(LEX 18) — New data shows that Kentucky has the highest unemployment rate in the country as 36.3 percent of Kentucky's labor force has already filed.
But unfortunately, many people haven't received their unemployment benefits. One of those people is Ronada Maney who says she wasn't fired from working at Wal-Mart, but no longer felt safe there.
"I have COPD and anxiety and I've done really good without any medication, but it just intensified with the way the customers would get up on top of you," Maney said. "You're trying to put things on the shelves and everybody just wants to grab and get near you, my anxiety level got so high I couldn't function."
So in April, Ronada decided to call "People Ready" the company that contracted her to stock shelves at Wal-Mart. The next day she made a claim but it's now a month later and she says she still hasn't received any money.
"I have not received one payment," Maney said. "They sent me a letter in the mail saying I would get 168 dollars a week. They also sent me a debit card in the mail that's been active for three weeks, but there are no dollars that been sent out."
But since she hasn't received any money she's now had to dip into her 401K.
"I worked a job prior to that and had a small 401k of like a thousand dollars," Maney said. "By the time I get that out, but I need to help pay bills and get food for my mom."
She says what's even scarier for her though is that even that money will eventually run out too, which means if she doesn't get her unemployment she may have to return to work where she doesn't feel safe.
"I would rather not have [to collect] unemployment and be out there working. If people would properly wear their mask and protect us then I wouldn't be so scared to go back, but that's the main reason I don't want to go back because nobody wants to protect anyone else," Maney said.
