Stories Related to Iowans Still Waiting For Unemployment Benefits ‘barely Making Ends Meet’

For the past six weeks, Lisa Harbit has been trying to figure out how to make ends meet without any income.“You’re trying to make arrangements with your utility companies, your mortgage company, your car company, your insurance,” the North Liberty resident said. “Most places were willing to make arrangements with you for three or four weeks.”She’s supposed to be receiving federal pandemic unemployment benefits, but she’s been waiting for her latest check for more than a month.Many people across Iowa have been facing similarly difficult decisions as they go several weeks with no income and few answers from Iowa Workforce Development, the state agency tasked with overseeing unemployment insurance.“We’re in so much debt right now,” said Lorie Coon, a Cedar Rapids resident who has not received benefits since December.