New unemployment numbers released today

New unemployment numbers released today

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR━ WANTINGTHEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ABOUTTHE ISSUES WITH UNEMPLOYMENT.JUST YESTERDAY, THE SECRETARYOF LABOR FINALLY PROVIDED ANUPDATE..

SHE WAS CALLED TOTESTIFY AT AN O━LINE HEARING,BEFORE STATE LAWMAKERS.

WMA━2NEWS ERIN MACPHERSON JOINS USLIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR IN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE.ERIIT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE FORTHESE PEOPLE AND THE BIGGESTCOMPLAINT WE'VE HEARD IS THATTHEIR CALLS AREN'T BEINGANSWERED.

TURNS OUT THEPROBLEM THERE IS HOW MANYWORKING PHONE LINES THEY HAVE.SECRETARY OF LABOR TIFFANYROBINSON SAYS THEY HAVE ABOUT200 TO SERVE THOUSANDS OFPEOPLE CALLING IN━ THEY'REWORKING TO GET NEARLY TRIPLETHAT NUMBER.

SHE SAYS 66PERCENT OF ALL NEW CLAIMSSINCE MARCH NINTH HAVE BEENPAID━ BUT 27 PERCENT OF 13━THOUSAND ARE STILL PENDING.SECRETARY ROBINSON SAYS THISCOULD BE FOR A NUMBERREASONS.

We found that manythe regular UI claimaints mahave answered incorrectly..

Wealso have a lot of claimantswho are receiving payments andwhose employers put in areturn to work date SHE ALSOSAYS MANY CLAIMANTS MAY HAVEALREADY BEEN RECEIVIBENEFITS BUT WERE CUT OSUDDENLY WITH THE SWITCHTHE BEACON SYSTEM.

SECRETARYROBINSON STRESSED HER TEAM ISWORKING HARD AND DOING WHATTHEY CAN BUT THE BIGGESTSTRUGGLE IS THE SHEER VOLUMEOF PEOPLE.

DELEGATES HAVE BEENASKED TO SUBMIT A WEEKLYREPORT OF ISSUES THEIRCONSTITUENTS ARE RUNNING INTOSO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CANWORK ON COMING UP WITHSOLUTIONS.

LIVE IN DOWNTOWNBALTIMORE━ ERIN MACPHERSONWMAR 2 N