By JULIA DENG
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
Fishers resident Jim Janulis launched his print advertising business 15 years ago to help promote local mom-and-pop shops. The coronavirus pandemic decimated his client base, forcing his own small business to halt publication of its “Main Street Ad Sheet.”
Janulis has relied on unemployment insurance benefits since mid-March to pay for utilities, a portion of his mortgage and other bills. He panicked when he did not receive benefits for the week of Aug. 16.
“I always check the day after [filing] the voucher to make sure that everything went through OK, and I noticed I had zero amount awarded to me,” said Janulis.
Janulis is among more than 20,000 Hoosiers who did not receive unemployment payments on time for the week of Aug. 16.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) blamed the delays on widespread confusion caused by a new voucher prompt.
“DWD introduced a question on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) weekly vouchers to help identify fraud,” a department spokesperson said in an emailed statement to News 8. “The question, however, has created enough confusion among some claimants that it has become an issue that is now being resolved. DWD is reviewing claimant answers and will cancel all issues where it appears there was confusion. The issue is expected to be resolved by mid-week.”
Janulis still had not received his payment on Thursday.
He learned about the issue after contacting the DWD’s benefits call center and spending an hour on hold.
He questioned why officials did not notify recipients impacted by the delays or publicly acknowledge the issue on the DWD’s website.
“People just like myself could be very concerned. It’s just stressful,” Janulis said.
Good luck on getting your payment. I’m still waiting on a check way back in March. One error after another. I filed an appeal, took 6 weeks, then had to wait for the hearing. I completed the paperwork giving them my phone number but day of the hearing, no call came. Then, I checked my uplink account and it said case dismissed because I failed to “show up”. Even though the correct paperwork with my phone number was scanned into the system and showed up in my account, they claimed they didn’t have my phone number. So I filed ANOTHER appeal with the review board, who approved it but after 6 more weeks. Now it is back to the appeal board and three weeks later . . . still waiting. I also had to wait four weeks of no checks because I received $53 from my employer while on furlough several months into furlough. I did claim the income but then it put everything on hold until they reviewed the income. All subsequent checks were then held until the unemployment office confirmed the $53. I went another month with no checks at all. When you call, it is at least an hour wait. I’ve waited as long as an hour and 45 minutes on hold.
I am in the same boat a Jim. My August 16th voucher is being held to verify eligibility. Same with August 23.
My payments for August 16 and August 23 are being held due to eligibility issues? I’m confused as to what happened and haven’t had any answers provided. I have three children and no income at the moment. Terrible situation to be left hanging in.