Veteran: I became homeless because of Indiana DWD unemployment issues

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — David Miller says he worked for the Ramada Hotel when he was laid off due to the pandemic. Like thousands of Hoosiers, he filed for unemployment. He says he received benefits, but it was about $6,200 short.

“[The money] that they owed me for the nine weeks,” explains Miller. “That would have kept me to where I wouldn’t even had to be homeless.”

Miller says it took 13 weeks before he received his first unemployment check. The wait and the shortage of money is what, he says, put him behind in paying his bills. He says the situation forced him to lose his home and car.

 “I got close to $2,000 behind in bills, I owed car payments, I owed back rent, you know, I just couldn’t keep up with it,” Miller said.

The Navy veteran says he’s worked his entire life. He says staying “active” is what helps keep him health at 67 years old. But his age and health complications are also things that have limited him on getting another job.

“I was paying for the motel out of my unemployment money, then when [Governor Eric Holcomb] came along and stopped that pandemic stuff, well, that made me homeless again,” says Miller. “The governor doesn’t realize the people that he hurt when he cut that for people like myself.”

Miller says he’s been in and out of motels for months, depending mostly on money he gets from Social Security. But that money hardly covers what he needs. He is now looking for an attorney to hire, pro bono, who can help him file suit for the money he believes he’s owed.

“I believe they denied a lot of people. I’m just one of them, but I’m one that’s willing to fight for what’s owed to me.”