LIVE SHOT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT LINE

happened in frankfort

Honoring some of our most notable kentuckians.

Stay with us.

Welcome in.

I'm tom kenny.

Hope you're doing well.

And i'm veronica jean seltzer.

We start with unemployment numbers.... something many have been watching closely since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of u.s workers filing for unemployment claims has gone down for the 11th straight week... when the coronavirus outbreak began... according to the labor department.

Here in kentucky... the numbers have also gone down... but still are still high.

Take a look.

Fs vo bullets:no unemployment claims line 2 filed last week: ..

..

- u.s.: 1.5 million ..

..

- ky: 37,4 ... the labor department says one-and-a-half million workers applied for unemployment benefits last week.

Here in kentucky.... more than 37- thousand workers filed.

Close to 21-million americans are currently on unemployment.

In kentucky.... more than 850-thousand workers have filed claims since march.

Many of those unemployed kentuckians are standing in line in frankfort... tyring to get their claims resolved.

Boxes:2x1 location one location two abc 36 studio frankfort abc 36's christy bollinger is live in frankfort with more.

L3 christy:live white the office just closed at six..

It saw hundreds of kentuckians today... all who needed help with their unemployment claims. people spent most of c1 3 the day waiting in line here...only to be inside for less than 15 minutes.

People walking out called the process easy...but getting to this point, was anything but.

L3: top story white david blaine filed in march l3: top story white john goodman wife filed in march l3: top story white katie english unemployment recipient more than 800,000 kentuckians have filed for unemployment since the pandemic hit in march.

Those numbers are these peoples lives.

Take sot "it's just a bummer.

We're unable to pay our bills.

We're unable to support our family.

I have two little girls with birthdays coming up and it's hard to tell them i might not be able to get them presents."

Take sot :07 "i mean there are people who are losing their cars.

I've talked to people that haven't made electric payments, house payments, some people are getting ready to lose everything.

" take sot :06 "it' pretty rough when you're waiting on some money and you file and it doesn't go through."

Take vo i'm told people who drove hours to be here wednesday and were turned away before getting help, camped out in line overnight to be among the first to be seen when the office opened at nine.

Porta potties and water tables were set out for those waiting.

Take sot "i brought a chair, i brought some water, i brought a video game if i got bored, but everyone in line has been great.

Super friendly and super cordial and kind and ya know, trying to be respectful.

It's a tense situation and people are just trying to get their money."

Take vo there was a line for claims filed in march...and a separate, longer line for people who filed in april, may and june.

John goodman and his wife were in the march line...and still waited more than six hours.

Goodman says he doesn't understand why this is the state's only unemployment office opened to the public..

Take sot "if everybody is back to work, y, now the doctor, the hairstylisment office back in their officerom o the fon the faces of many...who are out of patience with the stats.

I've talked to people the payments, some people are getot :06 "it's pretty rough when yvo i'mo drove hours to be here wednesday and were turned away before getting help, camped out in line overnight to be among the first to be seen when the office opened at nine.

Porta potties and water tables were set out for those waiting.

Take sot "i brought a chair, i brought some water, i brought a video game if i got bored, but everyone in line has been great.

Super friendly and super cordial and kind and ya know, trying to be respectful.

It's a tense situation and people are just trying to get their money."

Take vo there was a line for claims filed in march...and a separate, longer line for people who filed in april, may and june.

John goodman and his wife were in the march line...and still waited more than six hours.

Goodman says he doesn't understand why this is the state's only unemployment office opened to the public..

Take sot "if everybody is back to work, you can go to your dentist, now the doctor, the hairstylist, why aren't the people in the unemployment office back in their offices working?

Why are they still working from home?"

Take vo the frustration and fatigue visible on the faces of many...who are out of work...out of money and out of patience with the state.

Take sot :05 "it's been kind of hectic.

I haven't been able to pay my power bill, or my water bill, any kind of bill really."

Take vo but, in a line where you don't see many smiles...applause for those walking out the doors... jobless claims resolved.

Take sot "yay y'all, it worked!"

L3 christy:live white for some it was a day of celebrating, but for others it's going to be another day or maybe longer before they get help with their unemployment claims. the office reopens tomorrow at nine.

Live in frankfort christy bollinger