Gov. Evers speaks on unemployment, many still waiting on claims
Governor speaks about unemployment as many wait on filed claims
There is no end in sight from Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development, which is still processing a 'high volume of weekly claims.'
MILWAUKEE - In Wisconsin, people have been waiting on unemployment claims filed as far back as March.
Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday, Sept. 9 spoke about the old unemployment system in place that he would like to change.
"Since March I got laid off. I lost my house, my car, I lost my animals," said Chazz Johnson.
Johnson and hundreds of others in Wisconsin are still waiting to hear back on unemployment claims filed this spring, with options to make a financial recovery dwindling.
"I can't get my car fixed to even go look for work," Aaroh Robinson said. "Way out in Menomonee Falls, Germantown, areas I work at, I can't get out there with a bus. I need my car."
There is no end in sight from Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development, which is still processing a "high volume of weekly claims."
"I had somebody tell me that there should have been something deposited a week after I talked to them. I had somebody tell me and adjudicator was on vacation and after the adjudicator gets off vacation, they will reach out to me. Nothing," Johnson said.
Governor Tony Evers
Gov. Evers said his hands are tied and that he is looking to the federal government for help.
"Previously there was an audit bureau study of this system years ago that said it needed to be replaced or updated. It's an old system," Gov. Evers said.
Gov. Evers said he is not sure how long it will take to resolve the problem.
"That is unacceptable," said Gov. Evers. "I've talked to other governors. They're having the same problems we are...It all has to do with the system we inherited."
The people FOX6 News spoke with on Wednesday, Sept. 9 said excuses are no longer good enough and that they need action now.
"I need something to happen because I've been waiting for too long," Robinson said.
FOX6 News also reached out to the DWD to see if it will have an updated timeline for when more claims may be processed, but has not heard back.
According to a DWD news release provided on Wednesday, more than 6.3 million weekly unemployment claims have been filed since March 15. More than 5.6 million (89.08%) have been resolved and more than 690,000 remain "in process."
The number of weekly claims is not a count of the number of people who have filed claims. The DWD reported that approximately 92,292 unique claimants have filed.
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