CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's been months since the COVID-19 pandemic put millions of Americans out of work and for many people in North Carolina, they're still having a tough time collecting unemployment benefits or pandemic unemployment assistance.
Meagan Battaglia quit her job in late February to open her own business, which was shut down during the COVID-19 lockdown. Since then, it's been tough times for Battaglia, who couldn't afford her apartment and was forced to move back in with her parents.
"It was bad timing for me, because I had just quit my job to open up my own business and not even two weeks later, COVID hit and I had to close," Battaglia said.
Battaglia put in her unemployment claim in March and has been waiting for assistance ever since.
Photos from inside Battaglia’s new spa business show the promise of tomorrow, a tomorrow when the pandemic orders are lifted, and the virus is gone. In the meantime, Battaglia waits, and because of the gray circumstances of her employment, she was denied unemployment, then came the fight to get pandemic assistance.
WCNC Charlotte's Defenders got to work and emailed the North Carolina Department of Employment Security, trying to help sort out Battaglia’s claim. DES was very responsive and helped WCNC Charlotte make this a win in a very short period.
“Not even two weeks later, I got it, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it” Battaglia said.