OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — One woman said she arrived at 5752 Ames Avenue at 4:30 a.m. to make sure she'd be the first to get unemployment help on Tuesday.
Those that arrived after noon on Tuesday were turned away.
Heartland Workforce Solutions is the only Nebraska Department of Labor job center in Omaha, said NDOL spokesperson Grace Johnson. Some staff there work for NDOL, while others work for National Able Network.
"All the staff are working 100 percent, 150 percent, we just can't meet it all," said Vickie Gregorio, a manager at the center.
"We're turning people away and they're mad, and there's nothing we can do."
On July 12, the job search requirement took affect for unemployment applicants. Job centers across the state help with claims and search-for-work activities.
It's the only center with long wait times in the state, Johnson said. She said the Nebraska Department of Labor has served over 32,500 individuals during the pandemic at job centers.