LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Michelle Reynoso Aguilar said she has been trying to help her husband file for unemployment since March.
"For me, it's nerve-wracking," Aguilar said. "We have little kids and we have a whole set of income that's not coming in right now."
Aguilar said they tried Kentucky's new hotline for unresolved March claims but still have had no luck.
"We called back today and had another three-hour wait," Aguilar said. "No one picked up."
The hotline issues are due to an influx of calls, according to JT Henderson, the executive director of communications at the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The hotline receives an upwards of 200,000 calls a day, he added.
The Aguilars said they understand but worry what will happen if they do not get through to someone soon.
Michelle Reynoso Aguilar, left, and her family.
"So far, we've been able to make it," Aguilar said, "but I don't know how many more weeks that's going to go."
Josh Smith, a financial advisor with Strategic Wealth Designers, said worrying during this uncertain time is not helpful. Instead, he advised being proactive. For instance, create a budget and document all the money coming in and going out.
"It may mean for some people cutting out some discretionary items," said Smith, who also recommended calling your creditors, such as your credit card, mortgage and auto companies.
"A lot of these institutions have programs in place already for this unexpected cash flow interruption," he added.
If times get really tough, Smith said to think about finding work at businesses deemed essential — or use this time to get creative.
"Just look around the house: What are some things that you could potentially sell for extra cash?" Smith said.
The Aguilars said they are taking proactive steps, while praying for improvement.
"It's the uncertainty of the timing," Aguilar said, "and when you're being told something is supposed to work a certain way and it continues to fail."
Kentucky is down to 29,000 unresolved March unemployment claims, a decrease of 37,000 claims in one day, according to Gov. Andy Beshear, who said Saturday, April 25, that the state hopes to have all March claims processed by the end of this week.
Roughly 500,000 Kentuckians have filed for unemployment since March 15, according to a WDRB News report from April 23.
Related Stories:
- Unnecessary calls clogging Kentucky's new hotline for unpaid March unemployment claims
- Kentucky unemployment hotline opens to help those waiting for March benefits
- Beshear reports 171 new COVID-19 cases, 5 additional deaths; state aims to process all March unemployment claims
- Out of work and out of luck, many Kentuckians struggling to receive unemployment
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