Hundreds line up to reach one ATM in Manhattan
NEW YORK—The line started small about two months ago with a handful of people who had recently been laid off.
But now, nearly three months into the economic crisis, which has claimed more than 40 million jobs across the United States, it stretches 50 or 60 people long throughout the day and down almost an entire Manhattan block.
They are all waiting to access the same thing: the lone ATM inside the only New York City branch for KeyBank, a regional Ohio bank in charge of distributing unemployment benefits to out-of-work New Yorkers.
The state provides benefits through direct deposit or on KeyBank debit cards. KeyBank has higher one-time withdrawal limits than other banks and doesn’t charge a fee, making it a better option for many unemployed.
So from dawn to dusk, hundreds of people wait in line in a scene that starkly reflects the financial toll the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis have inflicted on workers.
In New York, the claims backlog finally has started to ease as more people receive benefits. But now, accessing their money has become another hurdle.
“It’s terrible,” Mandy Zaxanz said. It took her more than two and a half hours to reach the machine.
KeyBank officials said they would step up efforts, including stationing employees outside the branch to let people know they can withdraw money at other banks. But state officials criticized the bank for not doing more sooner.
So far this year, more than 2.5 million unemployment claims have been filed in the state. Roughly half have been from people who lost jobs in New York City.
About 500,000 people in the state receive their benefits on a KeyBank card.
The people in line at the bank are a cross-section of the city’s economy and represent its most vulnerable workers — janitors, bartenders, school bus drivers, deliverers — who struggled to survive even during normal times with low-paying jobs.
In recent days, flyers have started to appear on the front of the bank branch telling people about the other locations at which they can get cash. But last Thursday, that information was written only in English and not seen by people until after they had waited for hours.
KeyBank said it would dispatch representatives in the coming days to stand outside the bank for 10 hours every day and tell people they have other options.