Unemployed Workers Union fights for benefits

The Unemployed Workers Union announced a lawsuit June 24 challenging Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s decision to end several pandemic unemployment programs early. The class-action lawsuit in Baltimore Circuit Court also seeks benefits for people whose cases have been pending in the state’s claims system.

Many claimants have been disqualified from benefits “without explanation or hearing” or “were placed in an ‘on-hold’ status for months at a time or indefinitely,” the lawsuit charges.

“The stories we have heard from people who have not received a dime — a dime — over the past year are beyond harrowing,” attorney Alec Summerfield said at a press conference in Baltimore before heading into the courthouse to file the lawsuit. “People who worked for decades now cannot afford to put food on the table. This is a disgrace.”