LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky unemployment offices are now open for in-person help.
People getting help Thursday already have an appointment. Appointments through April 30 can now be scheduled. On Monday, appointments for May 3 will become available, and additional appointment times will open each day.
The state has struggled to keep up with unemployment claims, which spiraled out of control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An outdated IT system and staffing cuts contributed to the problem. Gov. Andy Beshear believes in-person appointments will help reduce the fraud that led him to shut down the system for four days. There are about 90 thousand unresolved claims, but Beshear said many of those claims are fraudulent.
"It's a big problem," he said. "We continue to work through it. And for everybody who's still waiting, it's not acceptable, but we're going to get you your help."
Thursday, several people with in-person appointments waited outside Louisville's unemployment office downtown to get their chance to talk with someone face-to-face.
"The lines are moving pretty fast, and everybody seemed pretty efficient," said Sonia Reed from Louisville.
Reed said when she first lost her job, her benefits were coming through correctly. But then things stopped, and she's had several issues since then.
"On top of not receiving the benefits, I was receiving conflicting, confusing information," she said.
After talking with someone Thursday in-person, Reed said she feels much more confident and hopeful. She said her conversation lasted about 45 minutes.
"I was able to sit down with them, and we actually were able to go through everything and find out what the problems are, why, and what can be done to fix them," she said.
Others said their experience of meeting in-person was also positive.
"I haven't been able to talk to anybody on the phone ever, the whole time," said Francis Dumstorf from Louisville. "(Today) was pretty smooth. It was a long wait but by the time I got in the workers helped me out and got me through smooth."
The governor included $1.1 million in this year's budget and $8.4 million next year to restore employees at the regional offices.
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