Jeff Stone’s last day of work was March 12.

Feeling under the weather with a headache and nasal congestion, Stone — who works in the food industry — couldn’t take any chances during the COVID-19 pandemic. So he stayed home to recover. Only he didn’t.

“On April the second I woke up and I said to my wife, ‘I don’t feel good,’ ” he said. His chest was tight and he could hardly breathe.

Because Stone is immunocompromised, his wife called 911. He was tested for COVID-19 at the hospital and sent home. Eight days later, he was relieved to find out he didn’t have COVID-19.

During this time, Stone wasn’t getting paid. On March 17, he applied for EI. By the time April 6 rolled around — the first day to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit — Stone had yet to receive a payment.

He checked his deposit information, supporting documents, everything he could think of. He tried calling — “I’ve waited for hours” — only to get disconnected.

So that day, he applied for CERB. He still hasn’t seen a dollar.

Stone’s 18-year-old son, J.J., is in a similar boat. Though he hadn’t been paying into EI for his most recent job, which laid him off due to the pandemic, he’s worked more than $5,000 worth of insurable hours in the past year. Yet his EI application was rejected, and while his CERB application went through, it has so far resulted in nothing.

Stone says while he’s impressed by the government’s quick response to the pandemic, he feels he and his son have fallen through the cracks, unable to get answers because of the jammed phone lines.

“We’ve got three (political) parties that are doing a great job, but … it is frustrating.”

Stone’s monthly bills are around $4,000. He has negotiated a mortgage deferral and is covering his car payments with his savings.

And despite being immunocompromised, he’s going back to work soon.

Stone and his son are just two of countless Canadians who have applied for but aren’t yet receiving EI or CERB, and aren’t sure why. Some simply haven’t received the money. Others have special applications, and can’t get through on the phone lines to clear things up.

Carrie Baird of Cayuga is one of those people. She went on vacation in early March and returned to a completely different reality. The day she returned to Canada, March 15, the dental office where she works announced it was closing and everyone was temporarily laid off.

Baird applied for EI the next day, but unlike her coworkers, her application is pending. When she finally got through to someone on the phone, she says she was told that because she went on vacation, her last day of work is March 7, meaning she can’t get CERB.

Baird disagrees, saying she isn’t asking to be paid for the days she was on vacation, and that she was laid off on March 15 like the rest of her colleagues.

“The bottom line is, I’m off because of COVID-19,” Baird said. “I’m fighting for my money. This is unbelievable.”

With her application still in the ether, Baird tried applying for CERB, but was met with a message telling her to wait until May 4.

“I’m beyond frustrated.”

There may be hope yet for those whose payments seem delayed.

Annakay Harvey of Etobicoke was temporarily laid off March 27 because of the pandemic. Like Baird, she was stuck in the in-between — her CERB application was a unique one, because the new permanent resident had just done her taxes for the first time. She was worried about rent and groceries, but couldn’t get through on the phone to get things sorted out.

But 12 days after she applied, the money came through.

Michael Liotta of Toronto helped his son apply for CERB on the very first day. He had recently left his job after his hours were cut, and was about to start a new one when the pandemic hit, pausing the process.

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They found the instructions confusing, Liotta says, and ended up applying through Service Canada. His son’s application has been stuck “under review” ever since, they can’t get through on the phone lines, and he can’t apply for CERB because of the pending EI application.

It’s been around two weeks now, and nothing has changed.

“Luckily my son is in a situation that, without this money, he’s not on the street,” Liotta said. “But … there are people that might be relying on it much more.”

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