Desperation grows as some have yet to see any unemployment benefits to make ends meet

Click here for updates on this story

    Maui, HI (KITV) — As Hawaii’s unemployment rate grows, so does the desperation of those who still have yet to receive any unemployment benefits to make ends meet.

The state’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed to 22.6%, marking the second-highest in the nation, just behind Nevada.

Since the beginning of March, the state has paid out more than $2 billion in benefits. Out of the roughly 250,000 claims filed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 100,000 have either been denied or are still pending.

Madison Williams falls into that category.

She filed for unemployment after she was laid off from her job as a sous-chef at the Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club back in March.

Williams said she was immediately denied.

“I called unemployment probably like, not exaggerating, over 10,000 times. I called over and over and over again for days, weeks,” explained Williams.

She was forced to sell her car, then eventually she and her husband had to move in with her parents in Texas.

Fast forward five months later and nothing has changed.

“I haven’t received a single penny for unemployment,”

It’s a situation all too familiar for many, including mother of four Mahealani Gonsalves, a former employee at Hana Farms on Maui who was also let go in March.

“I’ve done everything I was supposed to do according to the unemployment office,” explained Gonsalves. “I’ve been waiting. All my payments since March 21 have been pending,”

Gonsalves says she understands the unemployment office is overwhelmed, but for her right now, it’s turned into a matter of survival for her family. 

“It’s been really scary. It’s been really hard just living in the unknown,” said Gonsalves. “Pretty much you’re living your life in the government’s hands right now. It’s really hard to live like that, not knowing what’s going to happen tomorrow, or if you’ll have your vehicle tomorrow or not, you know?”

Gonsalves claims she makes 1,000 calls to the unemployment office per day.
She says she’s grateful she still has a roof over her head, family support, and kokua from the community through food drives and donations.

For now, the only thing Williams and Gonsalves can do, is wait.

“Days turn into weeks, and weeks into more months. I don’t know how much longer they expect us to wait that is survivable at this point,” said Gonsalves.

According to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, a major issue preventing payments is the use of devices with out-of-state IPs (Internet Protocol address) or Virtual Private Network (VPN) software.
“Benefits are stopped when it appears claimants are filing outside of Hawaii so claimants should allow the system to detect their location when filling certifications,” said DLIR’s deputy director Anne Perreira-Eustaquio.

The Federal government’s weekly $600 plus-up payment is set to expire at the end of this month.
Before the State Legislature closed last Friday, lawmakers appropriated $230 million in Federal CARES Act money, giving beneficiaries an extra $100 per week.
 
There’s hope that lasts through December,

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.