Lauren's Virginia Unemployment Disqualification

GOAL EXCEEDED (we're overwhelmed) 

An IRL, up-to-date photo of smiles of relief that haven't been on our faces for months, let alone a day ago. In less than 24 hours, you all showed up for us, exceeding even the bill/amount we needed to pay. Words don't seem like enough to say thank you, but it's all we have. Thank you for your generosity, for lifting this weight, for helping to carry us and support us, for giving my sister some rest. Thank you. We love you. Thank you. 

Love, Kristen & Lauren

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ORIGINAL POST

As most of you know, my sister, Lauren, has been unemployed for most of the pandemic. To make a very, very, very long story as short as possible: She was applying for jobs while attending grad school full time for the past three years, and finally found a new job she was set to start in March. 

She gave notice to the local coffee shop here in ALX where she had worked for the past five years, and was finishing out her time there when the new job delayed her start date due to early pandemic-related state shutdowns. The coffee shop started layoffs due to pandemic economics. Lauren had her new job ready and waiting, so she adjusted her notice to one week instead of two, giving her last shifts to her coworkers who needed the income for their families. 

Two days after that last day at the coffee shop, Lauren's new job canceled her start date because they had to fully close their office. Lauren applied for unemployment, was approved by the VEC, and began looking for work elsewhere as her unemployment funds started to arrive. 

Fast forward a month or two (time is hazy at the moment, because pandemic), and the VEC informed her that she was disqualified since she left her job "without good cause", and that she had to pay back the 3,000 in benefits they had given her.

This is where I'm going to truncate a lot of things. We filed an appeal, and waited actual months for confirmation of receipt and a hearing. During that time, they sent her "bill" to collections, despite the appeal, and we've been hodgepodging together credit cards and the generosity of friends and family to get by since then.

Our appeal hearing was on November 11, and we got word today that we lost. Their reasoning is that Lauren never "officially had the job", since it was contingent on a background check, despite documentation from the new employer that she had a start date and that they don't inform you of successful passing of the BC, only if negative info is found/they cancel your start date. 

We had lawyers help us with appeal, our dad is a CPA/consultant, a whole crew of help to get us in good shape for the appeal, and we've done everything we can. VEC says Lauren still has to repay the 3,000. We don't have it. I don't know when or if we'll have it, even, to repay it if we had someone to borrow it from.

I could go on and on about everything else that has happened to Lauren, her roommate/best friend (who also lost her job due to the pandemic), how they're moving out of the area to live somewhere cheaper, how my parents have done and will continue to do everything they can, how our close friends/chosen family have sent money and help at a moment's notice, how my partner's job is unstable and his salary was cut so we don't have the money to hand to her.

In short: we need help with this. We hate asking for it, but we need it. 

We're grateful for you, reading this, wherever you are, whatever you can or can't do financially. We see you, and we love you, and we appreciate you. I'm out of words, and out of ideas, so we're here, friends. Asking for help. 

Thank you. 

Kristen, & Lauren, & Family.