Glitch Briefly Delays Checks For New Yorkers Awaiting Unemployment Payments
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Millions of unemployed New Yorkers woke up Friday wondering where their money was.
As CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas reported, additional unemployment payments were delayed because of a banking glitch.
Kimba Williams is like 2.2 million New Yorkers who expected up to $900 in extra state benefits added to their unemployment to hit their account.
"Food, clothing, simple stuff. Kids are going back to school. People need school supplies," Williams said. "I called my bank first to see if there was an issue. They said there's nothing posted."
Every vendor who works with the DOL has a responsibility to get New Yorkers their benefits as quickly as possible—which KeyBank failed to do.
— NYS Department of Labor (@NYSLabor) September 18, 2020
KeyBank has assured us this problem will not impact future payments. 2/2
The state Department of Labor emailed letters to unemployment recipients. Most were pre-qualified for the last round of the Lost Wages Assistance Program, but in a statement Key Bank, which is responsible for processing payments, apologized, saying it experienced a "three-hour delay," and recipients did not get their benefits until Friday afternoon.
The state provided extra funding only for those who were collecting unemployment, from the end of August to the beginning of September.
It was way to help, after the federal $600 weekly supplemental expired.
"What is the likelihood of getting a bill passed? The likelihood is getting better," Sen. Chuck Schumer said.
DID YOU LOSE YOUR JOB AMID THE OUTBREAK?
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This week, President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to provide more money in a new stimulus bill that would include unemployment benefits.
Still, Democrats and Republicans have not struck a deal.
Cline-Thomas asked Schumer why?
"People have been hurting for so long and they say they're tired of the finger pointing from Democrats and Republicans. What do you tell them when they're still waiting?" she asked.
"Tell them get 13 ... get some Republican senators to start saying they are going to support legislation like the Heroes Act," Schumer responded.
"They're playing political Monopoly with people's lives," Williams said.
He finally received the money from the state. It was relief, for now.
In all, the state doled out nearly $2 billion in this round of supplemental payments.
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