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'I was frustrated': NC woman gets $6K in unemployment after months-long wait

Lois Hodge said she'd been waiting three months on more than $6,000 in unemployment. With nowhere else to turn, she contacted WCNC Charlotte for help.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman is feeling good after she finally got more than $6,000 in unemployment the state owed her thanks to WCNC Charlotte's Defenders

Lois Hodge said she was at her wit's end with North Carolina's unemployment system. Hodge was waiting on $6,000 in unemployment the state owed her. She waited months for an answer before she turned to WCNC Charlotte to help get through the red tape. 

"You get someone different every time you call the Division of Employment Security and you have to share your story all over again," Hodge said. "I waited three months. I was frustrated."

In the meantime, she was paying bills on a credit card and the debt was piling up. It wasn't long after Hodge contacted the Defenders that the wrinkle was looked at and she got her $6,000. 

Hodge isn't alone. Frustrations with unemployment are still happening and the backlog of payments due is growing. 

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RELATED: Marine 'Gets McGinty' to help get unemployment benefits

"Thank you, thank you," Hodge said. 

The job market and overall economy have been recovering from the collapse of the spring of 2020. The rollout of vaccines this year has encouraged businesses to reopen or expand their hours and sent cooped-up consumers back out to visit restaurants, bars and shops.

WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to the Defenders team by emailing money@wcnc.com.

Still, the health crisis isn't over. COVID-19 cases are ticking up as the highly contagious delta variant spreads among the unvaccinated. The United States is reporting an average of more than 50,000 new cases a day, up from fewer than 12,000 a day in late June. The increase in cases could have economic consequences if governments decide to restrict business activity again or if consumers choose to stay at home as a precaution.

For now, though, the economy is so strong that many businesses say they can't find workers. Employers posted a record 9.2 million job openings in May, advertising vacancies faster than applicants can fill them.

RELATED: Charlotte man who lost his job in 2019 finally gets unemployment back pay

If you need help getting your unemployment benefits corrected in North or South Carolina, email Bill McGinty at bmcginty@wcnc.com.

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