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Former Crozer Health system employees struggle to access unemployment benefits

Employees struggle to access unemployment benefits weeks after Crozer Health system closes
Employees struggle to access unemployment benefits weeks after Crozer Health system closes 02:23

More than a month after the Crozer Health system collapsed, some laid-off employees are struggling to get the unemployment benefits they're entitled to.

Michael Winston, a former Crozer janitor, said he has applied for unemployment benefits several times, but keeps getting denied.

"They rejected a lot of people," Winston said. "Everybody that I've talked to, that filed for unemployment…nobody has got an answer."

A total of 2,651 employees were laid off when Taylor Hospital shut down on April 26 and Crozer Chester Medical Center permanently closed on May 2.

Julia Simon-Mishel, supervising attorney at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, said many people face challenges when trying to access unemployment benefits.

"The largest percentage of workers who come to see us there are struggling to get access to an online account," Simon-Mishel said. "They are struggling to set up a username and password, to recover their username and password, to do identity authentication in order to get access to the online portal."

Simon-Mishel co-hosted a webinar Thursday night to help former Crozer employees overcome some of those barriers. Her organization offers free legal services year-round.

"In today's unemployment system, there are a lot of additional requirements for continuing eligibility, and that can trip people up, and that can cause folks to get disqualified along the way or hold up payments," Simon-Mishel said.

Those payments are crucial for many families to make ends meet. Winston, a father of 11, said he'll continue to wait.

"We need that unemployment to get us through, pay our bills, mortgages and stuff like that," Winston said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's Office told CBS News Philadelphia that he has worked hard to help Crozer employees. 

A spokesperson for the governor's office said records show payments were sent directly to Winston's debit card. CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to Winston about this statement and is waiting to hear back.  

Lee Scoratow, attorney for Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said getting started can be the hardest part.

"If people were never familiar and never contemplating applying for unemployment in their lives, then it could be quite a daunting process," Lee Scoratow, attorney for Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, said.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry said in a statement that they have provided comprehensive support to Crozer Health workers affected by layoffs, and has so far paid UC benefits to more than 1,000 former Crozer employees, with hundreds of others currently in the process of applying.

"But our support of this workforce goes beyond UC and has been available well before the hospitals' doors closed. L&I's Rapid Response team, in partnership with the PA CareerLink® system, has held more than a dozen informational meetings, including one just this week, to help former workers connect with employers, resources, and reemployment support services they need to rebound after sudden loss in employment. The Department also helped launch a Transition Center for former Crozer employees at the Drexeline Town Center, where PA CareerLink® staff are available Monday through Friday to assist with Unemployment Compensation (UC) applications, job searches, and training opportunities," the Department of Labor & Industry said.

"The informational meetings and transition center are part of a broader effort to support affected workers and their families, which included a job fair hosted by L&I at Subaru Park in Chester. The event brought together more than 200 employers and community organizations and connected over 1,000 displaced Crozer workers with potential job opportunities and other critical career resources," the department continued.

"It's important to note that UC eligibility is not automatic. Each claim is reviewed individually under Pennsylvania law. Some former Crozer employees have qualified for benefits, while others may not, depending on their specific circumstances, including how they separated from employment and their prior earnings history," the department said.

Steps to gain unemployment compensation

Here are the next steps for people who are facing issues with unemployment compensation:

  1. Visit Philadelphia Legal Assistance's webpage, UCHelp.org. The webinar recording and other resources are posted at: .
  2. Crozer Health alumni can also contact the . If you receive a denial of your unemployment compensation claim, appeal the denial.
  3. For further assistance with claim denials or claim troubleshooting, contact or your local state representative or senator.
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