[Other] Hey all, I am a journalist writing a story on unemployment and the government's failure to extend economic relief. I'm looking to hear people's stories and how you've experienced this crisis.

I'm in Virginia , living with my old parents and brothers from a lower class family. Very Hard to make ends meet. I was Self employed until April , Pandemic Striked. Lost my job. In July Applied for PUA in Virginia because I didn't know earlier Self Employed is eligible. Unlike Cares Act law saying that unemployment should be backdated to when you were unemployed and Not when you apply , All Then Sudden Virginia Employment Comission decided to Not honor the law and change the program to when you apply rather than when became unemployed by law. This was so discriminatory. After than I have been living with only 158 a week from VEC. I also have week immune system , my parents are old. I cannot go back to work. Such a hard time , plus VEC never granted me under law what I was supposed to get. In another word I was approved for PUA in July before Cares Act Expire but they refused to backdate to my unemployment date and give me those $600 dollars by goverment. When asked why , they said you should have applied earlier !!! , such a compelling reason by them , when law clearly said to backdate to unemployment date and so did I before cares act expiring albeit a bit late since I found out late. Now I'm living in misery and povery and that backpay could have been a life changer.

/r/Unemployment Thread