Pennsylvania Residents Among Hardest Hit By Layoffs Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

Howard Monroe reports.

AND IN DELAWARE, 368 CASES,AND 11 PEOPLE HAVE DIED.PENNSYLVANIA IS LEADINGOUR REGION NONEMPLOYMENTCLAIMS AND ALMOST HALF AMILLION PENNSYLVANIANS FILEDFOR BENEFITS LAST WEEK ALONE.THE DIRE NUMBERS SHOW JUST HOWTOUGH THE SITUATION IS AS THEPANDEMIC CONTINUES TO PLAYOUT.HOWARD MONROE JOINS US FROMRITTENHOUSE SQUARE WITH A LOOKAT THOSE NUMBERS, HOWARD.THIS SQUARE WOULD BE PACKEDWITH PEOPLING NOTHINGBUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS.THESE ARE EVERYTHING BUT THENORMAL TIMES.MANY BUSINESSES ARE NOW CLOSEDAND WORKERS ARE FILING FORUNEMPLOYMENT.HAPPEN TOY GET SOME MONEYBUT IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEELAS GOOD AS, WORKING.REPORTER: CAT PAYNE WANTSTO WORK BUT WAS FORCED OUTWHEN MARRIOTT IN CENTER CITYCLOSED.SHE AND HER SON ARE LIVING OFFOF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ANDFOOD STAMPS.I'M LOOKING AT WHAT I GOTAND I JUST CANNOT SAY ANYTHINGRIGHT NOW.I HAVE TO STILL MAKE ITTHROUGH THE MONTH.SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE NOT PAIDANYTHING, AND I'M VERY NERVOUSABOUT THAT.REPORTER: SAME STORY, HERSTORIES FAR FROM UNIQUE.PENNSYLVANIA IS REPORTINGHARDEST HIT INDUSTRIES AREHOSPITALITY, RETAIL,RESTAURANTS.BETWEEN PENNSYLVANIA, NEWJERSEY, AND DELAWARE NEARLY1.2 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FILEDFOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS INJUST THE LAST TWO WEEKS.IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR JOB ORHAD YOUR HOURS REDUCED BECAUSEOF COVID-19 YOU CAN APPLY FORUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.IT IS REALLY TOUGH.IT IS SAD.BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.REPORTER: VALERIE CAR OWNSTHIS PET SERVICES BASED INHAVERTOWN.BECAUSE OF THE STIMULUSPACKAGE, SOUL PROPRIETOR LIKECAR, AND INDEPENDENTCONTRACTORS, WILL BE ALLOWEDTO FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS.STATES ARE EXPECTED TO ALLOWTHOSE FILINGS, BY NEXT WEEK.I'M NOT GOING ON ANYTHINGSO, IT IS SCARY.IT IS A LITTLE BIT SCARY.NOBODY COULD IMAGINE ANYTHINGLIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN.I'M 49 YEARS OLD.I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHINGLIKE THIS IN MY LIFE.REPORTER: PENNSYLVANIA, NEWJERSEY AND DELAWARE AREREPORTING LAST IN THEIR SYSTEMBUT THEY DO ASSURE US THAT IF