Cheleste Moore took a position to conduct telephone voter surveys to earn extra money for her family but after just five days on the job she was dismissed and left without a salary or the unemployment benefits she was collecting before she was hired.
“The last time I was paid (by the Department of Economic Opportunity) was the week of July 5 to July 11,” she said. “The only thing I have is food stamps, that’s it.”
Moore said the phone survey job “wasn’t a good fit,” and after she was released from the position the Department of Economic Opportunity told her she needed to be patient as they reviewed her eligibility to renew her jobless benefits.
News 6 found the DEO website had the mother of two listed as having been discharged from BR Interviewing .
Moore’s DEO account is currently listed as active-redetermined but she is still waiting for benefits, looking for work and depending on relatives to make ends meet.
“I’m trying to go back to Waste Management right now," she said. "I had an interview with them recently.”
Moore had a long stint as a truck driver with Waste Management but left to take a job with a shredding company so she could spend more time with her son and daughter.
When COVID-19 hit she was furloughed after just one month on the job.
DEO Press Secretary Paige Landrum said the information has been sent “to our team to investigate further.”
In an email Landrum wrote in part: “if a claimant later quits or is discharged, the Department has to review and investigate the matter to determine claimant’s eligibility subsequent to that period of employment.”
Landrum said unemployment claimants should check their CONNECT inbox regularly to ensure responses to all questions are completed so the Department can determine the claimant’s employment and benefit eligibility status.
The Department has put together this video to help claimants navigate their CONNECT inbox.
If you have an unemployment benefits issue send an email with a copy of your DEO account to makenedsmeet@wkmg.com