Employer must submit paperwork before woman can get unemployment benefits

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Shinon Mayfield just wants to support her family.

“I'm a single mom of two and my youngest is actually a special needs child,” Mayfield said.

As a daycare teacher at the Learning Care Group in Huntersville, she was furloughed in March after they stay-at-home order. She filed for unemployment, but her claim is still pending and she hasn’t received a single benefit.

“I have not gotten paid since I was let go March 25th,” Mayfield said.

Anyone who has had issues with their unemployment claim knows it’s challenging to get anyone at the Division of Employment Security on the phone. However, she was in contact with an agent through an online chat. The chat history she shared with WBTV shows that DES still did not have her employer’s separation information form.

“They said that my paperwork had not been submitted yet,” Mayfield said.

According to the DES website an employer has ten days after an employee has filed a claim to file the separation information form.

Mayfield told WBTV that her employer said the paperwork has been submitted so she's not sure where things are breaking down.

WBTV contacted The Learning Group. A spokesperson told us that since this issue was brought to their attention they would look into it immediately.

A representative for DES did not respond to our requests for comment about how frequently this is happening.

Mayfield says the stress of not having those benefits has been difficult.

“I’m out of work, there’s no money, I’m stressed,” Mayfield said.

Even though Mayfield has just started up work again she still is owed those benefits retroactively.

If you’ve had a similar issue with your unemployment claim email investigates@wbtv.com