Nearly 1.2 Million Across Delaware Valley Have Filed For Unemployment In Last 2 Weeks

Howard Monroe reports.

SHARPLY THE PAST TWO WEEKS.PREVIOUS RECESSIONS, BARELYREGISTER.BETWEEN PENNSYLVANIA, NEWJERSEY AND DELAWARE, NEARLY1.2 MILLION PEOPLE FILED FORUNEMPLOYMENT IN JUST LAST TWOWEEKS.AS OUR HOWARD MONROE REPORTSTHOSE WHO LOST THEIR JOBS SAY,HELP CANNOT COME FAST ENOUGH.I HAVE HAVEN'T HAD ANYMONEY COMING IN FOR OVER TWOAND A HALF WEEKS.I JUST PAID MY APRIL RENT BUTI DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DOFOR MAY.REPORTER: VALERIE CARR LIKESO MANY OTHERS ARE BEGINNINGTO FEEL THE HEAT.SHE OWNS WAG WITH A TAIL PETSERVICES IN HAVERTOWN.SOME OF MY CLIENTS PAID MEAHEAD OF TIME BUT IT IS SUCKS.IT IS BAD.IT IS WHAT IT IS.REPORTER: TYPICALLYBUSINESS OWNERS LIKE CARRWOULDN'T ALOUD TO APPLY FORUNEMPLOYMENT BUT BECAUSE OFTHE STIMULUS PACKAGE SOLEPROPRIETORS AND INDEPENDENTCONTRACTORS WILL BE ALLOWED TOFILE.STATES ARE EXPECT TO ALLOWTHOSE FILINGS BY NEXT WEEK.I HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESSLIKE OVER 12 YEARS AND I HAVENEVER HAD ANY ISSUES.NEVER.I HAVE NEVER APPLIED FORUNEMPLOYMENT AND IT IS SCARY.OF COURSE YOU ARE HAPPENTOY GET SOME MONEY BUT ITDOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL AS GOODAS WORKING.REPORTER: CAT PAYNE ALSOHAD TO FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.SHE WAS FORCED OUT WHENMARRIOTT IN CENTER CITYCLOSED.NOW SHE AND HER SON ARE LIVINGOFF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ANDFOOD STAMPS.I'M JUST LOOKING AT WHAT IGOT AND I'M LIKE I CANNOT SAYANYTHING RIGHT NOW.I HAVE TO STILL MAKE ITTHROUGH THE MONTH.SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE NOT PAIDANYTHING AND I'M VERY I HAVENO US ABOUT THAT.REPORTER: IF YOU HAVE LOSTYOUR JOB OR HAD YOUR HOURSREDUCED BECAUSE OF THECOVID-19, YOU CAN APPLY FORUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.NOW, STATES THEY ARE NOWWORKING TO GET THOSE PAYMENTSOUT TO YOU.ALSO YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TOREAPPLY IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGHYOUR CLAIM HAS NOT BEEN FILED