Unemployment Workers Union Files Amended Class Action Complaints
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- An amendment filed on Wednesday in Baltimore City Court adds fuel to the fire burning amongst Maryland's unemployed workers.
Ten names of people struggling with unemployment were added to the lawsuit and they plan to testify about their hardships, especially when dealing with the system.
On Sept. 6 the additional $300 dollars people are getting from the federal government will stop but some people say they have not been paid that money in weeks - some months.
The attorney for the unemployed workers union filed an amended class action complaint adding the names of ten people to the lawsuit. He said that is just a fraction of Marylanders who are having a hard time getting help from the unemployment system.
"We think at least 50,000 Marylanders, maybe more, but it's a lot I mean the fact that we have met 4,000 people alone," said Alec Summerfield, attorney for unemployed workers union.
Among those 4,000 are workers like Stephen Ceci who stopped getting paid a few months back because of what he is calling a simple paperwork mistake. He's now he's fighting to get the benefits back.
"I want the money owed to me I have worked since I was a teenager. I'm owed that money," said Ceci.
Ceci worked as a bartender at the Westin Hotel near the airport but said he hasn't been able to find work since. "I apply to all different types of jobs."
The class-action lawsuit alleges Maryland Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson is in violation of state law by not giving people enough communication about their claim, quickly banning them to the fraud list and allowing the claims process to take more than eight weeks.
Attorney Summerfield said the state is sitting on about $100 million in unpaid benefits. The federal benefits were only extended until Sept. 6 after a judge ruled they would be. Governor Hogan wanted the aide to end in July because he said it's preventing businesses from being able to get workers.
Summerfield tells WJZ he wants this cleared up for those who are unemployed sooner rather than later.
"At what point do we force the governor and Secretary Robinson to be better? Pay these people what they are owed," said Summerfield.
WJZ reached out to the governor's office for comment but has not heard back.
In regards to that complaint, the attorney tells me he is hoping to hear back from the judge by tomorrow to discuss steps moving forward. He hopes to get a hearing on the schedule.
