Your unemployment questions answered: Replay of our Town Hall special

TRENTON – As tens of thousands of out-of-work residents struggle to get their unemployment benefits, New Jersey 101.5 sat face-to-face with the state's top labor official during an online-exclusive town hall 7 p.m. Thursday.

During the half-hour program, host Eric Scott spoke with Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo about what people can do to get the money they need. A replay of the program will be available on our Facebook page and our YouTube channel.

Asaro-Angelo answered previously submitted questions from desperate residents who have been struggling to navigate the unemployment system, watching their savings dwindle as their bills and debts mount. New Jersey 101.5 and the Labor Department selected the cases in the hope that they could serve as a template for other similar cases.

After a recent 11-week benefit extension that helped nearly 75,000 claimants who had been cut off from benefits, state officials recently said that as many as 20,000 people a week are being denied claims because they are accidentally providing the wrong answers to a federally mandated questionnaire.

How do you file a claim correctly? How do you get through the system? New Jersey 101.5's Unemployment Town Hall had some answers — although, for too many who joined the live program on our Facebook page, it still is not enough.

Here is some feedback we received from some of the people we helped.

I cant thank you enough for your help in getting through the nightmare called unemployment. In a little over a week you we're able to do what I haven't been able to do since 1/17. Today I received 3 payments, while the amount received is different that than the benefit rate at least you were able to get my foot in the door.

Hi, I just wanted to let you know I was able to claim last weekend and got my money Monday. I want to thank you for your help. I'm not sure if it was you or somebody else, but thanks for what you did. I'm so relieved I don't have to stress anymore.

I wanted to let you know that I finally got approved from unemployment and I received my first payment today. THANK YOU

Never miss a special town hall again — download our app.