Wellington Steakhouse employees had a staff meeting of a different sort Tuesday, as they learned how to file for unemployment.
About 25 people showed up to the 2 p.m. meeting and gained information on unemployment benefits, how to register for unemployment and how to start looking for new jobs.
Marcie Hall of the Wichita Workforce Center and Deann Smith of the Kansas Department of Labor in Wichita spoke to the group gathered in the meeting room in the motel.
Those who file for unemployment will have six months of benefits, but those working for the Steakhouse may have already lost out on extended benefit programs, Smith said.
Three of the four programs have already expired, and unless Congress decides to extend the fourth, those laid off locally may not get extra help. Congress may also only extend the benefits until November, when Steakhouse employees would still be on regular unemployment, she said.
“What Congress does has a big factor on how your unemployment plays out,” Smith said.
Steakhouse employees have also missed out on another program which gives those on unemployment an $25 extra a week. That program expired June 2, Smith said.
The meeting started with a small group of 8 people, but as more and more employees trickled in to pick up their last paycheck, the group grew bigger and so did the emotions in the room.
Those who were not red-eyed or visibly crying were solemn and silent as the two women presented their information to the group.
Manager Linda Ledesma handed out paychecks as employees learned about unemployment and later said the Wellington Public Library would be offering their services to help the newly unemployed file for unemployment benefits.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Ledesma said, choking back tears.
Final questions from the group weren’t about unemployment but questions as to why the closure of the Wellington Steakhouse can so suddenly.
Statements like “They’ve been sick for years, why close it down now?” and “Employers expect their employees to give two weeks notice if they quit, so why didn’t you return the favor?” were met with vague answers by a consultant working for the owners of the Steakhouse.
“It was totally, totally unexpected,” she said.
The frustration was not lost on Rep. Vince Wetta (D-Wellington) who helped organize the meeting to help out the employees.
“I can imagine the emotion and there is so much information that they just gave you and I couldn’t keep up with it and I know you guys are emotional so you couldn’t keep up with it so you’re going to have a lot to question and you need to ask the questions and when you call that number you don’t realize how frustrating it’s going to be,” Wetta said.
Wetta told the Wellington News he has spoken with Gov. Mark Parkinson about the closure and is working to help the employees in anyway he can.
“This is the absolute worst time and I’m inundated with phone calls from people who have been laid off and yes, they are hiring back but right now it’s frustrating.” Wetta told the employees.
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Wellington Steakhouse employees had a staff meeting of a different sort Tuesday, as they learned how to file for unemployment.
About 25 people showed up to the 2 p.m. meeting and gained information on unemployment benefits, how to register for unemployment and how to start looking for new jobs.
Marcie Hall of the Wichita Workforce Center and Deann Smith of the Kansas Department of Labor in Wichita spoke to the group gathered in the meeting room in the motel.
Those who file for unemployment will have six months of benefits, but those working for the Steakhouse may have already lost out on extended benefit programs, Smith said.
Three of the four programs have already expired, and unless Congress decides to extend the fourth, those laid off locally may not get extra help. Congress may also only extend the benefits until November, when Steakhouse employees would still be on regular unemployment, she said.
“What Congress does has a big factor on how your unemployment plays out,” Smith said.
Steakhouse employees have also missed out on another program which gives those on unemployment an $25 extra a week. That program expired June 2, Smith said.
The meeting started with a small group of 8 people, but as more and more employees trickled in to pick up their last paycheck, the group grew bigger and so did the emotions in the room.
Those who were not red-eyed or visibly crying were solemn and silent as the two women presented their information to the group.
Manager Linda Ledesma handed out paychecks as employees learned about unemployment and later said the Wellington Public Library would be offering their services to help the newly unemployed file for unemployment benefits.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Ledesma said, choking back tears.
Final questions from the group weren’t about unemployment but questions as to why the closure of the Wellington Steakhouse can so suddenly.
Statements like “They’ve been sick for years, why close it down now?” and “Employers expect their employees to give two weeks notice if they quit, so why didn’t you return the favor?” were met with vague answers by a consultant working for the owners of the Steakhouse.
“It was totally, totally unexpected,” she said.
The frustration was not lost on Rep. Vince Wetta (D-Wellington) who helped organize the meeting to help out the employees.
“I can imagine the emotion and there is so much information that they just gave you and I couldn’t keep up with it and I know you guys are emotional so you couldn’t keep up with it so you’re going to have a lot to question and you need to ask the questions and when you call that number you don’t realize how frustrating it’s going to be,” Wetta said.
Wetta told the Wellington News he has spoken with Gov. Mark Parkinson about the closure and is working to help the employees in anyway he can.
“This is the absolute worst time and I’m inundated with phone calls from people who have been laid off and yes, they are hiring back but right now it’s frustrating.” Wetta told the employees.
