Like many states, Kentucky had trouble rolling out unemployment insurance payments to everyone who qualified in 2020. Recently, the state auditor testified to the state General Assembly about some of the issues that have plagued the UI system. These problems have had serious repercussions for the people of Kentucky. In fact, 100,000 people who are eligible for UI payments still haven’t received them.
The scope of the problem
Kentucky’s Office of Unemployment Insurance did not deal very well with the volume of applications that they received in 2020. For example, over 400,000 emails were sent to the office. Others have struggled to get through to someone through the phone lines. These people believed they qualified for UI. Yet no one responded to them to answer their questions or address their concerns. Harmon referred to this as evidence of systemic problems.
In fact, there’s evidence that the Office of Unemployment Insurance went so far as to violate some federal laws. Additionally, the office made choices that amounted to fraud in some circumstances. When all is said and done, they simply did not administer the program in the way it was designed to operate. Many Kentuckians have not been able to provide for their families due to these issues.
Some are lucky, in that they have been supported by family and friends. Others may be homeless due to these issues. In spite of their best efforts to communicate, they haven’t received the unemployment insurance benefits due to them. If you or a loved one is in this situation, it may be time to contact an attorney. An experienced lawyer might be able to help you fight the system and win.