The struggle is real
I am writing to inform you of a terrible situation in our county and state. As a member of the community struggling with unemployment, I feel that there has not been enough focus on the disasters that the citizens are experiencing, and I guarantee there are stories here that deeply affect our community. Here is my experience so far:
Due to DLIR ineptitude, I have not been paid my benefits in 3 months.
I have been claiming regular unemployment insurance since May/June 2020. When Mayor Kawakami joined safe travels in October of 2020, I went back to work part time and filed for partial unemployment until my funds ran out. Mayor Kawakami opted out of safe travels and I was back to full unemployment. The Unemployment office processed my partial claims out of order, but did process some claims. My Unemployment funds ran out in December and I filed for the extension. I have had a nightmare since.
After thousands of attempted calls and missed payments for about a month, I finally spoke to an agent on the phone who told me my claim would be processed and money would be in my account in 3 days. That did not happen.
After a few thousand more attempted calls and emails to mayor and governor, my claim was sent to the Kauai Unemployment office. They told me that because of the incorrect processing, my account was overpaid, and they would have to cancel out later payments to make up for the missed earlier payments then back date my extension request. However, only an Oahu unemployment office had the ability to do this. So, my claim went to Oahu.
Again, thousands of calls and multiple emails later. I finally was able to get a UI agent on the phone yesterday. She had her supervisor look into the situation, they told me the main office had my claim and they would call on it and call me back. I got the call back today, the main office is saying they can NOT touch my claim because Kauai already had touched it and they need to send it BACK TO KAUAI.
So, here I am a single mother on a single income living off the good graces of my family while unemployment plays hot potato with my claim, which is messed up because of DLIR’s own errors.
DLIR can not and will not provide any answers an when I can expect my claims to be resolved. Trying to get any reasonable or reliable communication from them is next to impossible. All the government officials point the finger and tell me “this is not my department and I can’t help you.” No one in leadership is taking accountability and helping the people.
If there is anything you can do to help bring awareness and help me and other members of the community experiencing these life altering disasters due to DLIR, please please do.
Thank you for your time,
Heather Friend, Kilauea
I haven’t received my unemployment since October 2020. Hundreds of calls to a number that isn’t answered does nothing but cause frustration. Whoever is in charge is completely failing at their jobs. Hire 20 people to help clear cases.
Wow, can you imagine where you would be now if you had only put in the same amount of effort trying to find and establish full time employment to actually EARN your money…
smh
I am employed. I’m furloughed and my company is waiting on Kauai to open back up before opening our store. We tried, but without tourists, we can’t afford to keep the lights on. In the meantime, I did send applications out to multiple other jobs. There is nothing to choose from. Maybe be more aware of the actual situation before making blanket judgments.
To CommonSenseish: Wow, can you imagine where you would be now if you actually used the full load of Common Sense, and not just the ‘ish’ part of it? Get a grip. Do the math. # of laid off do not match # of job postings, and not all postings are relevant to everyone’s skill level. We did not ask to be laid off and to live off of a percentage of what we use to make. Or having to stay home to be substitute teachers while the schools are closed. (Never mind, you’re too busy shaking your head, brains probably all messed because of it.)
I have put all my effort in trying to keep my business afloat since it has been shut down. I still have bills to pay while I wait for visitors to come back and my business to reopen.
If you don’t know the whole story, don’t make assumptions or negative comments. SMH!
@commonsenseish. appreciate your perspective and circumstances, but by your own reasoning, you passed judgement on someone without knowing THEIR full story. instead of assuming she hasn’t tried her hardest, how about having a little
compassion for her situation. aloha kekahi i kekahi!
Yeah? Are you one of the poor souls that sunk their life savings into snorkel gear and rubbish nic nacs?
I’m sure you’re getting the utmost sympathy from everyone going months without UI compensation while they search high and low for new employment opportunities…
Show me more of a hypocrite, I’ll wait.
So, are you saying you’re anti-small business? Would you rather shop for snorkel gear at walmart and costco? Please, think about what you say before you say it. And no, that’s not my business.
No I’m anti hypocrite…
Boo hoo snowflake, careful not to melt in this tropical climate.
Wow. Okay, hope you feel proud of yourself for that one.
Kara. Just to enlighten you. My business has employed dozens of local people over the 25 + years I have been doing business in the Hospitality industry here on Kaua’i. Please don’t judge won’t you don’t know. I pay thousands of dollars a year in taxes, I support local charities with my hard earned money, I donate our services to fund risers, I pay an above average wage for this type of position. I’ve gone into my personal savings to keep my business viable until it can reopen and I have paid into the unemployment fund that I deserve to receive from.
My business does not provide any ‘rubbish nic nacs’ as you say. We only provide quality equipment, professional and friendly customer service and useful, accurate island information to keep our customers safe along with fully trained staff in the areas of water safety. I hope this sheds a little light on why my response is not hypocritical in any way. Information goes much further than speculation.
You are guilty of the same assumptions you’re me accusing of.
I sure hope listing all your accolades makes you feel better. It certainly justifies your heartlessness and pinpoints your insensitivity to others failed by the system through no fault of their own.
Good luck.
I did not make one comment or assumption regarding you or your views. I simply pointed out facts that relate to those of us that are struggling to either find a job or keep our own businesses that employee others alive. The unemployment system is broken and needs to be fixed. That is what this is all about. I’m curious as to what you do to make a living here, if in fact you do live here.
For those of you who are judging the millions of people who are out of work due to a global pandemic. Please due your research. Watch the news be informed and stay informed. Unemployment benefit is not in the same category as welfare. It is a program that is set in place to help workers/tax payers to get back on their feet and inject the funds back into the State’s economy. You are not eligible to receive UI benefits if you’ve never worked. No one can receive unemployment if they choose to quit their jobs. Your employer pays into it and they’re also the one to validate your eligibility. UI benefit is not a hand out. People are sick and dying out there and leaders of this country are trying to do the best they can to save humanity. While the system may not be perfect but at least we are not in a third world country. Most industrialized countries aren’t questioning whether their people should be helped; rather, how best they should be helped. We all have a moral obligation to help and support one another instead of breaking each other’s morale.
Posted after 4,787 calls to the UI office:
Absolute, best article TGI has posted since 4/1/2020. This needs way more light shined on it. I have been waiting since November for my PEUC funds. The state officials are a bunch of filthy crooks. They expect everyone to pay mortgage, bills, food, gas, and livelihood of children for four month’s unpaid?!! While they graciously accept their tax payers salary, you have got to be kidding me. I am out $11,000 over four months of living off rations. The state is holding $15,000 rightfully mine over an overpayment of $177… cannot make this up. Where is Kawakami with his brilliant plan?! We need answers not lip service.