“Unemployment is very emotional,” says Jason Suggs. “We are reaching into people’s very personal situations.” Suggs is an unemployment insurance professional in Maryland and president of AFSCME Local 3641 (Council 3). “It’s tough,” says Suggs. “Right now it’s tiring, but we’re proud to be there for them.” Like many states, reports AFSCME, Maryland was woefully unprepared for the huge flood of claims by workers who have been impacted by coronavirus-related layoffs. “These days, our office is serving more claimants than ever before,” said Suggs. “That’s increasing call volume. That’s increasing wait times. And that’s increasing frustrations.” But Suggs is proud to serve fellow Marylanders in their time of need. “The connection you make with the claimants, the ‘God bless you’s’ and the ‘thank you’s’ at the end of a call – those are the things that make this work rewarding,” Suggs said. “This will be a long road ahead, but we’re AFSCME. This is what we do.”
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