Gov Hasn’t Responded to Proposal to Expedite Military Veterans’ Unemployment Claims

Twenty-one senators sent letter last week proposing temporary reassignment of staff to handle vets’ unemployment claims

Cooper hasn’t even replied

Raleigh, N.C. — Last week, 21 North Carolina senators proposed to Governor Roy Cooper that he reassign staff from the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to address long-delayed unemployment insurance claims from military veterans and their families.

In their letter to the Governor, the senators wrote, “It is unacceptable that men and women who served our country cannot even get a response back from their government during their time of need.”

The Cooper Administration is failing to respond to military veterans’ unemployment needs and hasn’t responded to legislators who propose ways to fix it.

The Governor has also refused to allow unrestricted questions from the press for the entirety of this emergency.

Read the full letter from the senators here. The text is copied below.

Dear Governor Cooper,

We write to ask that you temporarily reassign staff from the N.C. Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to the N.C. Department of Commerce to process unemployment claims from military veterans and their families.

Over the course of 96 hours, 1,435 public comments were filed regarding your administration’s handling of unemployment claims, including some from military veterans who have been unable to speak with anybody at your unemployment insurance office.

A military spouse broke down crying at this week’s Senate Commerce Committee hearing, saying through tears, “We’re a family of six, and unemployment has yet to acknowledge us.” Another military spouse, who is an out-of-work restaurant employee, submitted a public comment, writing, “My husband is military, but we still rely on my pay to help as well. I’m going on week 8 with no movement.”

It is unacceptable that men and women who served our country cannot even get a response back from their government during their time of need. We request that you immediately assign staff from your Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to handle veteran-related unemployment claims.

Thank you for your consideration.