Many still waiting for PUA determinations

The state has started to make determinations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications, but many people are still waiting for the program to help them.

LIGHT ON THERESOURCES THATCAN HELP OURCOMMUNITYTHROUGH THISPANDEMIC.MORE THAN 80-THOUSAND PEOPLEHAVE APPLIED FOR"PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCE" INWISCONSIN... BUT NOTEVERYBODY HASGOTTEN THE HELPTHEY NEED.TONIGHT, NB26'SMATT JARCHOWSHARES ONE OFTHOSE STORIES..ANDTALKS WITH THEDEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT FORANSWERS.RACHAEL NICHOLS"Nothing is working."WEEKS OFFRUSTRATIONS..AND STILL NOANSWERS.RACHAEL NICHOLS"Literally I've triedeverything."RACHAEL NICHOLS ISA SELF-EMPLOYEDHAIR STYLIST WHOWORKS INSIDE THE BEA BELLE SALON.THAT MEANS..SHE'SNOT ELIGIBLE FORUNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE..EVEN THOUGH SHE'SOUT OF WORK.RACHAEL NICHOLS"We were assured thatthings would be okay andthat they'll help us andthat the one week waitingperiod is going to bewaived and all of thesethings.

All of thesepromises were made."NICHOLS SAID THEYHAVEN'T BEEN KEPT.THE STATE'SDEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT ISRUNNING THEPANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCEPROGRAM.NICHOLS SAID SHE'SCALLED THE D-W-DTWICE..AND BOTHTIMES WAITED ONHOLD FOR A FEWHOURS BEFORE SHEWAS TOLD SHECOULDN'T BE HELPED.RACHAEL NICHOLS"I need answers.

At thispoint, I don't know whatelse to do."NICHOLS IS NOTALONE IN HERFRUSTRATIONS..WE'VE GOTTENNUMEROUSCOMMENTS FROMOTHER VIEWERS WHOCAN'T GET THEMONEY THEY NEEDFROM THE PANDEMICOFFICIALS AT THEDEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT SAYDETERMINATIONS AREBEING ISSUED..ANDMONEY IS STARTINGTO GO OUT.EMILY SAVARD,DEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT"There really is no way tospeed up that process.This is a brand newprogram and it's a verymanual program."OFFICIALS SAY EACHAPPLICATION NEEDSTO BE CHECKED BYHAND..EMILY SAVARD,DEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT"We borrowed peoplefrom other divisions, fromother departments, wegot them trained up.We've now contractedwith several additionalvendors to taketelephone calls through acall center, we're going tohave vendors helpingwith pandemicunemploymentassistance and alsoadjudication and claims."MOVINGFORWARD..THE D-W-D'S BEST ADVICE IS TOREMAIN PATIENT.BUT FOR SOME..THEWAIT HAS BEEN LONGENOUGH..RACHAEL NICHOLS"They need to dosomething about it.

I justneed help."..MATT JARCHOW, NBC26.SO..?

IS THEREANYTHING PEOPLECAN DO AS THEY WAITFOR THEIR BENEFITSTO BE PROCESSED?AGAIN..THE BESTADVICE FROM THEDEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT IS TOREMAINPATIENT..THEY AREWORKING THROUGHTHE THOUSANDS OFAPPLICATIONS.THERE'S ALSO AFREQUENTLY ASKEDQUESTIONS PAGE ONTHE DEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT'SWEBSITE.ONE POSSIBLEOPTION... CONTACTYOUR LOCALREPRESENTATIVE.WE'VE BEEN TOLDTHAT HAS BEEN ONEWAY FOR SOMEPEOPLE TO FINDANSWERS.AND .... HERE'S A