MACON, Ga. — The coronavirus pandemic is sweeping the nation, leaving many Georgians jobless.
"This volume is something none of us have ever experienced before," says Georgia Department of Labor Director of Communications Kersha Cartwright.
The Georgia Department of Labor has processed almost a million claims -- that's 8 percent of the state.
Cartwright says many Georgians are wondering when they will receive benefits.
"We are receiving over 80,000 calls a day. Our phone system is not equipped to handle that."
If three to four weeks have passed and you still don't have money from the state, that's normal during this time. The time frame depends on which claim you filed.
"That process, you're looking at less than a week for those employees to see payment."
If your employer filed the claim, it's easier and quicker for the state to process.
With individual claims, it's a different story.
"During good times, you're looking at a 21-day window for individual claims. we are running a little behind on those, so you're looking at a week to 10-day delay on even starting those," says Cartwright.
The Department of Labor must verify wages with employers and get the go-ahead for you to file the claim.
If several weeks pass and you are still waiting, there may be misinformation on your claim that needs to be cleared up.
If you get benefits and the amount doesn't seem right, file an appeal.
"We can go back and look, maybe your employers didn't report your wages correctly, but we have to go with what's in the system, so you need to file an appeal."
Through these difficult times, the money may be crucial to everyday living.
This week, the state sent out over $3 million to support Georgians. It may take some time, but they plan to continue relieving people's financial burdens.
"People are getting money, we are sending that money out, and we hope that people are starting to see that in their bank accounts. We're working as hard as we can and we're getting to your claim, we're getting to your email, we're trying to answer your phone call."
If you have questions, Cartwright says to check their website to see if you can answer them there, before you call.
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