As Idahoans prepare to pay rent, Labor Dept. sees 'dramatic increase' in benefits claims

With the layoffs caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, state employees with the Department of Labor tell us people are scrambling to ensure they have enough money in their bank accounts.

THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC... HASWREAKED HAVOC ONTHE ECONOMY...DRIVING LAYOFFS...AND TANKING THESTOCK MARKET.MANY FOLKS...SUDDENLY LOSINGTHEIR INCOME... ANDTHEIR RETIREMENTAT THE SAME TIME.WITH THE FIRST OFTHE MONTHLOOMING... THE CITYOF BOISE... ISWORKING TO CURBEVICTIONS.THE MAYOR ISFORGIVING APRILRENT ON CITY-OWNED RENTALPROPERTIES... BUTWHAT ABOUT PRIVATECOMPANIES?OUR MADELINEWHITE HAS MORE...AS SOME RESIDENTSCONFRONT THEPROSPECT OFLOSING THEIRHOMES... IN THEMIDST OF APANDEMIC."RENT ISN'T DUE FORABOUT ANOTHERWEEK BUT WITH THELAYOFFS CAUSED BYTHE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC, STATEEMPLOYEES WITHTHE DEPARTMENT OFLABOR TELL MEPEOPLE ARESCRAMBLING TOENSURE THEY HAVEENOUGH MONEY INTHEIR BANKACCOUNTS."TO A LANDLORD, ALIRABE SAYS HAVINGAN EVICTION ONYOUR RECORDLOOKS ALMOST ASBAD AS HAVING ACRIME ON YOURRECORD."EVICTION DOESN'TALWAYS LEAD TOHOMELESSNESS BUTOFTENTIMES ITDOES."THAT'S WHY AT JESSETREE SHE SAYSTHEY'RE TRIAGING."WE'RE OPERATINGLIKE YOU KNOW ANEMERGENCY ROOMIN A HOSPITAL BUTFOR PEOPLE THATARE BEING EVICTED."SHE SAYS WHENCOVID-19 FIRST CAMETO IDAHO.

THEYCALLED UP ALL THELANDLORDS ANDPROPERTYMANAGERS IN THEIRROLODEX AND ASKEDTHEM HOW THEY'DRESPOND TO THIS."AND SO FAR UMEVERYONE SAIDTHEY WERE JUSTGONNA PROCEEDFORWARD, BUSINESSAS USUAL."SHE SAYS ADACOUNTYCOMMISSIONERS AREWORKING ON ACOUNTY-WIDEMORATORIUM ONEVICTIONS, BUT IT'STOO EARLY TO TELL IFTHEY'LL BE ABLE TOGO AROUND A STATESTATUTE TO DO THAT.BUT I SPOKE TO THEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR AND ONETHING'S FOR SUREAMID AN ECONOMICDOWNTURN,IDAHOANS AREREACHING OUT FORHELP."THE VOLUME HASINCREASEDDRAMATICALLY."SHE'S TALKINGABOUT THE NUMBEROF CLAIMS THEY'RENOW RECEIVING"AS YOU CAN IMAGINEOUR CALL VOLUME ISQUITE HEAVY RIGHTNOW."FROM IDAHOANSSEEKINGUNEMPLOYMENTINSURANCE BENEFITSFROM THE STATE.MOSTLY FOLKSATTACHED TOPROFESSIONS LIKETHE ONES ON YOURSCREEN.

(FOODSERVICES,ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION,LOCAL GOVERNMENT,EDUCATION, RETAILTRADE,TRANSPORTATION)"IF SOMEONE WERETO RECEIVE UH THEIRBENEFITS BEFOREAPRIL 1ST, SO THAT'STHE DAY THEY PAYRENT, RIGHT?

WHATDATE WOULD THEYHAVE HAD TO APPLYFOR THEM?" "THEYWOULD HAVE HAD TOAPPLY THE WEEKENDENDING THE 21ST."IF GOOD NEWS CANBE FOUND HERE IT'STHAT SHE SAYSTHESE PEOPLE AREFOR THE MOST PARTONLY TEMPORARILYAT A LOSS FORWORK."THESE PEOPLE AREJOB-ATTACHEDMEANING THAT IF ATALL POSSIBLE, THEYWILL BE RETURNINGTO THEIR EMPLOYERWHEN THIS BEGINSTO SUBSIDE ANDTHEIR BUSINESSESCAN REOPEN.""IF YOU'RE LOOKINGTO FILE ANUNEMPLOYMENTCLAIM, THOSEDEPARTMENT OFLABOR EMPLOYEESTELL ME YOU SHOULDUSE THE ONLINEPORTAL A LINK FORTHAT CAN BE FOUNDON 6 ON YOUR SIDEDOT COM.

MADELINEWHITE.

6 ON YOURSIDE."