Unemployment claims in North Carolina top 1 million

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – More than 1 million North Carolinians have filed for unemployment since mid-March, according to the Department of Commerce.

A total of 1,008,641 claims have been filed between March 15 to May 3.

Of those, at least 847,748 are related to COVID-19, the Department of Commerce said. That figure could be higher but it is up to the person filing to give a reason behind their unemployment.

The state has paid out $1.25 billion in unemployment to 444,422 claimants.

More than $711 million of those funds are from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. North Carolina’s unemployment insurance trust fund has about $4 billion in it.

The Department of Commerce said 993,527 claims have been filed online while 15,114 were made via phone.

Gov. Roy Cooper has made several statements calling for expansion of the staff handling unemployment claims.

On April 30, he said it was “unacceptable” that North Carolinians were having issues filing claims with the Employment Securities Commission.

Frustrated viewers have turned to CBS 17 for help. Consumer Investigator Steve Sbraccia was able to help one viewer file her claim after repeated attempts never went through.

COVID-19 timeline

• March 3: NCDHHS announces state’s first COVID-19 case
• March 10: Gov. Roy Cooper declares State of Emergency
• March 11: World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic
• March 13: President Donald Trump declares a National Emergency
• March 14: Cooper issues Executive Order 117 closing K-12 public schools until at least March 30 and banning gatherings of more than 100 people
• March 16: NCDHHS recommends no mass gatherings for more than 50 people
• March 17: Cooper issues Executive Order 118 limiting operations of restaurants and bars, and broadening unemployment insurance benefits
• March 23: Cooper issues Executive Order 120 which closes public K-12 schools through May 15 and orders businesses such as barbershops and salons to close.
• March 25: North Carolina reports its first coronavirus-related deaths
• March 29: Trump extends social distancing orders through the end of April
• March 31: Cooper signs Executive Order 124 which prohibits utilities from disconnecting people who are unable to pay during the pandemic.
• April 7: Cooper will sign executive orders limiting customers in retailers and offers child care assistance to certain workers
• April 14: Coronavirus-related deaths top 100 in North Carolina
• April 24: Cooper extends stay-at-home order to May 8

Source: Fox 8 News Channel