Unemployment benefits expanded, but jobless workers unable to apply

While jobless workers rush to file for unemployment insurance, there's a group of individuals left in limbo.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS OUT OFWORKGETTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.WMA━2 NEWS MALLORY SOFASTAIITELLS US THAT EVEN THOUGHTHEY'RE COVERED UNDER THE"FEDERAL CARES ACT" &IMPLEMENTATION IS TAKINGTIME..

BECAUSE IF IT MATTERTO YOU..

ITMALLORY.WHEN THE GOVERNOR ORDERED THECLOSURES OF HAIR AND NAILSALONSIMMEDIATELY LOST THEIRINCOMES.

THERE IS HELPITTHATANXIETY.

A YEAR AGOMATTER RAINS AND HER SONPOURED THEIR SAVINGS INTOOPENING A BUSINESSBEAUTY BOUTIQUE.

AS THEY NEARTHE ANNIVERSARYTHEIR PROGRESS INSTANTLY WIPEDOUT Darlene Matte━Rains 8:25we were just starting to kiof get out of the red zone inone year BUT A FEW WEEKS ATHEY HAD TO SHUT DOWNFOLLOWING THE GOVERNOREXECUTIVE ORDER CLOSING NO━ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.

BrandonMatter, Darlene's son: 2:shethree weeks with zero incomecoming in:05 DARLENESTYLISTS ARE INDEPENDENCONTRACTORS AND NORMALLYWOULDNUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE..

BUTUNDER THE FEDERAL CARES ACT &COVERAGE WAS EXTENDED.

THEPROBLEMBEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THECHANGES Tiffany Robinson,Maryland Secretary of Labo4:00 we are still waiting onguidance from USDOL WHICH THEYRECEIVED ON SUNDAYWEBSITE STILL ISNFOR APPLICATIONS DM: 7:19 Ipenniless due this because iI donmoney same as my employees.

IfwedonUNEMPLOYMENT INSURANC&INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHOMEET THE INCOME REQUIREMENTSWILL QUALIFY FOR ECONOMICRELIEF PAYMENTS FROM THE IRS &UP TO 1200 FOR INDIVIDUALS,AND 2400 FOR COUPLES.

BUT KNOWTHAT IF YOU APPLY FORUNEMPLOYMENTYOURSELF FROM SMALL BUSINESSRELIEF PROGRAMS. BM: 5:34ultimately what Ifork in the road, I feel litheywhat one might say life or abusiness:12 A SPOKESWOMAN WITHE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OFLABOR SAID ITCAN FUND PAYROLL THROUGH THESBA PROGRAMS. THERE ARE TWOMAIN LOAN PROGRAMSINJURY DISASTER LOANS AND THEPAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGAM.ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOANOR EIDL INCLUDES AN EMERGENCYGRANT OF UP TO 1━ THOUSANDSDOLLARS TO BE ISSUED WITHIN 3DAYS OF YOUR APPLICATION DONEDIRECTLY THROUGH THE SMALLBUSINESS ADMINISTRATIONWEBSITE THE PAYCHECKPROTECTION PROGRAM REQUIRESYOU GO THROUGH A LENDER SUCHAS A BANK, CREDIT UNION, ORSOME ONLINE LENDERS AND ISAIMED AT KEEPING WORKERS ONTHE PAYROLL BOTH PROGRAMSOFFER LOAN FORGIVENESS BUTREQUIRE THE FUNDS TO BE USEDON BUSINESS EXPENSES.

DARLENEAND BRANDON ARE TRYING TO STAYPOSITIVE..

BUT ITFRUSTRATING NOT GETTINGANSWERS ON WHEN THEY CAN STARTPAYING THEIR BILLS ..

AND HOWTO SAVE THEIR BUSINESS.

BM:11:36 I mean we are hopeful,kind of answers are made,werelief, given hope to ourcustomers and our clients andour employees that we willhave a place to do businessonce this passes:17 IF YOUSTILL HAVEFILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCEBACKDATED TO THE DAY YOUBECAME ELIGIBLE.

AND THE CALLCENTER HAS EXTENDED THEIRHOURS FROM 7 AM TO 6 PM.REPORTING IN BALTIMORE,MALLORY SOFASTAII, WMA━2NEWS.WE JUST HEARD BACK FROM THMARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR &THEY CLARIFIED THAT YOU CANRECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT AND USEPROCEEDS FROM THE PAYCHECKPROTECTION LOAN AS LONG YOUUSING THE FUNDS FOR OPERATINGCOSTS AND NOT ON YOUR OWNSALARY.

WEHEAR BACK ABOUT BENEFITS ANDTHE EIDL ADVANCE GRANT.MALLORY SAYS they had TEAMS INMEETINGS ALL DAY YESTERDAYDISCUSSING HOW THEY PLAN TOIMPLEMENT THE NEW UNEMPLOYMENINSURANCE PROGRAMS. THEY HAVENOT RELEASED A TIMELINE, BUTWE'LL BRING YOU THATINFORMATION AS SOON AS WE HAVEIT.

AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOF QUESTIONS ABOUT THESEASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AS WELL ASUNEMPLOYMENT.

HERE ARE ANSWERSTO SEVERAL MALLORY HASRECEIVED━ IF YOU'RE ALREADYRECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT FORREASONS OTHER THANCORONAVIRUS, WILL YOU GET ANADDITIONAL ━ HUNDRED A WEEK?ACCORDING TO THE MARYLANDDEPARTMENT OF LABOR━ YOU AREELIGIBLE..

AND YOUR BENEFITSHAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY 13WEEKS.

THE LABOR SECRETARYSAID THE STATE IS NOT AT RISKOF RUNNING OUT OF MONEY━ THESTATE'S TRUST FUND IS HEALTHYAND THEY'VE BEEN OFFERED AZERO PERCENT INTEREST LOFROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IFTHEY NEED TO REPLENISH.

IF YOUHAVE A MATTER FOR MALLORY━SHE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU.EMAIL HER AT MALLORY AT WMARDOT COM..

OR FIND HER ONFACEBOOK AND TWIT