TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Department of Economic Security recently shorted 130,000 people the $600 payments they had been counting on.
People who received unemployment payments between the 7th and the 11th did not get that additional federal money.
DES says they have fixed the problem, but it was still a shock to many.
“It’s tough when you are expecting that money and then it’s not there,” said Mike McClure. “It’s like someone pulled the rug out from under you.”
McClure says he noticed his Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation was missing right when he had bills coming due.
He tried calling for answers but couldn’t get through. So, he reached out to 9 On Your Side.
“If someone could answer at the DES office to say I know what you are going through or I don’t know what’s going on but we’re going to do our best, not having that human connection and we are already locked up in our houses.”
We asked the Arizona Department of Economic Security why McClure and thousands of other Arizonans were missing the weekly payment they had been getting.
DES acknowledged the error and later apologized on twitter saying claimants will receive the missed payments by the end of the week. McClure says he did not find out until he saw it on the news.
“As of this morning it still shows that the money was deposited and still no message from the office. It is frustrating, I guess.
We asked what the cause of the error was, and a spokesperson pointed to their programs requiring “complicated coding.”
He also said it was not related to the recent launch of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program.
“To feel like you’re not being listened to really hurts, because you have no idea what’s going on.”
McClure says he wishes there was a more direct way to find out what was going on with his account.
