‘Nowhere to Hide’ as Unemployment Permeates the Economy

Fern Weinbaum, who lives in Manhattan, received such a call on Saturday after repeated frustration in getting through. “I called over 100 times a day without success,” said Ms. Weinbaum, 68, who was laid off from her position as a legal secretary at a small law firm late last month.

Without a paycheck or unemployment benefits, she dipped into savings to cover the rent in April. “I need that money to survive,” she said. But she still isn’t sure if her claim went through.

The benefits are also vital for Elyce Cooper, 68, who worked as an administrator at the Pavilion Grille, a catering hall and restaurant in Boca Raton, Fla. Ms. Cooper said she spent more than two weeks applying and experienced repeated crashes of the state website. If she missed filling in a line, she was forced to start from scratch. Then, despite the government-mandated shutdown, she was asked for proof that she was job-hunting.

According to the calculations on the website, Ms. Cooper said she should be eligible for the state’s maximum payment of $275 a week — about half of what she normally earns. She was eventually able to file for the first week she was out of work, but has not been able to get online for the certification needed for the second and third weeks, and she has yet to receive a check.

Ms. Cooper said she expected to be rehired when the pandemic eases. The promise of $1,200 in federal emergency assistance and a $600 supplemental unemployment benefit should enable her to cover her bills, she said.

For Eric Winstanley, 38, a co-owner of Custom Covers and Canvas in Niagara Falls, N.Y., this is normally the busiest time of the year. His firm makes patio awnings and fabric covers for boats but shut down last month.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/business/economy/coronavirus-unemployment-claims.html