of work because of the pandemic.

Governor beshear's office updated those claiming unemployment this afternoon...with news of extensions and upcoming stimulus payments.

While that sounds like great news to many struggling.....one woman in the bluegrass is skeptical...saying she won't receive a dime.

Abc 36's danielle saitta explains why.

Deb: it's a shame that we pay unemployment tax and then we can't get it when we need it deborah reifinger murrar says she's been unemployed since august.

But...like many we've heard from...she says trying to get unemployment...has been a part time job.

On august 9th--she immediately applied for unemployment and got a letter saying she'd receive money that week little did debra know at the time that the waiting games were just beginning after 13 weeks of claiming...she reached out to the governor's office...where she finally spoke to a supervisor deb: i was given an email address..i made sure i copied it down right i sent an email it got sent back to me saying the governor's office isn't accepting any emails hundreds of other claimants like her have been counting on a check for months now.

But according to the governor's office...there have been a couple blocks in the road.

A large amount of claimants and an antiquated system.

According to beshear's office...1.5 million claims filed in kentucky.

Of those... only 90,000 have had unresolved issues...most believed to be fraud cases.

The state says it's paid benefits to more than 90% of claimants...but about 30,000 people like debra are still waiting.

Deb: people are getting lost in the system..that's a disservice to our citizens this week, beshear spoke to kentuckians...and explained in great detail what his proposed "better kentucky budget" looked like.

With 48 million dollars in cares act funding for individuals like debra who have been running on empty.

But she tells me..she's not very hopeful she will see it.

I'm gunna lose my home i'm going to lose everything i have..how is that fair --it's just like a slap in the face to us in lexington danielle saitta