Problem Solver: Unemployment Check

The number of people in need of jobs in South Carolina continues to grow. That's according to the latest numbers released from the state's employment security commission. That means each week more people are relying on unemployment checks. But what happens when that check doesn't show up? One Upstate woman says when she moved she was given the run-around when she tried to track down her check. News Channel 7's Dianne Derby helped get her the money she needed. It's a 7 On Your Side Problem Solver.

"They just treated me like I was no one," said Vicki Street.

Street is fed up with the way she was treated by the South Carolina Employment Security Commission offices in Spartanburg. She says when she moved last month that same weekend her final unemployment check for $74 was mailed to the old address. She says she was told it could take up to 10 days before it is reissued.

After it didn't show up after the 10 days I contacted them at least three times by the telephone and then I had to make three trips down there to have no results," said Street. "My mother told me you should call Channel 7 they're on your side."

So we brought her concerns to the area director of the SC Employment Security Commission, Ben Davis. He told us the checks are not subject to forwarding orders so they are sent back to the commission if not claimed.

We shared Street's thoughts that for someone unemployed, $74 is a lot of money to be missing he said, "That certainly is and our unemployment claimants generally wind up with half or less what their normal weekly income would be."

So just how many people rely on unemployment checks? The latest numbers for April show the unemployment rate in South Carolina area is 5.9%. That's up from 5.7% in March. That means the number of unemployed grew by 3,300 in one month.

When asked what sort of plan he has in place to make sure this doesn't happen again Davis replied, "We have constant training on customer service. We monitor those things and this was essentially a misunderstanding, a miscommunication."

And the good news is Mr. Davis had Ms. Street fill out an affidavit and promised her check would be in the mail by the end of this week.

"It was News Channel 7 that got the ball rolling without you guys I don't know where I would be," said Davis.

The South Carolina Employment Commission says depending on the number of people in line long wait times in their offices are not unusual. If you have an issue you need addressed with them make sure you ask for a supervisor.