Claimants have concerns about federal unemployment benefits as they're expected to end in less than a month

Claimants have concerns about federal unemployment benefits as they're expected to end in less than a month

ADDITIONTAL FEDERAL AID FORUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMANTS WILLCOME TO AN END..

AND THOUSANDSOF OUT OF WORK MARYLANDERS AREBRACING FOR WHATMANY OF THEM HAVE REACHED OUTTO US ABOUT THEIRFRUSTRATIONS.

WMAR-2 NEWS RAYSTRICKLAND SPOKE TO A MOTHEROF TWO ABOUT HER CONCERNS ANDWHAT THIS CHANGE MEANS FOR HEFAMILY.“Instead of being able to makeit through the summer, withsome sort of financialstability, instead wetrying to scramble and figureout howthis” Trisha Watkins says shelost her job in March of lastyear.

The mother of two was anoperations manager for threefood service locations.

Theunemployment BENEFITS ARE whkept her afloat, but now THATGovernor Larry Hogan IS optINGout of the federalunemployment programs she notonly wonextra 300 dollars but she alsolost her benefits entirely.“It seems like thereother ways that you couldgone about instead of just socarelessly playing withpeoplewhat it is.

Iti” Watkins says sherecently received a letterfrom the Department of Laborsaying she was ineligible toget benefits.

She says it waa mistake and the only way shecan appeal is by calling theagency.

But Watkins says shenever been able to talkanyone on the phone.“I neverspoke to an agent over thephone other than the firsttime they called me” GovernorHogan says his decision waspartly based on companies notbeing able to find workersWatkins says she tried to geta job but ithard with her kids out ofschool.“its not that youtaken away a free ride.

Maybefor some people.

But igenuinely donthatpeople especially when youhave schools systems thadid” Shehoping the GENERAL ASSEMBLYREVERSES governorbecause if not her bills wilkeep coming, EVEN AFTER THEUNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENTS STOP.“if we can find jobs or hadthe availbukity to do so, ifour kids were in school.

Welljust put them in daycare.

Howare we supposed to just putthem in daycare most of ushave run through our savings”Reporting for WMAR-2 NewsRay StricklandWE PLAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH THESTATE ABOUT WATKINS APPEAAND HER COMPLAINTS ABOUTTRYING TO REACH AN AGENT BYPHONE.

WE WILL LET YOU KNOHOW THEY RESP