Unemployment help coming to people in Kentucky

Since unemployment claims skyrocketed since March when the pandemic hit, Kentucky will offer in-person help to people filing for unemployment on Monday and Tuesday.

HAPPENING TODAYKENTUCKIANSWILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVEUNEMPLOYMENT HELP FASTER THANEVER BEFORE.GOVERNOR ANDYBESHEAR ANNOUNCING THAT TWONEW LOCATIONS FOR IN-PERSONHELP AREOPENING.WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTERPAOLA SURO IS LIVE AT THENORTHERN KENTUCKY CONVENTIONCENTER WHERE YOU CAN FIND ONEOF THOSE LOCATIONS..

PAOLA?JULIE - TODAY AND TOMORROWFOLKS WILL BE COMING HERE TOCOVINGTON FOR IN-PERSONINSURANCE HELP..BUT THE TIMESLOTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILLEDUP AT THIS LOCATION - AND THEOTHER NEW LOCATION ANNOUNCED..THAT SHOWS THE REAL NEED TOGET INSURANCE HELP THROUGHOUTTHE STATE..KENTUCKY HASPROCESSED 90 PERCENT OFUNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS - PAYINGOUT MORE THAN 3 BILLIONDOLLARS SINCE MARCH..BUTGOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR SAYS THECOMMONWEALTH HAS MORE THANTRIPLED ITS UNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE WORK FORCE TO HELPALL KENTUCKIANS.THEY WENT FROMHAVING 40 EMPLOYEES TO 320PEOPLE PROCESSING CLAIMS..

220OF THOSE HIRED FROM THEIROUTSIDE CONTRACTOR ERNST ANDYOUNG..AND NOW - MANY OF THOSEINDIVIDUALS WILL BE HELPINGKENTUCKIANS IN PERSON IN THENEWLY- ANNOUNCED LOCATIONSHERE IN COVINGTON AND ALSO INPRESTONBURG.ALTHOUGH THESELOCATIONS WILL ONLY BE OPENSOME DAYS OF THE WEEK - ANDBOTH HAVE ALL SLOTS FILLED UPONLINE - THE FRANKFORTLOCATION WILL CONTINUE TOOFFER MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY IN-PERSON HELP.GOVERNOR BESHEARALSO ADDS THAT THEY WILL KEEPHELPING PEOPLE THROUGH THEPHONE - AND NOW FASTER THANEVER..THE ERNST AND YOUNGCONTRACTORS ARE MAKING ATLEAST 15 CALLS A DAY.We have three times the peoplemaking calls to folks.

Onlyabout 15 50% of the time Dopeople pick up.

If you've gota claim that is pending,please carry your phone withyou and pick up especiallythose of you from March.

We'retrying to call througheverybody right now.

Have yourphone with you.

We have morehelp now than ever before.

Wewant to get you helped and wewant to get caught up by theend of this month.

That takesus doing a whole lot more.

Butwe do need you to answer thephone.IF YOU DID HAPPEN TO MANAGEGETTING ONE OF THOSE TIMESLOTS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROWHERE IN COVINGTON - YOU'LLNEED PHOTO ID AND SOCIALSECURITY CARD.IF YOU'RELOOKING FOR IN-PERSON HELP -I'LL HAVE THE LINK ON MYTWITTER HANDLE AS THEFRANKFORT LOCATION STILL HASSPOTS OPEN.REPORTING LIVE -PAOLA SURO WCPO 9 NEWS.