CONCORD — New Hampshire received 13,500 new unemployment benefit claims in just three days since the state extended the program, a staggering number that underscores the economic hardship wrought by the spread of the coronavirus.
Still, thousands more have been unable to file their claims because of the “unprecedented volume” of calls and online traffic from workers in desperate need of financial assistance.
To deal with the flood of workers affected who have lost jobs as a result of the virus, state officials are asking people to call the state hotline (603-271-7700) at different times of the day based on the first letter of their last name.
Those with names beginning with the letters T-Z, for example, were asked to call Friday between noon and midnight. Those with names starting with the letters A-L were asked to call after midnight Friday until noon Saturday. Call schedules can be found online at New Hampshire Employment Security.
To give some perspective on the rate of new Granite State unemployment applications, the recession of 2009 saw an average of 4,000 new claims a week, according to Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Employment Security Rich Lavers. This week, the state has processed about 4,000 claims a day with many more unable to get through.
Workers can file claims by phone and online, but the website has been crippled by the high volume of users.
“We know that people are having difficulty getting into the system and registering,” said Richard Lavers, deputy commissioner of New Hampshire Employment Security. “There are a lot of bandwidth issues we are experiencing.”
The crush of claims comes as restaurants, bars, hotels, retail stores and other businesses have resorted to mass layoffs across the state, as federal officials advise residents to stay clear of public gatherings and business has plummeted.
Gov. Chris Sununu said that the state is racing to accept the new applicants and maintain the web portal, which has seen some service interruptions in recent days.
“There’s a big run on that system,” Sununu said. “And we ask people to be patient as they go through that process.”
Sununu signed an executive order Tuesday expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits to those who are quarantined, sick or caring for people sickened from the virus, self-employed and caring for children.
That came a day after a state order Monday that barred restaurants and bars from allowing patrons to dine on the premises, limiting sales to takeout, delivery and drive-thru. Most U.S. states have implemented similar bans.
Workers like Robert Eden started the week with three different part-time jobs, putting in hours at Newick’s seafood, the Olive Garden, and Dick’s Sporting Goods in Concord. By Friday he lost all three jobs and was having trouble getting through on the state’s hotline.
Even as the applications flow, some say the unemployment benefits might not be enough on their own to allow many to bridge the crisis.
The payout can be between $32 to $427 a week, depending on income. Sen. Dan Feltes, a Concord Democrat and candidate for governor, has argued that the emergency benefit should be at minimum $250 a week, regardless of income.
One nonprofit has seen the effects of the mass displacement firsthand.
The Nashua-based MY TURN helps young adults 14 to 24 years old enter job training and internships to get them to new careers. The mass layoffs this week, though, is a whole new ball game.
“A lot of people that come to us are working in those positions that would have been eliminated this week,” said Allison Joseph, executive director of MY TURN. “Food service, retail. If the jobs were not eliminated, the hours would have been significantly cut back.”
In different times, MY TURN’s goal at this point would be to enroll the youths in workforce programs, skills training and eventually internships. Now, the primary objective is unemployment benefits.
MY TURN has been directing its young clients to the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security’s website and phone hotline since Tuesday, when Sununu issued the order expanding access to benefits. But there are other immediate needs.
Young parents are running low on diapers and food. Others are struggling with transportation since bus travel is no longer a safe or reliable replacement for a car.
The nonprofit, which has a food pantry of its own, has delivered around 50 shipments of diapers, wipes, food staples and other needs in its 13 locations across the state, including Manchester and Franklin, Joseph said.
“We’ve done food and supply deliveries for anxiety’s sake, so they’re not worried how they’re going to feed their kids,” Joseph said.
And as the paychecks dissipate, the hardships likely will increase, Joseph added.
As far as jobs, not all is bleak. Some industries, like grocery and warehousing, are actively hiring, and there are opportunities in the gig economy too.
Still, Joseph said: “People are in shock right now a little bit. I have a sense that this hasn’t really sunk in for the young people we work with.”