Glitch Causes Delay In Federal Unemployment Checks, Leaving Many On Edge About Money
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- If you receive federal unemployment payments, in addition to state unemployment, you may have noticed your money wasn't in your account this week.
As CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported Tuesday, a technical issue is causing panic among many out of work.
Ever since Dawn Kojak lost her two jobs as both a background actor and a legal assistant, she's been relying on the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, or FPUC. But this week's $600 check didn't come.
"I'm living on my own, I live solo. And I pay phone, I pay electricity, I pay TV, I pay everything," Kojak told Duddridge.
CBS2 got a dozen calls and messages from people experiencing the same issue.
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Duddridge reached out to the Department of Labor, which said state unemployment insurance and pandemic unemployment assistance were not affected, but a glitch in the system caused a delay in processing the FPUC payments.
Officials said it has been fixed and that the federal payments were processed overnight. New Yorkers should receive them one day after their state check. But people like Kojak who need those checks to survive are on edge.
"They're saying sometime during the week. I mean, who knows when it's going to be," she said. "Next week, though, is our last week. And it's not going to be smooth sailing after that if there's not another renewal of the $600."
The FPUC checks run out at the end of the month unless Congress decides to extend the payments. Many were hopeful they would find new work before that happens, especially now that New York state has moved into Phase 4, but they're still struggling.
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"It's not happening right now. So I've been looking at office jobs here in the city, as well as in the surrounding area," said Kojak. "There's just nothing. I've been applying for two months now."
The latest jobs report shows the June unemployment rate rose to 15.7% -- up from 14.5% in May.
Kojak said she's considering going back to her old career in the restaurant business, but that industry is still struggling due to a pause on indoor dining with no end in sight.
