'He Needs Jobless Benefits. He Was Told to Find a Fax Machine.' diff viewer (1/2)

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He Needs Jobless Benefits. He Was Told to Find a Fax Machine.	He Needs Jobless Benefits. He Was Told to Find a Fax Machine.
2020-04-04 23:04:19 UTC	2020-06-05 09:54:18 UTC (2 months later)
Mohammed Saiful Islam got a taste of how antiquated the technology that runs New York State’s unemployment-insurance system is when he had to go to a Staples store in the middle of a pandemic to fax his pay stubs to Albany.	Mohammed Saiful Islam got a taste of how antiquated the technology that runs New York State’s unemployment-insurance system is when he had to go to a Staples store in the middle of a pandemic to fax his pay stubs to Albany.
Mr. Islam, a Lyft driver who lives in Queens and has been idled by the outbreak, is among more than 450,000 New Yorkers who have tried, often in vain, to apply for unemployment benefits in the past three weeks.	Mr. Islam, a Lyft driver who lives in Queens and has been idled by the outbreak, is among more than 450,000 New Yorkers who have tried, often in vain, to apply for unemployment benefits in the past three weeks.
As he and many others discovered, the state’s archaic systems were woefully unprepared for the deluge of claims. In Mr. Islam’s case, he said it took him four days to reach someone who could explain what he had to do to complete the application process.	As he and many others discovered, the state’s archaic systems were woefully unprepared for the deluge of claims. In Mr. Islam’s case, he said it took him four days to reach someone who could explain what he had to do to complete the application process.
State officials admitted as recently as last summer that there were problems with the technology used for such applications, describing New York’s unemployment-insurance systems as relics from the heyday of mainframe computers.	State officials admitted as recently as last summer that there were problems with the technology used for such applications, describing New York’s unemployment-insurance systems as relics from the heyday of mainframe computers.
The software programs that run the systems were “written in the 1970s and 1980s and remain constrained by the technology of that era,” officials wrote while seeking bids as part of a planned modernization project.	The software programs that run the systems were “written in the 1970s and 1980s and remain constrained by the technology of that era,” officials wrote while seeking bids as part of a planned modernization project.
In March, when hundreds of thousands of workers whose jobs had suddenly evaporated started trying to log onto the Labor Department website or call its phone lines, the systems failed.	In March, when hundreds of thousands of workers whose jobs had suddenly evaporated started trying to log onto the Labor Department website or call its phone lines, the systems failed.
Would-be applicants’ frustration grew as their computer screens froze repeatedly and their calls went unanswered for days. Some attempts to apply for benefits yielded a pop-up message that suggested using Netscape, a browser that effectively no longer exists.	Would-be applicants’ frustration grew as their computer screens froze repeatedly and their calls went unanswered for days. Some attempts to apply for benefits yielded a pop-up message that suggested using Netscape, a browser that effectively no longer exists.
Mr. Islam, who had never applied for jobless benefits in the 35 years since he immigrated from Bangladesh, said he was taken aback to hear that he had to find a fax machine to complete his claim.	Mr. Islam, who had never applied for jobless benefits in the 35 years since he immigrated from Bangladesh, said he was taken aback to hear that he had to find a fax machine to complete his claim.
But he put on a face mask and gloves and warily trudged off to a Staples store. Late this week, he was still waiting to hear how much he would receive, and when.	But he put on a face mask and gloves and warily trudged off to a Staples store. Late this week, he was still waiting to hear how much he would receive, and when.
“Scary things are going on in our life right now,” Mr. Islam, 49, said in an interview from the home he shares with his wife and four children.	“Scary things are going on in our life right now,” Mr. Islam, 49, said in an interview from the home he shares with his wife and four children.
New York’s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, acknowledged the problems with the unemployment-claims process on Tuesday.	New York’s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, acknowledged the problems with the unemployment-claims process on Tuesday.
“I apologize for the pain,” Mr. Cuomo said at a news conference. “It must be infuriating to deal with.”	“I apologize for the pain,” Mr. Cuomo said at a news conference. “It must be infuriating to deal with.”
The Labor Department, he said, had received 1.2 million calls the day before, after getting more than seven million calls last week. But the state reported just 80,000 claims for the week that ended March 20 and just 370,000 last week, far fewer than either California and Pennsylvania reported.	The Labor Department, he said, had received 1.2 million calls the day before, after getting more than seven million calls last week. But the state reported just 80,000 claims for the week that ended March 20 and just 370,000 last week, far fewer than either California and Pennsylvania reported.
“The staff at the Department of Labor are killing themselves to try to deal with this situation,” said Richard Blum, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society who advocates for worker protections and benefits. “But the problems that they and applicants are facing are the results of long-term disinvestment in the system.”	“The staff at the Department of Labor are killing themselves to try to deal with this situation,” said Richard Blum, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society who advocates for worker protections and benefits. “But the problems that they and applicants are facing are the results of long-term disinvestment in the system.”
Department officials did not respond to repeated inquiries about the computer systems.	Department officials did not respond to repeated inquiries about the computer systems.
New York is not the only state having trouble handling the tidal wave of unemployment claims.	New York is not the only state having trouble handling the tidal wave of unemployment claims.
On Thursday, the executive director of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity publicly apologized after the state’s unemployment website failed. Auditors had warned the governor, Ron DeSantis, about problems with the website last year.	On Thursday, the executive director of Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity publicly apologized after the state’s unemployment website failed. Auditors had warned the governor, Ron DeSantis, about problems with the website last year.
Connecticut has a backlog that could take five weeks to process because its computer system is also at least 40 years old, said Nancy Steffens, a spokeswoman for the state’s Labor Department.	Connecticut has a backlog that could take five weeks to process because its computer system is also at least 40 years old, said Nancy Steffens, a spokeswoman for the state’s Labor Department.
Ms. Steffens said that Connecticut has had to resort to recruiting retirees who knew how to program in COBOL, a nearly extinct computer language. Connecticut and four other states are involved in a joint project meant to overhaul their systems but it will not be finished before next year, she said.	Ms. Steffens said that Connecticut has had to resort to recruiting retirees who knew how to program in COBOL, a nearly extinct computer language. Connecticut and four other states are involved in a joint project meant to overhaul their systems but it will not be finished before next year, she said.
New York is not part of that effort. Instead, in 2017, the state sought bids for a “solution” to its unemployment-insurance system. Last year, it awarded a $56 million, five-year contract for that solution to Tata Consultancy Services, which is based in Mumbai.	New York is not part of that effort. Instead, in 2017, the state sought bids for a “solution” to its unemployment-insurance system. Last year, it awarded a $56 million, five-year contract for that solution to Tata Consultancy Services, which is based in Mumbai.
In a subsequent solicitation last July, the state used similar wording to describe its “outdated and expensive mainframe-based” systems, suggesting that the modernization effort would take more time.	In a subsequent solicitation last July, the state used similar wording to describe its “outdated and expensive mainframe-based” systems, suggesting that the modernization effort would take more time.
The repeated crashing of New York’s online application system was a relatively minor setback for Elizabeth Lucia, considering what she has been through lately. Ms. Lucia, who is 30 and several months pregnant, lost two jobs on the same night last month.	The repeated crashing of New York’s online application system was a relatively minor setback for Elizabeth Lucia, considering what she has been through lately. Ms. Lucia, who is 30 and several months pregnant, lost two jobs on the same night last month.
After Mr. Cuomo ordered nonessential work to stop, she could no longer do either her main job, at the furniture chain Raymour & Flanigan, or her side gig in real-estate sales. Raymour & Flanigan later furloughed her, but the company said it would keep her on its health-insurance plan.	After Mr. Cuomo ordered nonessential work to stop, she could no longer do either her main job, at the furniture chain Raymour & Flanigan, or her side gig in real-estate sales. Raymour & Flanigan later furloughed her, but the company said it would keep her on its health-insurance plan.
Ms. Lucia, who lives in Vestal, N.Y., heard recently that property showings were still allowed, but she decided to stay home anyway.	Ms. Lucia, who lives in Vestal, N.Y., heard recently that property showings were still allowed, but she decided to stay home anyway.
“I need to be healthy to give birth in a month,” she explained.	“I need to be healthy to give birth in a month,” she explained.
Now, she said, she was counting on unemployment checks to cover her rent and mounting expenses.	Now, she said, she was counting on unemployment checks to cover her rent and mounting expenses.
“I already have a medical bill in the mail for $1,100 that I’m trying to figure out what to do with,” she said, adding that “getting unemployment would be a matter of sinking or swimming.”	“I already have a medical bill in the mail for $1,100 that I’m trying to figure out what to do with,” she said, adding that “getting unemployment would be a matter of sinking or swimming.”
	Updated June 2, 2020
	Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.
	Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
	States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
	Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
	Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
	If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
	More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.
	Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
	The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
	If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.