Tag: Pandemic

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Are you a worker? Do you feel #LostInTheSystem?

Workers Lost in the System, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, OH, job loss, pandemic, COVID-19, news

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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Ohio in early spring, most residents couldn’t have predicted the economic impact it would have. Like many others, maintenance technician Noah Bowler (name changed to protect client privacy) lost work when the state shut down and immediately applied for unemployment benefits.

Noah’s hopes for relief were dashed when Ohio’s Department of Job and Family Services denied his application, claiming he did not meet the minimum amount of weeks worked to qualify. Noah knew this was not true, yet he felt helpless on his own up against a complicated administrative system. He contacted Legal Aid and a paralegal helped him file an appeal with all of the appropriate documents. The appeal was approved, and Noah now has the financial support to weather the pandemic.

“The Ohio unemployment compensation system was not set-up for the type of volume we’ve seen in 2020,” explained Tom Mlakar, deputy director at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. “Sadly, so many lives depend today on this safety net. The stability that UC brings helps people remain stable as they anticipate returning to work. UC benefits help pay for rent, food and other basic needs.”

Ohio’s unemployment system, operated by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, has seen unprecedented numbers of applications since the pandemic began. These issues have been further complicated by the complex system of multiple layers of programs being offered right now by both the state and the federal government. Legal Aid is encouraging people who have been waiting for five or more weeks to contact them.

“Our team is poised and ready to stand by the side of people who need help,” Mlakar explained. “Knowledge is power in this uncertain time, and our Legal Aid staff can do important problem-solving work.”

In early April 2020, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland launched a Worker Information Line, for people who were unsure about talking with an attorney and perhaps just needed a question answered. If a caller asks a question that needs legal action, they are immediately referred into Legal Aid’s intake system.

The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland is also available to help anyone who may have been denied benefits. “The appeals process can be intimidating, and sometimes, people can be wrongly denied,” Mlakar said. “Legal Aid can help people through the process of appeals.”

Think you need help? Contact the Worker Information Line or contact Legal Aid for legal help by visiting: https://lasclev.org/contact/.  Online intake is open 24/7 and phone lines are open during most business hours.

Visit www.lasclev.org for more information Legal Aid’s work to extend justice throughout Northeast Ohio.

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Childcare centers struggle to survive during the pandemic

Triskett CHILD CARE CENTER SUBMITTED

By Jerry Masek
   

“If Ohio is going back to work, we need child care.”   

That opinion, shared by many, is painfully clear to Horizon Education Centers Executive Director David Smith.

Horizon operates 12 facilities, including one next to the Triskett Rapid Station in West Park.   

Horizon spent $2.7 million to build that center. It opened in May 2019, with a full capacity of 210 students. Within a year, it served 160 students each day. The site is popular with commuters who can drop off their children before riding the Rapid to jobs Downtown and in University Circle.

When COVID-19 hit…    

Like much of Ohio, the center closed in mid-March. When it reopened in June, the daily capacity was capped at 68 children via state restrictions.

The children are there but the revenue is not enough to cover expenses. 

“It’s like we are selling $5 bills for $4 each,” Smith said. “We are losing about $10,00 each month. The challenge is the same for all 12 facilities. We may have to temporarily shut down the Triskett center again.”

Where did the other students go?   

Smith said many parents found alternative care, such as high school students or older siblings home for the summer. A survey found that 70-percent of parents are single heads of their household. The survey also showed that 80-percent of parents who continue to use Horizon are “essential workers,” with jobs in grocery stores, transportation and health care.   

Even if state restrictions are lifted, the classrooms may be hard to fill right away, Smith says. Many parents have a fear of COVID and most already have made alternative plans for the summer. When schools re-open, the need for Horizon centers will increase. 

More state aid would help Horizon stay open until fall. Horizon has received some federal aid, but not nearly enough.   

“If Ohio could lift its group size restrictions, it would give us a fighting chance, “Smith said.  “If Ohio is going back to work, we need child care.”