Unemployment in Oklahoma: What you filers need to know

Unemployment in Oklahoma: What you filers need to know

A LIVING.

THE SEARCH COMESWITH A LOT OF QUESTIONS.THEY COME INTO OUR STATIONEVERY DAY... AND AREFLOODING OKLAHOMA'SEMPLOYMENT SECURITYCOMMISSION.

OUR SIERRAPIZARRO WENT TO WORK TO FINDOUT WHAT UNEMPLOYMENT FILERSNEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEPROCESS.SIERRA: "IT CAN BE A HECTICONE RIGHT NOW.

BUT ITDOESN'T HAVE TO BE.

THEBEST WAY TO APPLY IS ONLINE.YOU'LL HAVE A LONG WAIT IFYOU GO BY PHONE.

NO MATTERWHAT TIME IT IS."00:13:49;22 Nats: birdschirping 00:07:37;48 -00:07:41;24 SUTTERFIELD:"Nobody's ever been throughanything like this.

No oneever expected anything likethis." PHILLIP SUTTERFIELDWAS SELF-EMPLOYED.

HE NOWRELIES ON SAVINGS.00:08:49;50 - 00:08:51;15SUTTERFIELD: "It's not goingto last forever!" SO HEFILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.00:04:43;47 - 00:04:55;17SUTTERFIELD: "I have zeroincome coming in, being selfemployed.

That would go along way to feed my familyand make sure we're stayingafloat during this tryingtime." OKLAHOMA UNEMPLOYMENTCLAIMS HIT A HISTORICRECORD.

00:15:46;12 -00:15:56;15 Robin roberson,executive director, oklahomaemployment securitycommission: "We're actuallyat about five times ourrecord,this last week, of all time.We're just not built forthat.

Our system's 30 yearsold." THE STATE'S EMPLOYMENTSECURITY COMMISSION HASALMOST 500 EMPLOYEES ACROSSTHE STATE.

AND THEY HAVE TOTRAIN MORE.

00:10:28;08 -00:10:33;34 00:17:10;50 -00:17:15;12 ROBERSON: "It'sa slow process, but we'lltake care of everyone."THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO APPLY.00:12:59;55 - 00:13:03;58Sutterfield: "So, I've doneit online and by phone."SOME CALLERS WAIT HOURS TOGETTHROUGH.

SUTTERFIELD GOTHIS ANSWER ONLINE.

HE WASDENIED BENEFITS.

00:11:37;15- 00:11:40;22 Sutterfield:"Self employed people arenot eligible." THAT'S NOLONGER TRUE.

BECAUSE OF THENEWLY PASSED STIMULUSPACKAGE.

THE COMMISSIONWAITS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR ON HOW TO ADMINISTERTHE FUNDS.

00:21:45;47 -00:22:04;06 ROBERSON:"Typically, independentcontractors don't receiveany benefits, and since wedon't have any officialguidelines, we can'tactually program our systemto it yet.

That will takesome time.

People think thisis immediate and that it'shappening.

It's not reallybeing administered yet byany states." SELF EMPLOYERSWILL BE DENIED IF THEY APPLYRIGHT NOW.

ROBIN ROBERSONSAYS THEY'LL ANNOUNCEWHEN THEY'RE PREPARED TOSTART REVIEWING THOSEAPPLICATIONS.FOR ANYONE WITH OTHERQUESTIONS.

THE STATE HASONLINE LINKS TO Q&AINFORMATION.

FIND THEM ONKJRH.COM.

I'M SIERRAPIZARRO.

2 WORKS FOR YOU.SAINT FRANCIS CAN NOW TESTPEOPLE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS