MONROE, La. – Unemployment benefits are still an issue for many people in Louisiana. People say the state’s website doesn’t always work, and it’s almost impossible to get someone on the phone.
Lakeisha Burkett has been waiting almost a year to receive unemployment benefits from the state. This hardship is impacting her family and hindering their basic needs.
“I sent in my I.D., my social security. I sent in all of my receipts. I’m getting no answers. I’m getting no calls. I’m getting no emails and no response,” Burkett said.
Last August, Burkett lost her small business due to the pandemic. She was denied unemployment benefits by the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which created financial stress and an empty refrigerator at her home.
“We’re trying to work on getting our children back. We have a disconnect notice on our water because we have lost our income, and that’s supposed to our income to help us,” Burkett said.
Burkett filed an appeal. She says a judge ruled in her favor which made her eligible for benefits, but more than three months later, she still hasn’t received any help from the state.
“They have stated and this has come out of their mouth: ‘I do not care. I don’t know where you can go. I have no other answers. If you can’t get ahold of benefit analysis, there’s nothing we can do.’ That has come from customer service from Louisiana Workforce Commission. It’s been very, very hard. We depend on that,” Burkett said.
Burkett says she cannot log in to her LA Workforce account because the system is often down.
“I have done everything that has been asked of me, and I’m basically trying to get answers from somebody, somewhere,” Burkett said.
KNOE called the Louisiana Workforce Commission. A state official says they reached out to Burkett, and they are working on her claim. When we checked in with her, she said no one had reached out to her.
