States Paying Out Record Number Of Unemployment Claims During Coronavirus Pandemic

INMATES OF THE CHESTER COUNTYPRISON HAVE TESTED POSITIVEFOR COVID-19.WELL, CHECK IN THE MAIL ORBANK ACCOUNT, PENNSYLVANIA,NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE AREBEGINNING TO PAY OUT A RECORDNUMBER OF THE COVID-19UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERALYCIA REID SPOKE TO OFFICIALSABOUT THIS HISTORIC UNDERTAKING.IT IS DEFINITELY A RECORDAND IT IS WAY HIGHER THENANYTHING WE HAVE EVER SEENBEFORE.REPORTER: SINCE MARCH 15THUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS INPHILADELPHIA HAVE SURPASSEDTHE MILLION MARK, SO TO PUTTHINGS IN PERSPECTIVE IT WAS40,000 IN THE THREE WEEKSPRIOR, THE CITY IS NOW ALLHANDS ON DECK AND AS OF TODAYPAYMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED TOABOUT 540,000 PEOPLE.WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ASDILIGENTLY AS POSSIBLE TO GETTHAT OTHER HALF THEIRBENEFITS.REPORTER: ADDITIONAL STAFFIS BEING ADDED FROM DIFFERENTDEPARTMENTS.AT LEAST 100 MORE NEWUNEMPLOYMENT COMP STAFF.THESE ARE IN TAKE INTERVIEW.REPORTER: AND EVERYONE ISPRESENT.APPROXIMATELY 600 STAFFWORKING THIS WEEK WHETHER THATIS FROM A OFFICE OR FROM HOME.REPORTER: EVEN MORERELIEVED FAMILIES CAN LOOKFORWARD TO IS FEDERAL PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ORSPUC BY THE FEDERAL CARES ACT.THEY WILL SEE AN ADDITIONAL600 PER WEEK ADD TODD THEIRCHECKS.IT IS PAYMENTS THAT WILLGET THESE PAYMENTS, WHEN THEYFILE FOR WEEKS ENDINGAPRIL 4TH THROUGH JULY 25TH.REPORTER: OVER IN NEWJERSEY, 362,000 PEOPLE HAVEAPPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INTHE LAST TWO WEEKS, AND THESTATE IS WORKING WITH ANOUTDATED SYSTEM TO GET PEOPLEMONEY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.AT FIRST WE HAVE A CRISISWE SAW A 1600 PERCENT INCREASEIN VOLUME.1600 PERCENT.REPORTER: PHONE LINES HAVEBEEN EXTREMELY BUS WHICH LONGWAIT TIMES, SO YOU ARE URGEDTO APPLY ON LINE, HOWEVER IFYOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS ANDNEED TO USE THE PHONE KEEP INMINE THAT THE BUSIEST TIMESARE THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THEWEEK.