ELYRIA, Ohio — Less than 24 hours after News 5 asked Ohio Jobs and Family Services why a single mother has waited more than six months for unemployment benefits, she received an email saying she would receive her money Monday.
"I’m still flabbergasted," said Wendy White. "I looked again (at the screen) just to make sure. I’m just like 'Wow!'"
White said she will use the money to pay her bills and to look for a used car. Her car broke down last year and she has been unable to afford to replace it.
When the pandemic struck, White, 44, quit work to care for her disabled son. She said she applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in July, was approved, but had not received any help for the state, despite repeated calls and emails.
On Thursday, she said, "I feel like there’s no hope. I can’t keep waiting because I can’t take care of my kids. And I’m just at my wit’s end, I don’t know what to do anymore."
White said she has struggled to afford to buy basic supplies, like toilet paper and cleaning supplies, for her and her three children.
She used her stimulus check to pay her bills through January, but wasn't sure how to cover February's expenses.
"If I can’t keep paying for the roof over my head or the water to bathe my kids and flush the toilet or the gas on to heat my house, what do you do?" White said.
White said she was forced to quit her job as a cashier at Nick's Drivethru in Elyria to care for her middle child, Arthur, 14.
She said Arthur has cerebral palsy and other health conditions that put him at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
"I would love to go out and go to work, but I can't," White said. "I have to be at home with my son."
White is far from alone. Last fall, our investigation found, at that time, 77,946 Ohio workers were waiting for help, including 2,212 who had been waiting six months.
RELATED: After historic surge, thousands of unemployed Ohio workers are still waiting for help
"Every claim is important to us. Every claim is important to me," said Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services Director Kimberly Hall. "I know that many Ohioans are struggling."
During a Zoom news conference Wednesday, Hall said her staff has their hands full. They're currently rolling out extensions to existing unemployment programs. ODJFS is also busy combating fraudulent unemployment claims.
"It does detract from the ability to move and process claims. It does clog up our resources. It’s regrettable," Hall said.
When we asked about workers with longstanding pending claims, like White, Hall said claims that take months to process are usually complicated by issues related to wages, work history, and identification.
News 5 also requested specific information about White's claim. ODFJS spokesperson sent us the following response:
"Ms. White has informed our agency that there are issues we cannot disclose that are preventing her from working. Unfortunately, this raises eligibility issues and claim complexity in our unemployment programs. We are investigating her case and will be in contact with the claimant with an update. We are sympathetic to her situation and we are doing our best to help her.
"In addition to unemployment there are many state programs available for Ohioans in need. The best place to start is to visit benefits.ohio.gov to see if they may be eligible for other forms of assistance. There are many sources of help available to those facing challenges."
White said she does not believe her claim is complicated. "There’s no issues. There’s no problems. Absolutely nothing," she said.
White said she still doesn't know why it took so long to process her claim. News 5 reached out ODJFS to ask why it so long to provide her benefits. No one responded to our email Friday.
RELATED:A single mom applied for OH unemployment six months ago. She says she's still waiting for help.
