Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on government integrity and quality of life issues, and we always provide our news for free.
You can read all of our coronavirus/COVID-19 coverage by signing up for our Wisconsin COVID-19 Update newsletter, and please consider becoming a member to support our nonprofit journalism.
Wisconsinites during the pandemic have filed some 2.4 million unemployment claims, and nearly 400,000 have yet to be processed — leaving many waiting for weeks and even months without income while the quagmire fuels partisan bickering. Today we highlight our latest story, which focuses on a subset of claims that the Department of Workforce Development has denied.
Bram Sable-Smith, a WPR fellow embedded in the Wisconsin Watch newsroom, reports that a 2013 Wisconsin law prevents laid-off workers on federal disability from getting state unemployment. Now the state is denying them federal pandemic aid too, citing reasoning that some unemployment law experts are criticizing.
The result: laid-off people with disabilities cannot collect federal disaster relief during the nation’s worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
We also draw your attention to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story chronicling two decades of inaction on the state’s outmoded unemployment system, despite many warnings.
Top Stories
‘I cried for days’: Wisconsin blocks pandemic payments for federal disability aid recipients — Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin’s overwhelmed unemployment system comes after years of warnings about its weaknesses — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Much still unknown, but in 12 weeks hospitals have become far better prepared to treat coronavirus patients — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
As economy reopens, child care providers grapple with how to stay safe, and afloat —WPR
Pastor and wife battle COVID-19 — Beloit Daily News
What are we missing? And how are you coping? Help us provide critical information and accountability by filling out this form or emailing us at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Government updates
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
U.S. Centers and Disease Control and Prevention
Live updates
Live coverage from USA Today-Wisconsin reporters
Live coverage from Wisconsin State Journal reporters
Quotable
“The legacy of racism is also seen in the harsh disparities in health outcomes for Black people, once again laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. The only way to work toward justice is to replace systemic racism with a society based on equity, and that is what Milwaukee County government is committed to doing.”
Marcelia Nicholson, chairwoman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, as quoted by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Data to note
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 140 new COVID-19 cases on Monday. The new cases accounted for 3.9% of total tests, continuing a downward trend in recent weeks. DHS also reported three new deaths, bringing the state’s total during the pandemic to 595.
Here’s a look at the latest trends in COVID-19 diagnoses from our partners at WisContext.
!function(e,i,n,s){var t=”InfogramEmbeds”,d=e.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement(“script”);o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src=”https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js”,d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,”infogram-async”); !function(e,i,n,s){var t=”InfogramEmbeds”,d=e.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement(“script”);o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src=”https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js”,d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,”infogram-async”);Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Wisconsin’s LGBTQ communities recognize, celebrate Pride Month despite COVID-19 limitations — Green Bay Press-Gazette
Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Update may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
