KeyBank responsible for delay in unemployment benefits

KeyBank is apologizing for an issue that caused a delay in the processing of supplemental Lost Wages Assistance payments for thousands of unemployed New Yorkers.

PEOPLE WHO HAVEBEEN WAITING FORUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS AREGETTING SOMEWELCOME RELIEF.FOR SOME OF THEM --IT IS A CASE OF"BETTER LATE THANNEVER".NIKKI DEMENTRIREPORTS ON THEPROBLEM THATCAUSED SOME OFTHESE PAYMENTS TOBE DELAYED."I KEPT CHECKINGAND I NEVER HADANYTHING THISWEEK."IT WAS THE SAMERITUAL FOR MANYCHECK, WAIT ANDWONDER.THE STATE LABORDEPARTMENT SAYSALMOST $2 BILLIONDOLLARS WENT TOMORE THAN 2 MILLIONNEW YORKERSTHROUGH THE LOSSWAGES ASSISTANCEPROGRAM.CHEEKTOWAGASCHOOL BUS DRIVERDAVID WAITEPATIENTLY WAITED."I'M FEELINGFRUSTRATEDBECAUSE I HAVESOME BILLS TO PAY."SAME GOES FORMARIA GILMORE.THE LABORDEPARTMENT TOLDHER EARLIER THISWEEK THE $900THROUGH L-W-AWOULD COME BYFRIDAY.BUT ISSUES WITHKEYBANK HALTED THEPROCESS."WELL IT'S HURTINGYOU WHEN YOUREALLY NEED ITNOW."THE LABORDEPARTMENTTWEETED THE FUNDSWERE RELEASEDTHURSDAY NIGHT.THEY SAID THE DELAYWAS THE RESULT OFISSUES WITHKEYBANK'S ABILITY TOPROCESS PAYMENTS.KEYBANK SAID THOSEISSUES WOULD BEFIXED BY 4:30."I'M HOPING I'MGETTING IT, CUZ ICOULD REALLY USEIT."AND FOR WAITE, HEDID.BUT FOR GILMORE4:30 CAME AND WENT."RIGHT NOW FIGUREOUT HOW I'M GOINGTO BORROW SOMEMONEY TO PAY MYBILLS BECAUSE IDON'T KNOW WHENTHIS MONEY IS GOINGTO COME."KEYBANK RELEASEDANOTHERSTATEMENT A COUPLEHOURS LATER."UNFORTUNATELY,FOR THOSE WHORECEIVE THEIRPAYMENTS VIAKEY2BENEFITS PRE-PAID CARDS ." PARTOF THE STATEMENTREAD.

"WE HAVEENCOUNTERED AFURTHER,UNEXPECTED DELAY.WE ARE WORKING TORESOLVE THIS ISSUETONIGHT."NATSNEXT WEEK IS ROUNDTWO.THE LABORDEPARTMENTANNOUNCED THESTATE WASAPPROVED FORTHREE MORE WEEKSOF BENEFITSTHROUGH FEMA.IT ALSO SAYS IT WAS"ASSURED" THEPROBLEM WOULDN'THAPPEN AGAIN WITHKEYBANK.BOTH WAITE ANDGILMORE ARE HOPINGTHINGS GOSMOOTHER."I'M NOT EVEN SURE.ALL I CAN DO ISHOPE."ND, 7EWN.SOME TEACHERS ANDPARENTS ARESHARING CONCERNSABOUT A NEW CLASSIN THE BUFFALOND, 7EWN.