RICHMOND, Va. -- I told you last week about Anne Atkinson who in March won her appeal of benefits that been denied by the Virginia Employment Commission more than a year ago.
She's been waiting for the VEC to pay up for a long time.
After our story, Commissioner Carrie Roth herself called Atkinson to assure her the VEC was on her case.
Then, something even stranger happened: the VEC put money into her checking account, but then took it away moments later. She saw both transactions after checking her bank account online.
Atkinson says she was excited to get the call but ultimately, found herself exasperated yet again with the VEC.
In the 36 hours since the money arrived, then disappeared Thursday, she was not able to get an answer from the VEC, not even on the number Commissioner Roth left her in case she had any questions.
“Why do you think the commissioner called you?" I asked Atkinson.
"She mentioned the news story,” said Atkinson. “She did say that she was aware of, or had been made aware of, the news story on Channel Six with my story and that she had her people working on it. Her team was working hard to find a resolution to my issue. So that was her and it was very kind, very nice. And I was just excited to get the voicemail. You know, I've got it saved on my phone."
"But you're still waiting?" I asked.
"Yes. No money this morning. I'm just going to hope for next week. Maybe it'll appear and not be reversed.”
But then, just before we went air with this follow-up Friday, Atkinson contacted me to say Roth had just called her to tell her the money would be there next week and that she didn’t understand what had happened with the deposit and rapid reversal.
I contacted VEC spokesperson Joyce Fogg to confirm Roth’s calls, and if so, how many claimants Roth contacts by phone.
Fogg said she could not comment on an individual case.
