The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday people in Alabama who experienced delays with their unemployment claims during the coronavirus pandemic can sue the state over the issue.
This decision follows a previous rejection by the Alabama Supreme Court of a lawsuit filed by 21 individuals who faced long waits for decisions on their claims, some of whom never received a decision or saw benefits suddenly stopped. In one case, a man's claim was dismissed after missing a deadline while on a ventilator.
The Alabama Supreme Court had dismissed the lawsuit, stating that plaintiffs must go through the unemployment agency's appeals process before suing. However, the U.S. Supreme Court disagreed, saying that this approach created an unfair situation.
