Indiana's Unemployment Debit Cards Weren't Loaded with funds Today

According to WSBT, thousands of unemployed Hoosiers ran into an issue today if they tried to use their state-issued debit cards (onto which their unemployment insurance benefits are deposited).

According to the report a "computer glitch" resulted in no weekly funds being deposited into the accounts---And people weren't immediately sure when the payments would be credited to the cards... This is a major nuisance for unemployed workers looking for jobs and who may have to pay $1 for each time they check the card's balance (in excess of 1 free check/day) to make sure they can withdrawl funds)---or for some unlucky souls they tried to buy goods and were denied because of the glitch.

Tips for Jobless Nevadans to not get gouged by Debit Cards

With 8.4% of workers in Nevada being unemployed and 94% of Nevadans receiving their unemployment insurance benefits via a debit card, it's important to know how to receive the most of your benefits and not get gouged by debit card feeds.

Realizing the bad press that these unemployment benefit debit cards have received in the press the Nevada Department of Employment released these tips.

All participants can access deposited funds through a variety of methods including:

• Unlimited free cash withdrawals at bank tellers of financial institutions bearing the Visa logo
• Unlimited free cash back transactions on retail purchases where offered such as grocery stores
• Utilizing the debit card to make purchases or payments on-line and
• Two free ATM withdrawals per month at Wells Fargo or 7-Eleven ATMs.
  

Debit cards are charged $1.25 for each withdrawal at any other ATM besides Wells
Fargo and 7-Eleven ATMS, Jones said.

Debit Cards used in place of unemployment checks rip-off the jobless

According to the AP there are 30 states that use or require the usage of debit cards so that the jobless can get their weekly unemployment compensation.

Large banks like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and US Bancorp strike deals with the states and then frequently charge fees on the jobless ranging from a $0.50 "balance check" fee to a $20 over-draft fee. The over-draft fee is especially hurtful, b/c the the banks could just as easily prevent an overdraft from occurring by issuing an "insufficient funds" message at the ATM.

The banks justify these fees as a convenience---but nickel and diming the jobless isn't the best way to start or maintain a banking relationship.