Artist waiting more than 10 months for unemployment

With limited access to internet, a Muskegon artist is struggling to get answers from the UIA.

A MUSKGEON COUNTY ARTIST... HASWAITED MORE THAN 10 MONTHSFOR HER UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENTS.SHE SHUT DOWN HER BUSINESS...AFTER THE STATEFORCED HER TO CLOSE LAST SPRING.THEN, WITH NO CELL PHONE ORINTERNET... SHE STRUGGLED TOFILEFOR BENEFITS.

AND WHILE A FAMILYMEMBER STEPPED INTO HELP...THEY'RE STILL GETTINGCONFLICTING ANSWERS FROM THEU-I-A.PAULA JOHNSON'S GARAGE IS NEVERTHIS FULL.

ALL OF HER ARTSUPPLIES ENDED U HPERE AT HERPROPERTY IN RRAUL MUSKEGONCOUNTY.

:36 "It's just beena nightmare.

It's been a realnightmare it really has."FROM PAINT BRUSHES A NDCANVASESTO CLAY PIECESA ND APOTTER'S WHEEL.

JOHNSON HAD NOIDEA HER BARN WOULD SOONBECOME A STORAGE UNIT FOR HERBUSINESS.:06- "My kiln is back in heresomewhere..

It'slike..

This is ridiculous." SHEHAD ABOUT 12-HUNDREDSQUARE FEET OF STUDIO SPACE INNORTON SHORES .

AND RAN THE"LAKE SHORE SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS"FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

PAULATAUGHT ART TO THOSE IN THECOMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE WITHSPECIAL NEEDS LIKE AUTISM,BLINDNESS OR OTHER PHYSICIALAND MENTAL DISABILITIES.

1:09"I really don't know what to doanymore.

I really want to getback to work.I'm going crazy not being ableto work."WHEN THE STATE ISSUED EXECUTIVEORDERS LAST SPRING PAULA COULDNOT OPERATE.

NO RMOE CLASSES, NOMORESTUDENTS, AND NO MORE MONEY.WITH NO FUNDS TO PAY HER RENTPAULA HAD TO CLOSE.

THAT'S WHENSHE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.6:30 "Even though they send mepaperwork telling me I'meligible they're notputting money in my accontu."PAULA LIVES ON 30 ACRES.THE FAMILY IS SELF-SUFFICIENTOUT HERE.

PAULA'S HUSBANDHUNTS ON THE LAND.

THEY HAVECHICKENS, FRUIT TREES, AND GROWTHEIR OWN FOOD.BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE CELLSERVICE, A COMPUTER, OR THEINTERNET.

ONYL A LANDLINE.

:24"And sIo helped her apply.

Icalled heron the phone I put her onspeakerphone andwalked through all the steps andasked herquestions to input everything."NICHOLAS HADLEY IS PAULA'SNEPHEW.

HE'D HAVE HER EMAIL HI MTHE DOCUMENTS WHENEVER SHE WASIN TOWNAROUND CELL SERVICE.

SHERECEIVED BENEFITS UNTI LJULY BUT THEN AN I-DVERIFICATION BUTTON POPPED UP ONHER ACCOUNT.1:45 "We were asked to mailstuff in,we were asked to fax stuff in,we were askedto submit it through the MIWAMmessenger,we were asked to submit itthrough the MIWAM portal, allthese different ways to submitit." :02 "There's mycertified mail receiptsright there." HER KITCHENTABLE IS FULL OF UIADOCUMENTS.

SHE TOLD US SHESUBMITTED HERPROOF OF WAGES SEVERAL TIMES.AND NICHOLAS EMAILED THEAGENCY ON MIWAM ALONG WI THALETTER FROM HIS AUNT.AND ANYTIME THEY CONNECTED WITHSOMEONE ON THE 877 PHONE LINE.THEY SAY THEY ENDED THE CALLEVEN MORE CONFUSED.7:50 "We talk to differentpeople andthey don't know what they'retalking about I swear they don'tknow what they're talkingabout ..

We do send them ID, wedo sendthem this, we do send them that,over andover and over again repeatedlythrough email through fax,through certified mail."PAULA'S BUSINESS IS STILLCLOSED.SHE'S UNABLE TO FILE FOR THEEXTENSION UNTIL HER ACCOUNT GETSFIGURED OUT.

AND SHE'S NOWWAITING ON WHAT SHOULD BE TENMONTHS OF BENEFITS.

12:07 "Butthe savings is nowextremely depleted, we couldreally use some unemploymentmoney to comethrough right now because I'vebeentrying to reopen my business."PAULA LOOKED AT A COUPLEPROPERTIES RECENTLY.SHE WANTS TO GET INTO A NEWSPACETO HELP OUT HER STUDENTS GET THEART THERAPY THEY REALLY NEED.WE DID REACH OUT TO THE UIA WHOISNOW LOOKING INTO HER CASE.WHETHER IT'S UNEMPLOYMENT ORANOTHER ISSUE THE PROBLEMSOLVERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF....YOU CAN CALL THEM AT THENUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN... OR SENDAN EMAIL TO "PROBLEM SOLVERS ATFOX 17 ONLI