For the newly jobless, relief is hard to find

MMA CRAIG HAD BEEN A WAITRESS IN New York City for eight years when she found a dream gig singing at a private supper club in December and quit her restaurant job. But COVID-19 shut down the club on March 12. Since then, Craig says, she has been calling the New York State unemployment office, often more than 100 times a day, trying to apply for unemployment benefits. The few times she’s gotten through, she’s waited on hold—once for 2½ hours—only to be disconnected.