LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Unemployment issues aren't letting up for many Kentuckians, some of whom still haven’t gotten a dime after months of calls.
The most recent issue: a software upgrade that delayed payments last weekend.
Vicki Allred, who has been trying to get unemployment benefits for her husband since he lost his job in April, said their savings are down to almost nothing.
“I just want somebody to listen,” she said.
Because of the software upgrade, some claim recipients said their back-to-work date was reset to Oct. 31, just the latest obstacle facing the state during what has been a difficult unemployment process for those affected.
Allred said she has lost count with how many times she has tried to call and file for unemployment assistance.
“Every morning, I am up at 7, and I start calling them," she said. "And every time, it says there is no room in the wait queue. And I call 10 times every morning."
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet sent an email to WDRB News regarding the system upgrade issues saying:
“Programmers are in the process of extending the return to work date and COT is currently running a program to pay those claimants who experienced problems as a result of the return to work date.”
It noted it is working as fast as possible to pay claims as soon as possible.
Allred has gone through the filing steps many times even before last weekend’s glitches, all with the same result.
“Then it will tell you the next day, 'We don't have a file for you. We don't even have a claim. You have until Friday to make a claim,’” Allred said. “Nobody seems to be listening, and there is a lot of unemployment people being left out in the cold. We are not the only ones.”
To date, the Kentucky Labor Cabinet says 1.2 million people have filed unemployment claims, and the state has paid out $5 billion.
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