After CBS 2's Story, Unemployed Illinoisans Who Were Locked Out From Benefits Have Their Minor Application Mistakes Fixed
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We have told you story after story of people trying to get mistakes fixed by the state's unemployment benefits office.
On Wednesday, we told the tale of a frustrated woman desperate for money. A day later, she has seen success in 24 hours – after CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman got involved.
Nicole Muth was in tears as she issued a desperate plea to Gov. JB Pritzker to "do something."
"I know he says he is trying to fix it. I know it's not just me who's struggling. But the financial frustration is like the last thing anybody needs with what's going on right now," Muth said Wednesday.
What a difference a day makes - after someone from the Illinois Department of Employment Security called and fixed the wrong PIN that Muth put in the system.
"And it's all sorted out, and it's just, thank God," Muth said.
She had been calling for help for months and was unable to get it.
Zekman: "The problem was your PIN number, so did they change the PIN number or fix the PIN number?"
Muth: "They actually let me go in and change my PIN number because of whatever he did on his end, so now that's all squared away."
Muth was told to expect about $6,000 by next week – all in about 30 minutes.
"He had to backdate a whole bunch of weeks," Muth said. "He had to backdate to March."
Until CBS 2's broadcast on Wednesday, it had been impossible to get it resolved.
The same thing happened to Massimo Gioia, whose mistaken answer to a question was also fixed.
"I got a call from unemployment 20 minutes after the story aired – amazing," Gioia said.
Gioia said it was a big relief.
"Yeah really, like a big heavy weight from my shoulders is gone," Gioia said. "I can only be thankful and grateful to Channel 2 and especially to you for helping me because you fixed it."
He joins Muth, Cheryl Hughes, and Carol Salk – whose incorrect birthdates were corrected following our stories.
But they all have the same concern.
"I think the whole process needs some straightening out," Muth said. "Like I said, it shouldn't take having to call in to a news channel for things to be made right."
An Illinois Department of Employment Security spokeswoman said 100 new call takers have been added, and 100 more will be added soon.